SHILLONG: The banned militant group Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) alleged that the public assault on social activists Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma was carried out at the instigation of the police department.
Speaking about the ban on rat hole mining, general secretary cum publicity secretary of HNLC, Saiñkupar Nongtraw in a press statement asserted that Kharshiing was a victim and made a scapegoat as she was trying to monitor the case of illegal mining.
He went on to further allege that coal suppliers, police, politicians, bureaucrats were all involved in illegal coal mining.
With the ban on rat-hole mining affecting their livelihood, he said the state machinery should take a decision pertaining to lift the ban on coal mining.
According to him, the state would have earned revenue in millions thereby uplifting the economy of the state as well as its people if mining was legal.
The militant organization said poor people who depended on coal trade for their livelihood had to bear the brunt of the blanket ban while the millionaires were not at all affected by the ban.
The HNLC asserted the NGT should come up with alternative employment option for the poor in view of continued ban on coal mining in the state.
Asserting that the state had suffered an economic downfall, Nongtraw said tourism would be of little help as the department was working at a snail’s pace.
Pointing to the political oppression and economic exploitation at the hands of Indian government, the HNLC said the Indian Constitution was federal in form but unitary in spirit.