IMPHAL, July 11: Decrying the exclusion of three sub-divisions of Senapati district from the 2011 Census, the Naga People`™s Organization, Senapati District Women`™s Association and Senapati District Students`™ Association jointly staged a sit-in-protest at Senapati Headquarters today.
Speaking to media persons, NPO President Markson stated that the 2001 National Census clearly showed the population of Senapati though there were some hurdles during the enumeration. After 2001, the census operations in Senapati district were hindered due to the inference of security forces and underground organizations.
He lamented that the state government has neglected the census operations in the hill areas because of the fear of losing some assembly seats from the general quota.
Markson further stated that the people of Senapati have extended full cooperation in the 2011 census but the state government and the Department of Census have manipulated the Census Report by excluding three sub-divisions of Senapati district. Some villages have been marked as `non-existence` in the 2011 Census Report. A case has been filed at the Guahati High Court and a case is still pending at the Supreme Court he added.
The Naga civil bodies demanded fair conduct of census operations in the hill areas and warned the state government of dire consequences if the faulty census report is not rectified as soon as possible.