‘Move taken by Mizoram Labour Minister example for State’
SHILLONG: The Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO) has once again asked Chief Minister Mukul Sangma to sack Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh from the Cabinet to ensure a free and fair probe into the Marvelene’s Inn case.
The fresh demand came after Mizoram Labour Minister Lalrinmawia Ralte resigned from his post over allegations of misuse of public money to allow fair and impartial inquiry into the allegations.
A 14-year-old girl was sexually exploited on numerous at the Marvelene’s Inn which is run by the family of the Home Minister.
The CSWO said that the refusal of the Home Minister to step down creates suspicion that the case is being interfered with.
“Police are definitely being influenced from day one. The investigation was not going in the right direction as the sections of POCSO were not added (to it) and even the CCTV etc., of the guest house were not immediately seized,” the CSWO pointed out.
The reluctance of the Chief Minister to ask his cabinet member to step down shows the government’s indifference towards crimes against women, the CSWO observed.
Citing the case of neighbouring State, the CSWO appreciated the move of the Mizoram minister who has been blamed for sending 32 students from the state to a fake institute in Kolkata and misusing money.
“Political leaders should take moral responsibility for their actions,” the CSWO said.
The CSWO pointed out that even Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan was asked to step down by the Centre following allegations of molestation leveled against him by a job aspirant at Raj Bhavan.
“HDR should take moral responsibility and step down when there are serious investigations going on against his immediate family members in a case involving sexual exploitation of a minor,” the CSWO reiterated.
EJH incident slammed
The CSWO has condemned the suspected murder of a young woman whose body was found in Dkhiah East in East Jaintia Hills on Thursday morning.
Asserting that it was a clear case of murder, CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing demanded the concerned authorities to make all efforts to arrest the culprits.
“Persons responsible for murder and rape of women and children, should not be given bail keeping in mind the seriousness of the case,” she added.