By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The banned GNLA has sought a CBI inquiry into the alleged creation of ANVC (B) with the blessings of the Meghalaya Government and the State Police.
The self styled political secretary of GNLA, Bikdot Nikjang, on Monday said that with the United A’chik Liberation Army (UALA) commander-in-chief Singbirth Marak alias Norrok X Momin revealing that the Police and the Meghalaya Government provided arms to ANVC (B) to take on the GNLA, the Government should order a high level probe into the incident.
“It has now come to the fore that the ANVC (B) was the creation of some politicians from Garo Hills, who are at the helm of affairs, and the Police to eliminate GNLA,” the political secretary of GNLA claimed.
He said the Government should probe the allegations of nexus of ANVC (B) with the politicians and the police higher ups.
The UALA chief recently made a statement to the media that he was witness to the handing over of three sophisticated weapons to ANVC (B) by Meghalaya Police in East Garo Hills district several months ago to take on the banned GNLA outfit.
The UALA leader had further said that it was with the blessings of the Police and the Government that the ‘then Circle Inspector of Williamnagar, TC Chacko, had handed over two AK-56 and one AK-47 rifles to Rimpu Marak when he was part of the main ANVC and we were witness to it. Chacko later got promoted as DSP of Nongstoin. These weapons were then handed over to ANVC-B commander-in-chief Mukosh and remain with him’.
However, Rimpu, who is the current ANVC (B) chairman, denied the allegation of UALA by saying that the statement was aimed at derailing the early settlement of peace pact with the State Government.
The GNLA political secretary said that to establish the fact and to clear doubts in the minds of the people, the media and the NGOs, the Congress led Government should institute a CBI probe.
“It appears that the Meghalaya Police and the Meghalaya Government created ANVC (B) through a secret deal to neutralize our organization and it is an irony that the ANVC (B) which was a nascent group was invited for peace talks with the Government,” the GNLA leader said.
According to GNLA, the denial of Rimpu of ANVC (B) has no basis and added that ‘Garo Hills has turned out to be a mini Afghanistan due to the presence of many number of splinter militant groups thanks to the Government’.
CSWO seeks inquiry into ‘unholy alliance’
The CSWO has demanded an inquiry into the alleged nexus between politicians, DSP TC Chako and the ANVC (B).
The alleged nexus came to the fore after UALA chief Norrok X Momin alleged that the then Circle Inspector of Williamnagar, TC Chacko, had handed over two AK-56 and one AK-47 rifles to Rimpu Marak when he was part of the ANVC.
In a memorandum submitted to Chief Secretary WMS Pariat here on Monday, CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing alleged that Chacko has a series of killings under his belt and the State seems not only to protect him but also to promote him.
“It is clear Chacko has been given the blessing of Government and this nexus between politicians, police and militant outfits must be immediately checked into,” the letter added.
The CSWO, while expressing concern over the use of ‘girl-child’ by militant groups in Garo Hills, also issued a one-week deadline to the State Government to set up an inquiry failing which the organization threatened to move the court asking for a CBI inquiry.
The UALA chief had alleged that the ANVC (B) leader Rimpu had put in place one cadre called Bulla Marak alias Rakchak to collect tax from traders in Garobadha town and also opened a camp for girls at Edenbari for ulterior motives.
According to the CSWO, State government must initiate inquiry into the use of ‘girl-child’ by militant groups in Garo Hills to combat, distribute arms and propagate militancy while urging the Government to take steps to bring back the misguided youths into the mainstream.