India, March 18 -- The United Naga Council (UNC) has opposed the proposed census exercise in Manipur from April 1 and raised objections to the state government's decision to hand over a case related to the killing of two persons to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, the apex Naga body said the enumeration of illegal immigrants through the National Register of Citizens (NRC), or a similar mechanism, must precede any census exercise to ensure that only genuine citizens are included.

The UNC cautioned that conducting the census without such verification could result in the inclusion of non-citizens, thereby distorting demographic data and undermining the purpose of the exercise.

It fu...