New Delhi: Questioning the Union government’s decision to defer the census exercise in Manipur, a Kuki-Zo organisation on Tuesday (September 1) called for the reimposition of president’s rule in the state, reported Press Trust of India.

The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has alleged that the decision to defer the census exercise in the state was decided after ignoring the voice of the Kuki-Zo community.

"Not a single Kuki-Zo organisation was part of this demand. Yet, the decision was justified in the name of the feelings and aspirations of the people of Manipur," said the council in a statement.

It added that the decision to defer the census was taken was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi after considering the demand for "No Census Before NRC" raised by 14 civil society organisations representing Meitei and Naga communities.

The KZC statement said it had hoped that the change of government would bring security and normalcy, but attacks and killings continue.

"Our people felt safer under President's Rule than under the present state government. If the state government cannot protect its citizens, the centre must act," the statement added.

Census operations in Manipur that were set to begin on Tuesday (September 1) have been deferred amid protests and calls for a National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise to be conducted first.

Meitei groups and a section of the Naga community are among those demanding that an NRC be conducted before the census. Many Meiteis allege that a large number of Kuki-Zo residents of the state are undocumented immigrants from Myanmar.

Meanwhile, the state remains in the throes of ethnic strife, both between Kukis and Nagas since February this year and between Meiteis and Kukis since May 2023. As of April over 43,000 displaced individuals lived in relief camps, per data obtained via RTI.

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