The Centre’s decision to proceed with the delayed 2027 Census has opened a fresh political contest in Manipur over population, citizenship and future political representation.
While Meitei civil society groups and political leaders, as well as sections of the Naga leadership, have demanded that an NRC be carried out before the Census and delimitation, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has opposed the sequencing, calling it “premature and unjustified”.
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The issue comes amid renewed tensions between the Kuki-Zo and Naga communities, even as Manipur’s elected government, led by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, struggles to restore confidence among the Kuki-Zos.
The KZC had initially welcomed the removal of N Biren Singh and the end of President’s Rule, and had viewed Khemchand’s outreach positively. It is now demanding the reimposition of President’s Rule.
KZC spokesperson and Secretary for Information and Publicity Ginza Vualzong spoke to The Indian Express about the Census, NRC, the Naga-Kuki tensions and the council’s changing position on Manipur’s political process, among other issues. Excerpts:
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Why does the KZC oppose an NRC before the Census?
There is nothing to fear about the NRC; what we question is its legality and the manner in which it is being proposed. The NRC is a national exercise, and there is no provision in the Constitution to conduct it exclusively in one particular state. As a national exercise, we leave it to the wisdom of the Central government to decide whether it should be conducted nationwide keeping in mind the failure in Assam.
The argument being advanced by the Meiteis is that the NRC is needed to identify and address the supposedly inflated number of illegal immigrants from Myanmar. But Manipur is not the only Indian state sharing an international border with Myanmar or other countries. So why should NRC be conducted only in Manipur? Would that not be discriminatory?
If the objective is to settle claims about illegal immigrants, refugees, or abnormal population growth among the Kuki-Zo, the most appropriate starting point is credible demographic data. The Census is the proper instrument for establishing such facts. Therefore, demanding an NRC before the completion and publication of the 2027 Census data is premature and unjustified.
The Naga leadership is now also backing an NRC. Does the KZC see this as a political move against the Kuki-Zos?
Irrespective of community — whether Kuki-Zo, Meitei, or Naga — the NRC will affect everyone, as we have seen in Assam. In fact, according to the last Census, the most significant population growth was recorded in the Naga-dominated district of Senapati.
I believe the Naga leadership in Manipur is supporting the NRC primarily to gain favour with the Meiteis, particularly at a time when they are in conflict with the Kuki-Zo. This raises an important question: is the NRC being supported as a matter of principle, or as a political strategy against the Kuki-Zo?
Given the Kuki-Zos’ links with Myanmar, how do you respond to concerns over illegal immigration?
Before India came into existence, our people lived on the same land. Unfortunately, the British colonial administration divided our ancestral homeland across different territories, leaving our people in what are now India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.
This division was imposed without our consent or knowledge. The same historical reality applies to the Naga and Meitei peoples, many of whom also lived across what is now Myanmar.
If there are genuine concerns about illegal immigration, they must first be established through credible demographic data and evidence. So far, the claim of large-scale illegal immigration has been repeatedly propagated, particularly by former N Biren Singh, without credible demographic evidence being presented to substantiate the alleged abnormal population growth.
Therefore, let the government first establish the facts through the Census. If the data demonstrates any abnormal population increase, the government can then consider appropriate citizenship-verification measures in accordance with the law. Citizenship verification should be based on evidence — not assumptions, ethnicity, or political narratives.
Nine Naga MLAs have sought action against Kuki-Zo leaders over the recent violence. How does the KZC respond?
The Naga leadership in Manipur cannot point fingers at only one side while ignoring the violence allegedly committed by Naga armed groups. Since the beginning of 2026, more than 20 Kuki-Zo people have reportedly been killed in attacks involving Naga armed groups, including cadres of NSCN-IM and ZUF (Kamson), while more than 15 Kuki-Zo villages have reportedly been burnt.
The Naga leadership must therefore acknowledge these incidents and take responsibility for addressing the killings and arson attributed to armed groups from their side. Accountability cannot be selective, and justice cannot be demanded for one community while the suffering of another is ignored.
As for any action against Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha and her husband, the Election Commission (EC) and the government are the appropriate authorities to answer that question.
The KZC had welcomed the end of President’s Rule and Khemchand’s government. Why has that changed?
We had hoped that the change of government in Manipur would bring greater security, stability, and normalcy. Unfortunately, the reality has been the opposite. Attacks and killings continue, and the present state government has failed to provide the Kuki-Zo people with the security and confidence necessary for peaceful coexistence.
The Kuki-Zo Council therefore calls for the reimposition of President’s Rule in Manipur. Our people felt safer under President’s Rule than under the present state government. Most tellingly, according to our record, not a single Kuki-Zo life was lost to violence during the period of President’s Rule, whereas 20 Kuki-Zo people have reportedly lost their lives during the tenure of Khemchand Singh.
A government’s foremost responsibility is to protect the lives and security of its citizens. When it fails to do so, the people have every right to question whether the present arrangement is serving its most basic purpose.
Two Kuki-Zo MLAs returned to the Assembly despite the call for a boycott. Does the KZC support this?
As these MLAs have chosen not to resign, they remain part and parcel of the Manipur government and continue to bear political responsibility for its actions.
Imphal has become a valley of death for the Kuki-Zo people, where hundreds have been killed and our homes destroyed. If these two MLAs can enter the very valley where their own people were killed and displaced, without addressing the atrocities committed against them, it raises serious questions about how deeply they remain connected to the people they claim to represent.
Moreover, simply attending the Assembly without raising questions about the violence, displacement, and suffering of their people, or defending the policies the Kuki-Zo stand by, raises serious questions about the very purpose of their participation. If they are not going to speak for their people, then what exactly is the purpose of their presence in the Assembly?
What is the KZC’s preferred way forward on Census, NRC and delimitation?
The Census has been pending since 2021, and as a national exercise, it must be conducted without further delay.
As there are claims of large-scale illegal immigration or abnormal population growth, the Census is the appropriate means to establish the facts rather than speculation or political narratives.
A nationwide Census should also provide the basis for delimitation and ensure fair and accurate political representation. Once the Census is completed nationwide, if the central government determines that there is a need for citizenship verification at the national level, the KZC has no objection to such a process, provided it is carried out uniformly and in accordance with the law.