Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 29 2010:
The United Naga Council (UNC) has submitted a memorandum to the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Imphal alleging that Government of Manipur is attempting to tamper population figure of the tribals.
Stating that UNC is aware of the fact that Government of Manipur has issued instructions to the State machinery engaged in the ongoing 2011 Census exercise to arbitrarily reduce decadal population growth rate in the hill districts of Manipur, the Council urged the Commissioner to urgently look into the matter and make necessary interventions so that justice is not denied to the tribals of Manipur.
The Census Commissioner has also been apprised that contrary to the actual projections based on field report, Govt of Manipur has tampered decadal growth of Tamenglong to 20 percent against the field enumeration figure of 28 percent; 20 percent for Churachandpur against 28 pc; 16.8 percent for Ukhrul against 27; 17 percent for chandel against 40; and 17 percent for Senapati against 100 percent, the UNC representation mentioned.
Further contending that a clear socio-political divide exist between the govt of Manipur and the tribal people who inhabit the five hill districts of the State and that manipulations of facts and position as had been pointed out are the fuelling reasons for the chasm, the Council said intention of the Govt of Manipur is to deprive the tribals of their rights in terms of representation and benefits of development programmes and policies.