Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh ordered an end to public blockades and bandhs on Sunday. He warned that these disruptions only punish the working class. He wants protesters to pick democratic options instead.
The Chief Minister specifically called out the impact on vulnerable residents. He noted that daily wage earners and women vegetable vendors lose crucial income during shutdowns. Students also suffer when schools close. "Bandh will not serve any purpose," he stated.
Khemchand is heading to New Delhi to meet with senior central leaders. He intends to discuss the state's pressing issues, including the push for an updated National Register of Citizens. Civil society groups and a delegation of MLAs recently visited the capital to advocate for the NRC update, and the Chief Minister claims their campaign earned a positive response. Some groups currently demand the 1951 census as a base year and want to defer the 2027 Census until the NRC process concludes.
Protesters have recently disrupted census-related training and blocked roads. The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation has already threatened a 24-hour bandh starting at midnight on August 31 if their demands remain unmet. They also tied their next phase of protests to the state assembly session beginning September 2. Khemchand promised that the government would take stringent action against anyone creating chaos or breaking the law.
On a brighter note, the government confirmed the restoration of bus services between Imphal, Dimapur, and Guwahati. This ends a three-year transit drought. Officials hope this move eases the travel burden on residents who currently rely on expensive air tickets between Imphal and Guwahati.
Updated at 30th August 2026 at 9:50pm
Pressure on the government is spiking outside of the street blockades. Sujata, president of Imagi Meira, said the planned bandh could be called off if the Chief Minister, ministers, and MLAs from all parties met to pass a collective resolution to hold off on the Census until the NRC is updated. She slammed the state leadership for bickering over partisan politics while ignoring a demand that she claims isn't political, but a matter of long-term state survival.
The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation is raising the stakes beyond the August 31 strike. Finance Secretary Sunil Karam announced that if the government stalls, protesters will keep the heat on through the Assembly session. The group plans a march to the Assembly on September 7. If lawmakers don't secure a decision to pause the Census by that deadline, the group intends to launch an indefinite statewide strike.
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