Centre bans 9 Meitei extremist groups operating from Manipur for 5 years

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday declared several Meitei extremist organisations, which mostly operate in Manipur, as "unlawful associations" under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for a period of five years.

According to a notification issued by the Home Ministry, the groups have been banned for allegedly "engaging in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India".

The groups have been declared unlawful associations to curb their "secessionist, subversive, terrorist and violent activities".

"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," the notification read.

Making the announcement, the government also pointed out that 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".

Furthermore, MHA asserted that the central government is of the opinion that if there is no immediate curb and control of the Meitei extremist organisations, they will take the opportunity to mobilise their cadres to escalate their secessionist, subversive, terrorist and violent activities.

"They will 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 ammunition from across the international border and extort and collect huge funds from public for their unlawful activities," the notification added.

The violent ethnic clashes in northeastern state of Manipur since May 3 have led to more than 180 deaths and numerous injuries. Triggered by the 'Tribal Solidarity March' staged in the hill districts, the conflict emerged as a response to the Meitei community's plea for Scheduled Tribe status, with residents expressing their dissent.