The Centre has banned Meghalaya-based armed outfit Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) given the increased activities of violence and other subversive acts in the state.
The Union home ministry in a notification said the HNLC along with all its factions, wings and frontal organisations has been openly declaring as its objective the secession of the state’s areas, which are largely inhabited by Khasi and Jaintia tribals, from the Indian Union.
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The group continues to intimidate and bully civilians to extort funds, maintains links with other insurgent groups of the Northeast to carry out acts of extortion and intimidation, and maintains camps in Bangladesh to give sanctuary and training to its cadre, said the notification.
The home ministry further said that HNLC’s activities are detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
If these are not immediately curbed and controlled, the HNLC will regroup and rearm itself, expand its cadre base, procure sophisticated weapons, cause loss of lives of civilians and security forces, and accelerate its anti-national activities, the MHA said.
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“Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), the central government hereby declares the HNLC, along with all its factions, wings and front organisations as unlawful association,” the notification said.
The ministry also listed the violence perpetrated by the HNLC in recent past that include four incidents involving killing of one civilian, during the period from January 1, 2015, to July 31, 2019, arrest of 16 of its cadres, recovery of four weapons, surrender of 14 of its cadres and kidnapping of four persons.
Earlier, the HNLC was declared as a proscribed outfit on November 16, 2000 but the ban was later lifted.