Ampareen Lyngdoh
File photo of Ampareen Lyngdoh

Former Meghalaya Cabinet minister and senior Congress leader Ampareen Lyngdoh on Saturday reacted sharply against the surrendred HNLC general secretary Cheristerfield Thangkhiew’s allegation that the Congress party was responsible for creating problems in the hill state.

Also read: HNLC leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew slams Meghalaya Congress

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Ampareen Lyngdoh said on Saturday that the surrendered HNLC militant should desist from blaming any political party for keeping him away from the mainstream.

While welcoming the surrendered militant leader to join the mainstream, Lyngdoh asserted that the erstwhile Congress government, of which she was a Cabinet minister, had left no stones unturned to bring the proscribed militant outfit to the negotiating table.

Also read: Meghalaya: HNLC general secretary Cheristerfield Thangkhiew surrenders before Deputy CM Tynsong

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Lyngdoh also questioned the ‘nature of the arrangement of his surrender’ and also dared the Conrad Sangma government to make public the details of the procedure maintained during the surrender.

HNLC leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew with Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong in Shillong after his surrender in October 18, 2018. Photo: Northeast Now

Notably, Thangkhiew did not surrender any arms or ammunition, though he claimed that all his weapons were left in his hideout in Bangladesh and he did not dare carrying them along, as he feared arrest by Bangladeshi forces.

Lyngdoh also warned that the opposition would raise these issues during the next Assembly session.

Northeast Now had earlier reported that Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) ‘general secretary’  Cheristerfield Thangkhiew who surrendered before Meghalaya Government on Thursday last had slammed the previous Congress and alleged the ‘grand old party was responsible for creating problems in the hill state’.

Thangkhiew further slammed the Congress in Meghalaya for not “serious” in holding talks with the HNLC.