Trading of charges between the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and Deputy Chief Minister (in charge Urban Affairs, Transport etc), that the latter had been paying money to them is a serious one. Whether, the allegations have any basis can only be ascertained by an independent probe. The MDA Government should not be waiting for the Opposition parties to demand that probe. We live in uncertain time and post the Pahalgam massacre of 26 tourists, terrorism in any form or assisting militant outfits no matter how genuine the cause they propound, cannot be condoned. While the HNLC may attribute to itself the status of freedom fighters (but freedom from whom?) its mode of addressing those causes by resorting to terror and the gun culture cannot be condoned. And certainly, anyone who aids and abets the Organisation by paying protection money, is answerable.
Sniawbhalang Dhar has as expected rubbished the HNLC claims and asked a counter question as to whether the HNLC a militant outfit can be taken seriously. Dhar has also blamed the Opposition for adding fuel to the fire, but that is to be expected. Trading of charges between the ruing party MLAs and those in the Opposition is common fare. It is here that the matter attains significance and must be handled with the seriousness it deserves. The problem is with the HNLC is it’s mysterious presence. It sends regular press releases through an email named Winner H Mark but signed by Sainkupar Nongtraw. It is not known whether anyone by the name of Sainkupar Nongtraw even exists. The recent allegations of a huge mafiadom surrounding the Transport Department in Ri Bhoi district and reference to the Transport Minister, Dhar as being part of the mafia that collects money from trucks is ominous. That a particular policeman and transport official have been named does not auger well for the state. But worse, is the silence of the Home Department on these serious allegations. Now if Government is part of the whole illegal coal transportation nexus then how can the State investigate itself. It is here that central agencies are expected to carry out an independent enquiry.
Anything related to underground/militant outfits cannot be taken lightly in these times, more so when Bangladesh which has offered safe sanctuary to many such outfits on its soil is today in a state of flux and is sending out all the wrong signals vis a vis the North East region. The question to the HNLC is why it has made public this insidious nexus only now. What went wrong between Dhar and the outfit that they are exposing him only now? This again will not surface unless an independent agency does a thorough investigation into the whole trading of charges between the HNLC and Sniawbhalang Dhar who also owns a construction company that is taking up major road projects in the state. In any other state this would have been construed as conflict of interest but not in Meghalaya.
