The heinous attack on Agnes Kharshiing a Right to Information (RTI) and women’s rights activist leading the Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO), and her colleague Amita Sangma deserves the severest of condemnations. Another environmental activist from Jaintia Hills was reportedly hunted down by the law enforcers for blowing the whistle on their shady deals. The activist was coerced to withdraw the FIR he filed. In March this year, another RTI activist Poipynhun Majaw who was trying to unearth the unsavoury goings-on in the cement companies of Jaintia Hills was also brutally murdered. His killers are still at large. Some arrest has been made in the Agnes Kharshiing case but one doubts if the law keepers would dig in their heels in this case, for, if the arrested spill the beans it could point at powerful people in the seat of power today. This Government had better prove that it has a handle on the law and order situation in the state. Mob violence of the kind unleashed on the CSWO activists on Thursday and earlier at journalists documenting the illegal transportation of coal are becoming the modus operandi of the coal mafia in Meghalaya.
The present situation is worsened by the fact that Chief Minister and Home Minister – two of a family, are both on a foreign tour. The Chief Minister has issued a statement that violence would be dealt with firmly but the Home Minister has maintained a stoic silence. The public is no longer convinced by empty threats that are not made good by quick arrests of criminals. Meghalaya, a state with potential to grow as a tourism destination is quickly sliding into the quicksand of lawlessness. Those in the know say that the recent transfers and postings of policemen have been orchestrated to facilitate illegal mining and transportation of coal. Those officials are now in strategic positions. Meghalaya also stands out for one fact – that some high ranking police officials also own coal mines and therefore have a vested interest in facilitating the coal trade despite the ban by the National Green Tribunal. The collusion between politicians, police, bureaucrats and the coal and cement mafia in Meghalaya is a carefully knit web of associations. This is a dangerous portend and could lead to complete collapse of law and order. It is at this juncture that civil society should raise the banner of protest and reclaim the power vested in them as citizens of a democratic country.
