Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh is demanding an end to the bandhs and blockades paralyzing the state. These protests choke the economy. On August 7, Singh spoke at a two-day seminar held at the Classic Grande in Imphal, warning that highway disruptions hit daily wage earners and strand truckers hauling essential goods the hardest.
The event, titled Consultative Meeting-cum-Seminar on the Demographic Profile of Manipur, was hosted by the state Home Department and the Manipur State Population Commission. Singh insisted that any solutions for the state must stay within the Constitution of India. He expects the seminar to yield practical recommendations. The government intends to support any public interest initiatives.
State Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam addressed the crowd alongside experts and community leaders. He pushed for local unity. Political differences must not stall progress for indigenous groups. Konthoujam revealed the government's stance on a major policy shift, stating, "the state government has already informed the Central Government of its willingness to conduct an NRC exercise in the state under the constitutional and legal framework."
The central government has already formed a high-level committee to study national demographic shifts. Attendees included Commissioner N. Ashok Kumar, State Population Commissioner M. Manimoham Meitei, and Secretary Dr. M. Veto Singh. Civil society members and academics also filled the hall. Officials maintain that constructive dialogue must replace agitation to keep the state moving.
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