The alleged insult of women hawkers in Khyndailad has snowballed into a major row with the banned Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) issuing a threat against a pharmacy owner.
In an email statement on Tuesday, the HNLC stated that the owner of Economic Pharmacy harassed and drove away Hynñiewtrep women hawkers from the streets near his shop with arrogance and disrespect.
“His behaviour is not merely personal insolence, it’s an insult hurled at our entire Jaitbynriew and a stain on the dignity of our people,” HNLC general secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw stated.
Demanding immediate shutdown of the pharmacy the HNLC said the owner has to leave the state.
“Should he dare to stay, the HNLC will make sure he finds no rest, no safety, and no refuge on Hynñiewtrep soil. Peace and comfort will be strangers to him. This is the final and unwavering warning. His presence is a provocation we will no longer tolerate. If he refuses to leave, the people of Hynniewtrep will rise with relentless and decisive force,” the outfit threatened.
“This is no isolated incident. It is part of a systematic conspiracy of contempt, exploitation, and humiliations by outsiders who swarm into our homeland, plunder our resources, and then dare to spit venom at the very people whose sacred soil sustains their greed,” it cited.
The HNLC also criticised the state government calling it complicit in relocating residents from Them Ïewmawlong. “A delayed solution is no solution at all. Yet in the same breath, they rush to evict our Hynñiewtrep hawkers from the streets, the humble sons and daughters of the soil who struggle each day to survive,” it added.
Blaming the government of supporting ‘outsiders’ and ‘profiteers’ which is “betrayal” the outfit issued a warning to non-tribals saying, “You’re free to run your businesses on our land… we have no quarrel with honest trade. But the day you flex your power, threaten, or humiliate our local people, know this ….we’ll rain fire upon you. We’ll blow your comforts to dust and turn your empire into ashes. This is Hynñiewtrep. We bow to no outsider. Cross the line, and we’ll respond with extreme, unforgiving force. This is your only warning.”
