TNAL slams Assam Rifles over alleged constitutional violations in Tangkhul Villages

Special Correspondent 
Ukhrul, February 28:
The Tangkhul Naga Awunga Long (TNAL/All Tangkhul village headman Association) has issued a stern and strongly worded resolution accusing the Assam Rifles of “biased and one-sided actions” within Tangkhul Naga villages, warning that any continued disregard for village authority and constitutional provisions will be met with lawful democratic resistance.
Adopted during the body’s yearly assembly at Kurnpei Longshim, the resolution expressed “grave concern” over what TNAL termed actions inconsistent with India’s constitutional framework, statutory law, and the authority vested in village institutions under the Manipur (Village Authorities in Hill Areas) Act, 1956, enacted under Article 371C of the Constitution of India.
TNAL leaders asserted that every security force operating in India is duty-bound to respect fundamental rights under Article 14 of the Constitution of India and Article 21 of the Constitution of India, warning that actions creating fear, insecurity, or undermining lawful village administration violate these guarantees.
Speaking “with heavy heart and solemn responsibility,” TNAL General Secretary Eno Joshua Machinao stated that Tangkhul villages are founded on centuries-old customary governance, where village authority is not merely administrative but a symbol of unity, dignity, and collective will.
“Our land is not just soil—it carries the footsteps of our ancestors and the covenant of our forefathers,” the statement read. “No authority acts within our land without respecting the guardians of the land. This is not defiance; it is order.”
TNAL emphasized that the customary system, legally recognized under the 1956 Act, forms a bridge between ancestral governance and modern law. Ignoring village authority, the body said, erodes trust, fuels tension, and undermines peace in sensitive hill districts.
The resolution outlined three key demands:
* Strong constitutional protest against any action violating the statutory authority of village institutions.
* Immediate adherence to constitutional principles, statutory provisions, and due respect for local governance.
* Lawful democratic measures, including possible non-cooperation, if violations persist.
In a particularly pointed clause, TNAL resolved that no armed personnel should enter village jurisdiction without prior permission or intimation to the competent village authority, except where law expressly permits. Any unauthorized entry, it warned, would be treated as a violation of Section 16(a) of the Village Authorities Act and an infringement on legally recognized self-governance.
Community leaders said their appeal is not an attempt to obstruct security operations but a call for consultation, mutual respect, and lawful coordination. “Peace cannot flourish where respect is absent,” the resolution noted, urging dialogue to replace unilateral action.
The TNAL also reminded authorities that Article 371C and the Village Authorities Act were enacted precisely to safeguard the unique administrative and cultural identity of hill areas. Disregarding these protections, the body warned, risks damaging constitutional decentralization and long-standing community trust.
While no immediate response was available from the Assam Rifles, civil society observers said the issue highlights the fragile balance between security operations and customary governance in Manipur’s hill districts.
Concluding the resolution, TNAL declared its commitment to defend constitutional governance, statutory authority, customary rights, and the dignity of citizens, warning that Tangkhul villages will remain vigilant in protecting what their ancestors entrusted to them.
The statement was signed by TNAL General Secretary Eno Joshua Machinao on behalf of the assembly, marking what leaders described as a decisive stand to uphold law, tradition, and the constitutional rights of the Tangkhul people.