Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday said the Centre and State governments are ready to hold the peace talks with the leaders of the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) anywhere outside Meghalaya.
Speaking to reporters, Tynsong said, “I would request the top leaders of the HNLC don’t have any kind of apprehension and don’t have any doubt because we are sincere from the government be it State or Centre. If you feel that it is not safe for talking here within Meghalaya, we are ready to even talk anywhere. Central and State government are ready to talk anywhere. If you want to have a talk maybe somewhere in Kolkata or in other states, we are ready for that. So my request to the top leaders of the HNLC is very clear the door is still open and we would request to them to kindly come back for talks and we are ready to talk across the table.”
The outfit’s chairman cum commander-in-chief Bobby Marwein and general secretary-cum-publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw had recently expressed their inability to participate in the discussion till the government is ready to drop all pending cases against them and to sign a ceasefire agreement.
Tynsong also requested leaders of the outfit to come back for the peace talks.
“I have seen the statement made by the HNLC recently (but) my request again to the HNLC is like this, please come back for talks because until and unless we talk face to face what you really wanted to we will not reach anywhere. And we have been sincere enough, not less three-four months, we have taken care of their cadres, we have taken care of them be it safety and there was no such arrest also, why are you having that apprehension?” he said.