Government bans Khalistan Liberation Force

The government has banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for its involvement in several killings, bombings and other terror activities during its violent campaign for the secession of Punjab. KLF will be the 40th organisation to be proscribed under the UAPA law.
The ban comes in the backdrop of various agencies unearthing several KLF modules in recent months which has led to apprehensions that it is attempting to revive militancy in the state.

Khalistan Liberation Force

The Khalistan Liberation Force came into existence in 1986 with the objective of establishing an independent Khalistan by the secession of Punjab from India through violent means. The following instances led to apprehensions that KLF is attempting to revive militancy in the state:

• A five-member KLF module was busted by the Punjab Police, which resulted in working out the two cases relating to planting of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Nabha, Punjab.
• A module was busted in Gurudaspur district and four terrorists were arrested with illegal arms and ammunition. It was alleged that they were planning to target Pathankot based leaders of a particular political party.
• Amritsar police had busted another module and three KLF terrorists were arrested, who were planning to target prominent members of a particular community to disrupt communal harmony in Punjab.
• Jalandhar police had also busted a  Khalistan Zindabad Force module of four members and arrested the chief of KLF along with illegal arms and ammunition

The Home Ministry justifying the ban states that the members of KLF in India are getting financial and logistic support from their handlers based abroad and it believes that the KLF is involved in terrorism as it has committed and participated in various acts of terrorism in India.

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) aims at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in India, provides unrestricted powers to law enforcement agencies for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India. The law imposes reasonable restrictions on exercise of freedom of speech and expression, to assemble peaceably without arms and to form associations in interests of sovereignty and integrity of India.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2018