Former cop and BJP spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang has said that withdrawal of all cases against the banned Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) is not an easy task for the government.
Stating that the decision of the HNLC to pull out from the peace talks was surprising and sudden he said, “It will not be possible for the government to withdraw all the cases with one stroke of a pen.”
“They should have waited for some more time since it is not easy for the government to just withdraw all the cases especially those which has been chargesheeted and trials are going on in the courts. Once cases have been chargesheeted it will depend on the court whether they are acquitted or convicted,” Kharkrang said.
He questioned how justice will be served to those victims who were at the receiving end, if the government is to withdraw the cases which are on trial just to please one party.
Reiterating that the HNLC should continue with the peace talks, Kharkrang said that in any negotiation there is give and take. “You cannot make demands and expect all of them to be met by the government,” he said.
On the demand of the HNLC to establish a safe passage for central leaders and cadres of the HNLC in order to “foster trust and enable our participation in the peace talks”, Kharkrang said that once the government has agreed to give them safe passage it would be so.
“The government cannot fool people like that, so they have to believe the government,” the BJP spokesperson said.
He also said that the death threat to Sohra legislator Gavin M Mylliem is uncalled for.
“For the ills that have taken place in the company (MCCL) for the last 30-40 years now you cannot put the blame solely on the sitting MLA,” Kharkrang questioned.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Rikman Momin and BJP vice president in-charge Meghalaya, Chuba Ao reiterated that the state wants peace and appealed to the HNLC to come to the mainstream and maintain peace.
