Meghalaya: Banned HNLC rejects tribunal's five-year extension, calls verdict 'political act'

The outlawed Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council has strongly condemned a judicial tribunal's decision to uphold the government's extension of its ban for another five years, describing the May 10 verdict as a calculated move to suppress indigenous voices rather than pursue justice.

Justice Soumitra Saikia's UAPA tribunal found sufficient evidence to confirm the continued prohibition of the insurgent group, citing ongoing armed activities and threats to India's territorial integrity. The decision extends a ban that has been in place since November 2000, with the most recent renewal occurring in December 2024.

HNLC general secretary Saiñkupar Nongtraw issued a defiant response, arguing that the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act has become an instrument of repression targeting legitimate political dissent. The organisation maintains it represents the political aspirations of the Hynñiewtrep people rather than a terrorist movement.

Government records presented to the tribunal paint a different picture. Between November 2019 and June 2024, authorities documented 48 criminal cases linked to the group, including multiple explosive incidents across Meghalaya. Security forces arrested 73 suspected cadres during this period, while the organisation allegedly maintained connections with other northeastern insurgent groups, including the United Liberation Front of Asom.

The Ministry of Home Affairs highlighted the group's digital footprint, claiming HNLC uses Facebook and WhatsApp to recruit and radicalise local youth. Several arrests across different districts involved individuals working as overground supporters after alleged social media indoctrination.

Nongtraw disputed these characterisations, claiming arrested individuals were innocent youth wrongfully accused of expressing solidarity with the movement. He argued that the government inflates figures to justify the continued repression of indigenous political expression.

The organisation had appointed advocate Fernando Shangpliang for legal representation, though Nongtraw claimed their voice was ignored during proceedings. He characterised the tribunal as lacking constitutional legitimacy and accused the system of refusing to hear indigenous perspectives.

The ban extension reflects broader tensions between the Indian state and regional movements in the northeast. While authorities cite security concerns and criminal activities, the HNLC frames its struggle in terms of historical grievances and indigenous rights to self-determination.

Federal investigators are also pursuing digital evidence, having served notice to WhatsApp in February 2024 seeking information about Bangladeshi phone numbers linked to threat messages. The messaging platform has yet to respond to the official request.

The five-year extension ensures the HNLC remains on India's list of banned organisations, subjecting members and supporters to potential prosecution under anti-terrorism laws. The decision continues a pattern of periodic renewals that have kept the group outlawed for nearly two and a half decades.