Shillong, June 12: The Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has threatened to extend its support to the youths who are opposing railway project in the state, but maintained its stand that it does not want to invite them to join the outfit.
In an e-mail statement issued on Monday, HNLC publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said, “We do not want to invite the youths to join the HNLC but we can provide them with help and support to intensify their struggle.”
The HNLC even went on to claim that the “entire state will burn if it (HNLC) gets in touch with the youths and supply them with IED. It is not too hard to supply them with 35 to 40 Kgs IEDs. But by doing so, the entire region would suffer. We need peace and prosperity but the police needs violence.”
Nongtraw also claimed that the outfit has been approached by many youths for logistics support. “Sooner or later we shall be bound to help them out. Then the government shall be solely responsible for all damages and casualties,” he said.
Asking the state government to immediately invite the pressure group for talks if it wants normalcy to return to the state, Nongtr4aw said, “We cannot burn our state just for the sake of railways. The government should take up the matters seriously and invite the pressure groups for talks.”
Lambasting the government and police for hunting and arresting leaders and members of the Khasi Students Union (KSU), Nongtraw termed it a “political nonsense” as students are being hunted as if they belong to a militant outfit, while demanding immediate release of KSU North Khasi hills president, Ferdynald Kharkamni, Sonstar Nongkhlaw and all other members, who were arrested recently under various sections following protest against the railway project in Byrnihat.
Accusing the district administration of aggravating the situation by arresting the youths, Nongtraw said, “hunting of members of pressure groups would create an opportunity for the youths to come to us for help.”
He also alleged that the Inner Line Permit (ILP) issue was earlier spearheaded by 13 pressure groups, but now only one organization (KSU) has become a victim of the police department.
The HNLC also recalled that the Chief Minister had earlier assured the pressure groups to implement comprehensive mechanisms in order to tackle the problem of influx and setting up of entry exit points in the entire state including Khasi hills Jaintia hills and Garo hills.
Meanwhile, the outfit also questioned the eagerness of the state government to bring in railway at a time when the state is going through an economic downfall.