Shillong, Jan. 12 -- The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has strongly condemned the Meghalaya government's plan to establish land banks under the Investment Meghalaya Agency (IMA).

In a statement, the HNLC alleged that the Meghalaya government's assurances regarding the protection of indigenous land rights are misleading and pose a serious threat to the autonomy and territorial rights of the Hynniewtrep people.

The HNLC expressed concern that the IMA's mandate to purchase and manage land directly undermines the Land Transfer Act, which aims to protect indigenous lands from encroachment.

The group further argued that the creation of land banks would centralize land-related decision-making within the government, sidelining...