Shillong, Nov 16: The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), which was banned for another five years by the Central government, has alleged that the government’s call for peace talks was a calculated move to demoralise the outfit and weaken its “struggle”.
“Your call for peace talks is nothing more than a calculated move to serve your own interests. The real objective behind this gesture is to weaken, demoralize, infiltrate, and manipulate us…This is not about genuine reconciliation but about neutralising us and suppressing our struggle,” HNLC general secretary cum publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said in a statement issued on Friday.
On Thursday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a notification banning the outfit for another five years keeping in view the “unlawful activities” committed by the organisation in recent times as well as in the past.
MHA also stated that HNLC had maintained links with other insurgent groups of the North Eastern region for carrying out acts of extortion and intimidation and has indulged in 48 criminal cases, including several cases of explosions or planting of explosives in Meghalaya, during 16 November 2019 to 30 June 2024.
Claiming that HNLC was “not at all surprised” by the government’s decision to extend the ban, the outfit also challenged the government statistics about the number of arrests and surrender of outfit’s members in recent times.
