SHILLONG: A conglomeration of NGOs on Wednesday demanded that the ‘rape accused’ Mawhati legislator, Julias Dorphang who has named member Committee of privilege and subordinate committee on Legislation of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, should be removed from these committees.
The civil society groups submitted a memorandum to the Speaker of the Assembly, AT Mondal, on Tuesday in this regard through the Secretary of the Assembly expressing their displeasure over the inclusion of Dorphang in the two Assembly Committees.
Different NGOs including Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO), Tama U Rangli Juki (TUR), Impulse NGO Network, North East Network besides several social activists lamented that such an appointment of Dorphang who is accused of raping a minor girl, at a time when the charge sheet has been filed indicated an arrogance of power as well as amounted to intimidation to the victim, the witnesses and even the investigating officials involved in the rape case.
The NGOs maintained that Dorphang had been booked under the POCSO Act which specifies that an accused is guilty till proven innocent and that the burden of proving innocence lies on the accused.
“Such insensitive and ill-conceived decisions by the public representatives who have taken oath to uphold constitutional guarantees of safety and security to all citizens particularly women and children will lead to a loss of faith in the system,” the petition said.
The NGOs while slamming the decision of the Assembly said that nomination of a `child rape accused’ to House Committees sent out the message that such offenders and perpetrators would be accommodated which would further promote such heinous crime and a climate of impunity for criminals.
The citizens also ruled that the action to include Dorphang in the house committees not only demoralizes women and children who have been victim of sexual crimes but also an insult to all women and children in the state.
Julias Dorphang is accused of raping a minor girl on two separate instances after which he was arrested from Guwahati and is now in judicial custody.