A Committee on Women Empowerment of the Meghalaya Assembly will take up the matter of brutal attack carried out allegedly by a gang of coal mafias on social activist, Agnes Kharshiing and her aide, Amita Sangma.
Agnes and Amita were attacked at Sohshrieh in East Jaiñtia Hills district on November 8 while returning from Lad Rymbai to Shillong after submitting a complaint to police in connection with illegal mining and transportation of coal.
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The Committee on Women Empowerment of the Meghalaya Assembly, with woman legislator from East Shillong, Ampareen Lyngdoh as chairperson, will meet at the conference hall of MLAs’ Hostel in Shillong on November 15.
The committee will also take up the implementation of the Chief Minister’s Social Assistance Programme and seek its status besides issues related to maternity and child care in the State.
The Chief Minister’s Social Assistance Programme for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), single mothers, and Chief Minister’s Wedding Assistance Scheme for orphan girls were launched in 2012 by the previous Congress-led Government.
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Stating that the Assembly’s Committee on Empowerment of Women examines measures taken by the Government to secure equality, status and dignity for women in all matters, Lyngdoh said, on the premise of its most fundamental terms of reference, the Committee will inquire into the public attack on activist, Agnes Kharshiing and her aide, Amita Sangma on November 8.
Lyngdoh said that the Committee would seek clarity from police on steps taken by the department to uncover the perpetrators of such a heinous act that has left an unimaginable fear in minds of not just women but citizens in general across the state and country as well as seek a status report of the investigation from the department.
The MLA said that the Committee is duty-bound to ensure that justice be delivered to the victims who are presently languishing in hospital and fighting for their lives.
Talking about women empowerment, Lyngdoh said that women empowerment is not to be treated as a special tag for the fairer gender.
“It is a fact that women are challenged in all spheres – at place of work, politics, religious forums, social platforms, family and State decision taking and so on. Women empowerment is necessary and crucial to ensure that our opinions, voices and thoughts are heard, circulated and taken into consideration for a balanced execution of governance. Women rights continue to suffer across the board, and as Chairpersons of this Committee, I will spearhead all necessary attention towards atrocities and crimes against women in our state,” Lyngdoh said.