Meghalaya: HNLC Demands Separate Flag & Constitution

Guwahati, November 28, 2019:

Meghalaya’s Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), one of the largest militant groups from the state of Meghalaya, has reiterated its demand for separate flag and Constitution.

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Taking to Facebook, Saiñkupar Nongtraw, the general secretary-cum-publicity secretary of the outfit, warned that the Khasi people should remember that the Centre's laws have not been beneficial to the tribes.

He wrote, "When you seek ILP (Inner Line Permit), the government gave CAB (Citizenship Amendment Bill), and instead of the VAB (Village Administration Bill), the government wants municipal election. And as a result of New Delhi’s continued oppressive approach, we have seen one agitation after another on issues concerning the Khasi community."

Nongtraw's statement comes on the heels of the Centre extending the ban on the insurgent outfit.

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The Union Home Ministry stated that the cause behind this is that the outfit, along with all its factions, wings and front organisations of Meghalaya has been openly declaring as its objective the secession of the areas in the State of Meghalaya (largely inhabited by Khasi and Jaintia tribals) from the Indian Union.

The Union Home Ministry has stated that the HNLC has an openly declared objective for "secession of areas" in the State of Meghalaya, largely inhabited by Khasi and Jaintia tribals from India.

It may be mentioned here that the HNLC was formed in 1993 to fight for the “liberation” of the Khasi-Jaintia people from the Indian Union.

The outfit went into decline after its chairman Julius Dorphang surrendered in 2007, but of late, the outfit has been accused of carrying out extortion and other subversive activities.

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