Meghalaya: HNLC Claims IED Blast, Demands Relocation of Harijan Colony

SHILLONG: The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has claimed responsibility for the IED blast near Punjabi Lane in Shillong on March 9.

The banned outfit has demanded the relocation of settlers from the Harijan colony or Punjabi lane in Shillong.

HNLC general secretary Saikupar Nongtraw in a statement said that the Meghalaya government has ignored moving the Harijan people from this area for so long, which resulted in the outfit resorting to the use of military force.

He further added that this was a reminder that if the government does not safeguard their community, Hynniewtrep could plunge into civil war.

Any community that threatens Hynniewtrep will face strong action, they said.

The banned outfit has also warned the government to relocate the Harijan colony within a month and failing to do so will face consequences.

Earlier, in a letter to HM Amit Shah, the secretary of the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC), Gurjit Singh, raised concerns about the blast stating that it has created hear among the residents. The Sikh community living in the contested area suspects that the explosion was planned to disrupt ongoing negotiations to relocate them to municipal land.

Singh emphasized that the relocation process, which began months after the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) took office in 2018 and has the support of the BJP, is currently being overseen by the high court.

He stressed to Shah that the blast undermined peace efforts and called for immediate action against those making threats, emphasizing that restoring peace necessitates holding troublemakers accountable.

Additionally, Singh urged the Center to uphold the rule of law and safeguard the rights of all citizens, regardless of their ethnicity or religion.

He highlighted that Sikhs in the Punjabi colony have faced threats from various tribal groups openly hostile to the presence of non-tribals in Meghalaya, creating an atmosphere of intimidation and fear.

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