MHA Extends Ban On Nagaland-Based NSCN-K For Five More Years Under Anti-Terror Law

The ban on the NSCN-K has been extended for five more years. The government considers the group as an 'unlawful association' and that it is involved in extortion and violence.

File Photo of Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sept 22 (PTI) The Centre on Monday decided to extend the ban imposed on the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) along with all its factions, wings and front organisations for five more years due to its involvement in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India.

The ban will be effective from September 28 for a period of five years, a notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

The central government is of the opinion that the NSCN (K) has declared its aim to create a sovereign Nagaland incorporating the Naga inhabited areas of the Indo-Myanmar region by secession from the Indian Union and aligned itself with other unlawful associations like the ULFA(I), PREPAK and PLA, it said.

The group is also indulged in kidnapping for ransom and extortion of money from businessmen, government officials and other civilians, possessed illegal arms and ammunition and obtained assistance from anti-India forces in other countries to procure arms and other assistance.

"Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), the central government hereby declares the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) [NSCN (K)] along with all its factions, wings and front organisations as an unlawful association," the notification said.

The NSCN-K has continued to be a banned organisation for decades now and it is being extended every five years. Its leader, S S Khaplang, a Myanmarese Naga, died in 2017 after leading the group for decades. The outfit is now run by two of his deputies.

The NSCN-K's rival faction, the NSCN-IM, is currently having peace negotiations with the central government to find a lasting peaceful solution to the seven-decade-old insurgency problem of Nagaland. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)

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