LI Network
Published on: October 21, 2023 at 10:49 IST
A tribunal established by the Central government will assess whether there are valid grounds for declaring the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) as “unlawful associations” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
In a notification released the Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced the formation of “The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal,” with Justice Manish Choudhury, a Judge of the Gauhati High Court, as its member. The tribunal’s primary purpose is to adjudicate on the legality of designating NLFT and ATTF as unlawful associations.
This development follows the Ministry of Home Affairs’ declaration, nearly 15 days ago on October 3, that NLFT, ATTF, and all their affiliated factions, wings, and front organizations are to be considered unlawful associations for a period of five years.
In its October 3 notification, the Ministry explained that this decision was based on the groups’ stated objectives of establishing an independent nation by attempting to secede Tripura from India through armed struggle, in collaboration with other secessionist organizations within Tripura. These activities were seen as a means to incite the indigenous people of Tripura to support this secession.
Furthermore, the Ministry noted that NLFT and ATTF have been actively involved in “subversive and violent activities” that undermine the government’s authority, propagate terror, and spread violence among the population to achieve their goals. The two organizations were also alleged to have close connections with other unlawful associations in the North East, mobilizing support for their cause.
The recent violent and unlawful actions pursued by these organizations, deemed prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, further reinforced the decision to designate them as unlawful associations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
