Guwahati: The Manipur Government Higher Secondary Lecturers’ Welfare Association (MGHSLWA) has appealed to the state government to temporarily defer Census-related training and field duties assigned to teachers amid the ongoing “No NRC, No Census” agitation.
In a statement issued on August 19, the association expressed concern over the proposed deployment of teachers for Census training and enumeration work, citing the prevailing socio-political situation in Manipur.
The association said teachers have consistently carried out their responsibilities as government employees. However, it noted that the current situation has placed them in a difficult position, caught between official instructions and opposition from civil society organisations campaigning against the Census until the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is updated.
According to the MGHSLWA, the lack of public cooperation and the possibility of confrontations during door-to-door enumeration could create safety concerns for teachers and make it difficult for them to perform their assigned duties.
The association has therefore urged the state government to defer Census-related training and field assignments for teachers until a consensus is reached through dialogue with the civil society groups leading the agitation.
It also appealed to the authorities to ensure that teachers are not placed in the middle of the ongoing administrative dispute, stressing the need for a safe and cooperative environment before field-level Census activities resume.
The appeal was issued in the public and academic interest by K. Herojit Singh, general secretary of the MGHSLWA.