Shillong: The Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), an insurgent group outlawed in India, has vehemently denounced a recent judicial tribunal’s decision to prolong its ban for another five years. The verdict, delivered on May 10, has been branded by the outfit as a calculated move to stifle the voices of indigenous communities rather than dispensing justice.
Justice Soumitra Saikia’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal upheld the continued prohibition of the group, citing compelling evidence of ongoing armed activities and a perceived threat to India’s territorial integrity. This decision extends a ban that has been in effect since November 2000, with its most recent renewal occurring in December 2024.
Saiñkupar Nongtraw, the general secretary of the HNLC, issued a defiant statement, asserting that the UAPA has been weaponised into an instrument of repression, specifically targeting legitimate political dissent. The organisation maintains that it champions the political aspirations of the Hynñiewtrep people and is not a terrorist outfit.
However, government records presented to the tribunal paint a contrasting picture. Between November 2019 and June 2024, authorities documented 48 criminal cases allegedly linked to the group, including multiple incidents of explosions across Meghalaya. During this period, security forces apprehended 73 suspected cadres, while the organisation reportedly maintained clandestine connections with other insurgent groups in the North East, including the United Liberation Front of Asom.
The Ministry of Home Affairs highlighted the group’s pervasive digital footprint, claiming the HNLC utilises platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp for recruitment and radicalisation of local youth. Several arrests across various districts involved individuals acting as overground supporters following alleged indoctrination through social media.
Nongtraw, however, contested these characterisations, alleging that the arrested individuals were innocent youngsters wrongly accused of expressing solidarity with the movement. He further contended that the government inflates such figures to justify the continued repression of indigenous political expression.
The organisation had appointed advocate Fernando Shangpliang for legal representation, though Nongtraw claimed their perspectives were disregarded during the proceedings. He dismissed the tribunal as lacking constitutional legitimacy, accusing the system of actively refusing to acknowledge indigenous viewpoints.
The extension of the ban underscores the persistent tensions between the Indian state and regional movements in the North East. While authorities prioritise security concerns and criminal activities, the HNLC frames its struggle within the context of historical grievances and the indigenous right to self-determination.
Federal investigators are also actively pursuing digital evidence. In February 2024, they served notice to WhatsApp, seeking information about Bangladeshi phone numbers purportedly linked to threat messages. The messaging platform is yet to respond to the official request.
This five-year extension ensures the HNLC remains firmly on India’s list of banned organisations, rendering its members and supporters susceptible to prosecution under stringent anti-terrorism laws. The decision continues a recurring pattern of periodic renewals that have kept the group outlawed for nearly two and a half decades.
Read More: Assam’s Child Marriage Crackdown Garners National Acclaim at PM’s Conclave