Shillong, Jan 5: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday appealed to the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) to reconsider its decision to withdraw from the tripartite peace talks with the Centre and State government for lasting peace to prevail in the state of Meghalaya.

Addressing the media, BJP national vice president and Meghalaya incharge Dr Chuba Ao said, “We appeal to our militant organization to come forward and join the mainstream and attain peace.”

Party state president Rikman G Momin said, “We need peace so we will request HNLC to come forward to have peace talks with the State or Central government directly.”

He however refused to comment on whether amnesty should be given to the leaders and cadres of the banned Khasi outfit.

State BJP Chief spokesperson and former IPS officer, M. Kharkrang, said the party is surprised at the HNLC’s sudden decision to withdraw itself from the peace talks with the government. According to him, it is not possible for the government at one stroke of a pen to drop all cases against the leaders and cadres of the outfit.

“If you have seen the statement…the main agenda of the HNLC is to drop all cases against the leaders and cadres of the outfit. I feel they should have waited as it is not easy for the government to just drop these cases especially if cases have been chargesheeted and are being trial in the courts as once cases are being chargesheeted, it totally depends on the court. To say that the government at one stroke of a pen to drop all cases it is not possible,” he said.

“At the same time, we also have to think about those victims of such cases, they maybe your families or relatives, now if the government just to appease one side, drops all cases, what justice will you give to the victims of criminal cases,” he added.

Kharkhrang said it was a hasty decision on the part of the HNLC to withdraw from the peace talks adding “They should have given the peace talks a chance.”

To a question, the former IPS officer said, “We are appealing to the HNLC to continue with the peace process and in a given situation, it is a give and take, you cannot make demands and expect all the demands to be met by the government. You have to look at the larger picture not that just because one issue has not been settled it doesn’t mean you pull yourself out of the peace talks.”

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