Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday asked the state home department to share updated information on the biometric enrolment of illegal immigrants. In a post on X, he said this would strengthen public confidence and show the government's commitment to protecting the people, according to The New Indian Express.
Key points
- N Biren Singh urged the Manipur Home Department to regularly share updates on biometric data collected from illegal immigrants.
- He asked for details such as the number of individuals identified and verified.
- His appeal came a day after the Mizoram government reportedly said biometric enrolment of Myanmar refugees in that state was in its final phase.
- In August, the state's Home Minister told the assembly that 24,475 illegal immigrants from Myanmar had been detected so far.
What Singh said
Singh described the issue as one that goes beyond politics. "This is not about politics. It is about national security, safeguarding our borders and protecting the future of our people," he wrote on X.
He pointed to Mizoram as an example. According to him, the Mizoram government has shown the importance of vigilance by closely monitoring the influx of illegal immigrants and taking steps to protect the state's interests.
Singh said it would be in the public interest for the Manipur Home Department to regularly share updated details on the biometric data collected. This, he said, should include the number of people who have been identified and verified.
Why transparency matters
The former chief minister said such openness would strengthen public confidence. He added that it would also reaffirm the government's commitment to protecting the security of the state and the interests of its indigenous communities.
His remarks came a day after the Mizoram government was reported to have said that the biometric enrolment of Myanmar refugees sheltering in that state was in its final phase.
Earlier figures from the state
Manipur Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas had told the state assembly in August that 24,475 illegal immigrants from Myanmar had been detected in Manipur until then. The source report does not say whether any newer figures have been released since that statement.
The report also does not mention any response from the Manipur government or the Home Department to Singh's request.
