IMPHAL: In an unprecedented move, the United Naga Council (UNC) in Manipur has barred Alfred Kanngam S Arthur, the newly elected Congress Lok Sabha MP from Outer Manipur, along with two other candidates, from public platforms and leadership roles in the Naga society for seven years.

The other two candidates, S Kho John and Allyson Abonmai, contested the recent Lok Sabha election in the Outer Manipur constituency as Independent candidates.

John and Abonmai secured third and fourth places, respectively, following Congress’ Arthur and Kachui Timthy Zimik of the Naga People’s Front (NPF).

Congress candidate for Outer Manipur Arthur defeated NPF’s Zimik by a margin of 85,418 votes.

In a public notification, the UNC stated that the trio “purposively defied and failed to respect and honour the position of the UNC in the recently concluded 18th Lok Sabha elections and their wilful attempt to challenge the Naga peoples’ position and its spirit of unity”.

The notification, signed by UNC’s secretary for information and publicity, H James Hau, stated, “…are hereby debarred from public platforms, and holding any position or leadership in the Naga society for a period of seven years with immediate effect.”

The influential Naga body also instructed all its constituent, subordinate, and associate units, along with the Naga populace, to uphold and enforce the resolution within their respective jurisdictions.

The resolution was reportedly adopted during the UNC’s “Emergency Assembly” on May 29, a week before the election results were announced on June 04.

Arthur and Zimik belong to the Tangkhul Naga community, while John is from the Poumai community and Abonmai from the Liangmai community among the Nagas.

The UNC’s notification has sparked widespread criticism on social media for excluding NPF’s Zimik from its directive.

A post on social media commented, “The UNC’s decision is not just undemocratic, it is counterproductive. In a democratic society, people have the right to choose their leaders without coercion or intimidation.”

In 2019, the seat was won by NPF’s Lorho S. Pfoze.

The recent election in the Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency, which comprises 28 Assembly segments, was held in two phases on April 19 and April 26.

The Kuki-Zomi community refrained from fielding any candidates in protest against the government’s handling of the ongoing ethnic conflict.

The campaign in the Outer Manipur seat was marred by violence and attacks on the Congress candidate, allegedly by Naga extremists.

The Naga community has professed neutrality during the ethnic conflict between the Meiteis of the valley and the Kuki-Zomi of the hills.

Due to over a year of ethnic violence, campaigning for the two Lok Sabha seats in the state was significantly subdued this time.