Shillong, Dec 23: The proscribed militant outfit Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has intensified its confrontation with the Voice of the People Party (VPP), issuing a warning to party president Ardent M Basaiawmoit over what it termed interference in matters related to indigenous governance.
The warning came in response to Basaiawmoit’s recent remarks criticising the group’s alleged involvement in the affairs of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), particularly the prolonged delay in issuing the appointment letter to the Syiem of Hima Sohra. The HNLC has claimed that the delay is politically driven and linked to the role of the KHADC’s acting chief executive, whom it alleged is aligned with the VPP.
In a statement issued on December 22, the outfit’s general secretary defended the organisation’s intervention, asserting that matters concerning traditional institutions and indigenous rights could not be treated as routine administrative issues. The group rejected calls for it to stay away from KHADC affairs, maintaining that it had the right to intervene wherever indigenous interests were involved.
The statement also took aim at Basaiawmoit’s public stance, questioning his moral authority and alleging that political affiliations were influencing decisions within autonomous institutions. In a further escalation, the HNLC announced plans to publish a book titled The Blueprint of Hynñiewtrep, which it said would address questions raised by the VPP leader on identity, rights and political direction.
The latest exchange has once again drawn attention to the sensitive dynamics surrounding autonomous councils in Meghalaya, underlining the persistent tensions between traditional authority, party politics and militant assertions of indigenous rights.
