New Delhi, Dec 8: Signalling its efforts towards ensuring lasting peace in Meghalaya by taking all stakeholders on board, the Central government has decided to further assess the ban imposed on the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).
The move comes close on the heels of Ministry of Home Affairs extending the ban on HNLC by another five years.
Under its power conferred as per Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the home ministry has constituted a judicial tribunal for adjudication of the ban on the Khasi militant outfit that has been active for over three decades in Khasi-Jaintia Hills.
The tribunal consisting of Justice Soumitra Saikia, a judge of Gauhati High Court, will adjudicate whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the HNLC with all its factions, wings and front organisations as an unlawful association.
The tribunal assesses whether the ban is warranted on the provided grounds, and the affected outfit can present its case before it.
Earlier, on November 14, the home ministry declared HNLC a banned organisation for another five years for its involvement in violent incidents and carrying out activities prejudicial to India’s sovereignty and integrity.
While declaring the ban on the organisation, the home ministry had stated that the “HNLC had a declared objective of the secession of areas in Meghalaya, largely inhabited by Khasi and Jaintia tribes, and had continued intimidation and bullying of the civilian population to extort funds for their organisation”.
The group is also maintaining links with other insurgent groups of the northeastern region for carrying out extortion and intimidation and indulged in 48 criminal cases, including several incidents of explosions or planting of explosives in Meghalaya, during the period from November 2019 to June 2024, it said.
During this period, 73 cadres of the outfit were also arrested by security forces.
“The HNLC along with all its factions, wings and front organisations of Meghalaya has been involved in such activities which are prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India,” the notification said.
The home ministry said it is of the opinion that these activities of the HNLC are detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
And if these are not immediately curbed and controlled, the HNLC may regroup and rearm itself, expand its cadres, procure sophisticated weapons, cause loss of lives of civilians and security forces and properties and thereby accelerate its anti-national activities, the ministry said. (PTI)
