India Bans 9 Meitei Extremist Groups and Their Associate Organizations

By IndraStra Global News Team

Cover Image Attribute: The file photo of Imphal, capital of the Indian state of Manipur, at dusk / Source: Deepanjan Ghosh, Wikimedia Commons.

On November 13, the Indian government officially banned nine Meitei extremist groups and their associate organizations, predominantly operating in Manipur. This action, announced on Monday by the Ministry of Home Affairs, comes in response to the groups' involvement in anti-national activities and their relentless attacks on security forces, which have resulted in fatalities.
The banned organizations include the Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) and its political wing, the Revolutionary Peoples’ Front (RPF); the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and its armed wing, Manipur Peoples’ Army (MPA); the Peoples’ Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and its armed wing Red Army; the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and its armed wing (also known as the Red Army); the Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup (KYKL); the Coordination Committee (CorCom); and the Alliance for Socialist Unity Kangleipak (ASUK).
While the PLA, UNLF, PREPAK, KCP, and KYKL were already banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) several years ago, the recent action extended the ban by an additional five years. The remaining organizations have been freshly declared outlawed.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in its notification, expressed concern that without immediate intervention, these Meitei extremist organizations could escalate their secessionist, subversive, terrorist, and violent activities. The government believes that these groups may collaborate with forces hostile to the sovereignty and integrity of India, engage in civilian killings, target police, and security personnel, procure illegal arms and ammunition from international borders, and extort significant funds from the public for unlawful activities.
The notification states;

The central government, having regard to the circumstances, is further of the opinion that it is necessary to declare the Meitei extremist organizations… as ‘unlawful associations’ and 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 the 13th day of November 2023, for a period of five years.

The government's decision to prohibit these organizations highlights its dedication to upholding law and order in the region and preventing activities that threaten national security. It also prompts questions regarding the current security situation in Manipur, with apprehensions about possible repercussions and the repercussions on the local populace. As tensions persist in the region, exemplified by the Meitei community's halting of an army vehicle on November 7, 2023, en route to a recent clash site among rival ethnic groups, the government's ban is a resolute move reflecting its commitment to maintaining law and order and protecting national security. Nonetheless, it is anticipated to ignite discussions on striking a balance between security measures and civil liberties and concerns about potential retaliations and the impact on affected communities. The ban takes effect on November 13, 2023, and will be enforced for five years.

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