Modi Govt extends ban on 11 Meitei outfits for five more years

 Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) extends  ban on 11 Meitei extremist outfits of Manipur for five more years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The centre also stated that the activities of the Meitei Extremist Organisations are considered 'detrimental' to the sovereignty and integrity of India.

The notification mentioned that -- 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 Kanna 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 Central government on Nov 13, 2023, made the declaration in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), on Monday under a notification issued by Ministry of Home Affairs and signed by additional secretary Piyush Goyal. 

(Nine Meitei Extremist Organisatiosn along with all their factions, wings and front organisations as unlawful associations with immediate effect for the next five years)

It further mentioned that the Central Government, having regard to the circumstances, is further of opinion that it is necessary to declare the said Meitei Extremist Organisations accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to sub-section (3) of section 3 of the said Act, the Central Government hereby directs that this notification shall, subject to any order that may be made under section 4 of the said Act, have effect from November 13, 2023, for a period of five years.

The notification said these 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.

It stated that the said organisations have been 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; and maintaining camps in neighbouring countries for the purpose of sanctuaries, training and clandestine procurement of arms and ammunition.   

The Central Government is of the opinion that the activities of the Meitei Extremist Organisations are considered detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India.

It also stated 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 for escalating their secessionist, subversive, terrorist and violent activities; of India; 

.....propagate anti-national activities in collusion with forces inimical to sovereignty and integrity; 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.

It may be mentioned that some of the mentioned organisations, namely the PLA, UNLF, PREPAK, KCP, KYKL, etc. were already declared as outlawed organisations years ago.