Meghalaya health minister and senior A.L. Hek on Tuesday said he was ready to lead the proscribed Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) to peace parleys with the Centre.

While welcoming the statement of the outfit indicating its willingness to have unconditional peace talks, Hek said whether the HNLC or any other organisation would like to have peace talks with the Centre, he was ready to open communication channels even with Union home minister Amit Shah.

The council on Monday reacted to the recent overture by the Meghalaya unit of the BJP regarding peace talks between the outfit and the government.

In a statement, it said if the recent offer made by the BJP was sincere, the HNLC welcomed and appreciated the same.

“We will cooperate in the talks in all earnest, provided that our commitment and ideologies shall not be compromised and the talks are purely unconditional,” it had said.

Speaking to reporters here, Hek said, “We are ready to take the HNLC and other organisations if they want to have peace talks. I will take them personally. I will make contacts with Amit Shah or any other minister.”

Stating that the objective was to achieve peace in Meghalaya, he said anybody who wanted to go for peace talks was welcome.

On the council’s stress on unconditional talks, he said it would be the Centre’s prerogative whether talks would be held before or after laying down of arms.

“I will take the lead if they want. I can discuss the matter with the home ministry. But the Centre will decide whether the talks will be held before or after laying down arms,” Hek said.