Ampareen defends women MLAs
SHILLONG: Four women legislators, including three Cabinet Ministers, have been criticised in the recent past for maintaining silence over the growing cases of crime against women and children in the State.
However, Labour Minister and MLA from Laitumkhrah Ampareen Lyngdoh said their silence cannot be read as inaction.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the IT awards for meritorious students here on Friday, Lyngdoh said having been elected as a legislator does not mean that she has to hit the street but her silence cannot be read as inaction.
“We don’t have to read out loud to express our concern on the matter,” she said.
Stating that they have access and platform to raise their concerns on the matter, the Minister added that they are internally discussing the matter and they are trying to ensure that any crime should be dealt with strangely as per the law of the land since no one is above law. “It is unfortunate that only a few cases are highlighted whereas thousands of similar cases remain dormant and unspoken,” she said.
Defending the legislators, Lyngdoh said they are working on the matter of crime against woman and children even as she added that things are better than what it used to be in Meghalaya. It may be mentioned that even the Congress was criticised for remaining a mute spectator of the recent trafficking case of a minor girl who was also sexually abused by Mawhati MLA Julias Dorphang.
