TV
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 Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notification 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 United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) [ULFA (I)], People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and People's Liberation Army (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 home ministry said several activities have been noted where NSCN (K) cadres were involved between September 28, 2020 and April 30, 2025. These include registration of 71 cases against its cadres with 56 chargesheets filed and 35 cadres prosecuted, involvement of its cadres in 51 other criminal activities, arrest of 85 cadres and surrender by 69 cadres and recovery of 69 arms, 52 magazines, 931 live rounds, 10 grenades, 150 detonators, three explosives gel tubes, 200 grams trinitrotoluene one-and-a-half kilogramme improvised explosive device (IED) and 800 grams of other explosives.
During this period, 13 underground cadres were killed in action by police or security forces.
The state governments of Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh have also recommended the declaration of NSCN (K) as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
"And whereas, the central government is of the opinion that the aforesaid activities of NSCN (K) are detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India and if these are not immediately curbed and controlled, the NSCN (K) may further regroup and rearm itself, expand its cadres, procure sophisticated weapons, cause loss of lives of civilians and security forces and thereby accelerate its anti-national activities. And whereas, the central government is of the opinion that for the reasons aforesaid, the NSCN (K) together with its factions, wings and front organisations, is an unlawful association," the notification said.
The home ministry said it is of the further opinion that circumstances exist which render it necessary to declare the NSCN (K) along with all its factions, wings and front organisations to be an unlawful association with effect from September 28.
"Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to sub-section (3) of section 3 of the said Act, hereby directs that this notification shall, subject to any order that may be made under section 4 of the said Act, have immediate effect from the 28th September, 2025 for a period of five years," 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.
