SHILLONG: The proscribed HNLC has called for a 36-hour bandh from October 21 in protest against the two-day visit of President Pranab Mukherjee to the State. The bandh would be effective from 6 am of October 21 till 6 pm of October 22. However, essential services, media and religious activities are exempted from the purview of the bandh. Announcing this on Thursday, the outfit’s publicity secretary Saiñkupar Nongtraw in a statement said that October 21 is being observed as the 25th death anniversary of Syiem Wickliffe (founder of Hynniewtrep Nationalism) and the planned visit of Mukherjee is a political insult to the Hynniewtrep national day. Mukherjee on October 21 will address the state assembly and visit the Don Bosco Museum, the largest cultural museum in the whole of Asia as far as indigenous cultures of the North-East are concerned. The President, who is also the Visitor of the North Eastern Hill University, will confer degrees to the students during its 21st convocation on October 22 before returning to Delhi. The bandh will be effective in the Khasi-Jaintia hills districts of Meghalaya. According to Nongtraw, the Hynniewtrep kings and his Dorbar Hima never accepted or agreed to the signing of the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement of 1948. Moreover, he said the collective leadership of the HNLC in its recent emergent high command meeting expressed its “sheer anger” over the Indian political leadership, which is responsible for the “entire crisis that has hindered the overall development of the entire Hynniewtrep land”. “The Government of India has turned a blind eye towards the welfare of our nation, our people and our resources are being exploited by these political leaders, who are luring people by giving away schemes which in turn benefit the political leaders,” the HNLC publicity secretary said. Commenting on the current unrest, the HNLC leader further said, “The issue of influx has always been diverted and neglected because these same political leaders are being manipulated and economically controlled by the non-tribals, who are exploiting the entire Hynniewtrep land”. The HNLC, also condemned the confronting attitude of the State government by way of hunting for several NGO leaders. “The Congress-led government is in fact compelling youths to take up arms,” Nongtraw said. The HNLC leader also said that lack of response from the Centre to their offer to hold unconditional talks, has made them stronger. Read more at theshillongtimes/2013/10/18/hnlc-calls-36-hour-shutdown-from-oct-21/#ER7OvjWG9u7WecZm.99
Posted on: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 04:16:13 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015