By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The banned militant outfit Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has demanded withdrawal of armed forces and its political machineries from the State.
“If the Central Government wants peace to prevail in the State then they should immediately withdrew the armed forces and its political machineries,” the HNLC said in a statement issued here on Sunday.
The outfit also demanded that the Government of India should repatriate all the Bengali Hindus from the Hynniewtrep soil who had been granted the status of refugees since 1971.
While referring to the 24th death anniversary of Wickliffe Sing Syiem, the HNLC recalled that the Syiem was among the first leaders to convince the Hynniewtrep leaders to shape the Federation of Khasi states in 1947.
“On May 16, 1946, the British Cabinet Mission released its statement known as the ’16th May 1946 Mission Statement’. Para 15th of the same stated that units of state would fall under the supervision of the Indian government on three areas mainly the Defence, the Foreign Affairs and Communication,” the banned outfit said.
The HNLC also stated that after India achieved its Independence, the Standstill Agreement was broken within six months after the day it came into force by compelling the Hynniewtrep Syiems to sign the Instrument of Accession.
The outfit asked the Union Government to clarify its stand on why the Standstill Agreement signed on August 9, 1947 was forcefully terminated.
“The HNLC is astonished that the traditional chiefs are demanding for Article 371. This signifies that they are not yet conscious of the worth of the Standstill Agreement,” the statement said.
The banned outfit also blamed the Central Government of concealing historical data related to the Hynniewtrep people and their existence.