MHA bans several Meitei extremist organisations for their violent activities
The move has been taken as the government feels these organisations are indulging in attacks on and killing of security forces, police and civilians in Manipur
The Centre on Monday declared several ‘Meitei’ extremism organisations as “unlawful associations” under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) to curb their “secessionist, subversive, terrorist and violent activities”, according to a notification issued by the ministry of home affairs (MHA).
The move has been taken as the government feels these organisations are indulging in attacks on and killing of security forces, police and civilians in Manipur, as well as activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the Central government hereby declares the Meitei extremist organisations, namely - the Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) and its political wing, the Revolutionary Peoples’ Front (RPF), the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and its armed wing, the Manipur Peoples’ Army (MPA), the Peoples’ Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and its armed wing, the ‘Red Army’, the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and its armed wing, also called the ‘Red Army’, the Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup (KYKL), the Coordination Committee (CorCom) and the Alliance for Socialist Unity Kangleipak (ASUK) along with all their factions, wings and front organisations, as unlawful associations,” a notification issued by the MHA stated on Monday.
The ban has been imposed for five years starting Monday.
The MHA said these organisations have, as their professed aim, “establishment of an independent nation by secession of Manipur from India through armed struggle and to incite indigenous people of Manipur for such secession”.
Also Read: Manipur Police arrest 2 in abduction case of Meitei students
The Centre, it said, is of the opinion that the Meitei extremist organisations have been,- “engaging in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India”, “employing and engaging in armed means to achieve their aforesaid objectives”, “attacking and killing the security forces, the police and civilians in Manipur”, “indulging in acts of intimidation, extortion and looting of civilian population for collection of funds for their organisations”, “making contacts with sources abroad for influencing public opinion and for securing their assistance by way of arms and training for the purpose of achieving their secessionist objective”, “maintaining camps in neighbouring countries for the purpose of sanctuaries, training and clandestine procurement of arms and ammunition”.
It said the activities of these organisations are “considered detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India and that they are unlawful associations”.
Justifying the ban, the MHA notification states that “if there is no immediate curb and control of the Meitei extremist organisations they will take the opportunity to, mobilize their cadres for escalating their secessionist, subversive, terrorist and violent activities; propagate anti-national activities in collusion with forces inimical to sovereignty and integrity of India; indulge in killings of civilians and targeting of the police and security force personnel; procure and induct illegal arms and ammunitions from across the international border; and extort and collect huge funds from public for their unlawful activities”.
At least 178 people have been killed and 50,000 displaced in Manipur since May 3, when ethnic violence erupted between dominant Meitei and tribal Kuki communities in the northeastern state.
