Tainted Men, Borrowed Power: MCA Holds Up Matriliny Mirror
Editor,
Your editorial of June 30 ‘Matriliny Brutalised’, gave me a heavy heart, but also a strange sense of vindication. For years, Meghalaya has worn its matrilineal identity like a badge of progressiveness, as though the mere act of a child taking the mother’s surname absolves an entire society of its sins against women. Your editorial called this out for what it is, a “sardonic attitude which only sounds good in songs and poetry.” I couldn’t agree more. And nowhere this seems more true while following the unfolding crisis at the Meghalaya Cricket Association.
What seems to be happening at the MCA gives us a small, ugly window into how power actually behaves when a woman’s dignity is placed on one side of the scale and a man’s career on the other. Recent media reports suggest that the association’s Secretary, an official named Rayonald Kharkamni, stands suspended in the face of covering up and neglecting sexual harassment complaints of women cricketers. And yet, in the face of findings this damning, what have we witnessed from a significant section of the association’s male membership? Not introspection or shame. Not solidarity with the young women whose careers and safety were put at risk. Instead, an almost desperate and theatrical defence of a tainted office-bearer, mounted with more energy than was ever spent defending the women themselves.
I do not say this lightly, and I do not say it about all men. The MCA President has at least acted on the Commission’s findings, suspended the officer concerned, and stood by the women rather than the institution’s convenience. He has, quite publicly, put principle above the comfort of the old boys’ club even if there seems to be significant retaliation against him from within the MCA. But his is, distressingly, a lonely fight. For every step he has taken, there seems to be a chorus of male voices rushing to shield the Secretary not because the facts are in doubt, but because his continuation in office is convenient to their own hold on power. That is what frightens me most: this was never really about loyalty to a colleague. It is about the desperation of a man clinging to a chair he should have vacated the moment these findings came to light, and the willingness of others around him to mistake that desperation for a cause worth defending.
I ask a simple question of these men: would they extend the same fierce, unconditional loyalty if it were their own sister or daughter who had been let down, ignored, or endangered? I suspect not. Solidarity that evaporates the moment it is inconvenient to power is not solidarity at all. It is self-interest wearing the mask of brotherhood. And a society that romanticises matriliny while its men behave this way in boardrooms and dressing rooms is not matrilineal in any meaningful sense. It is a patriarchy with better public relations.
What unsettles me further is the thought that the MCA, for all its faults, is at least an institution where the facts are surfacing, where one man at the top has had the courage to act, and where a newspaper as old and credible as yours is willing to print the word “brutalised” in the same sentence as “matriliny.” If this is what we are seeing in an association under some public scrutiny, what must be happening in the other sports associations of this state? In sports bodies across this country? Where there might be no President willing to risk his own reputation to do right for young women athletes?
If the men of this society cannot find their collective conscience and speak against this kind of blatant disregard for women, whether in cricket associations, in public spaces, or in marriages, then perhaps it is time the women of Meghalaya stop waiting for that conscience to arrive. Collective, unapologetic action by women, inside institutions like the MCA and outside them, may achieve in months what decades of polite appeals to “matrilineal values” have failed to deliver. Otherwise, your editorial’s warning will prove tragically prophetic, and our matriliny will remain brutalised, not by outsiders, but by our own.
Yours etc.,
S Lyngdoh,
Via Email
Declare River Pollution a Criminal Offence
Editor,
Every time I see the members of Operation Clean‑Up with their rakes, hoes, and spades clearing the riverbanks, I am reminded of their amazing dedication. It clearly shows that only a handful of citizens sincerely care about the cleanliness of our city. The rest behave as if rivers are bottomless dustbins! They are completely blind to the damage their careless habits cause.
If we look more closely, waste dumping, hill cutting, and rapid urbanisation have already hit the fragile ecosystem of Shillong hard. Rivers that once carried clear water, used not just for washing clothes but also for drinking, now stink with filth. Why can’t the government think of rejuvenating them? What is holding them back? Yes, some drains are so choked that even a short downpour turns them into instant flood zones, especially in Polo. This is not just an inconvenience; it is a threat to public health and to the beauty of our town.
Enough is enough. We cannot keep patting offenders on the back while they poison our rivers and streams so mindlessly. We need strong solutions without delay. It is time to deal a “knockout punch” to this filthy habit. The only answer, I believe, is to make dumping garbage into rivers and streams a serious “criminal offence”. Heavy fines and short jail terms can only make people think twice. In Ireland, offenders face fines of up to €5,000 (approximately Rs 5,00,000) and even a year in jail for polluting the environment. If such strict measures feel too harsh for us, we can at least begin with penalties of Rs. 3,000 and a three-day jail term. I am quite sure this will bring about a dramatic change! For the law to have a real deterrent effect, authorities must be determined to identify and prosecute offenders without mercy. The government should also install CCTV cameras at key locations to hunt down violators.
Citizens, too, can play a supportive role. If people do not get tired of taking endless selfies, why not use that skill to discreetly photograph offenders who dump waste into drains and rivers and upload the evidence to the Shillong Municipal Board or the DC office’s websites with some details? Those who report violators could be “rewarded” with some percentage of the penalty amount. This would further encourage vigilance and help break the cycle of dirty habits. Kerala has already shown how “community reporting” through WhatsApp can work wonders. And isn’t this exactly what we need, when people keep tossing mattresses, blankets, quilts, and even broken TVs, keyboards, and what not into our rivers?
Of course, it is heartening to learn that the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills is also willing to join the Operation Clean‑Up drive. The involvement of the CEO of the Shillong Municipal Board would be still more expected. When the top officials stand shoulder to shoulder with citizens, it sends a powerful message.
Shillong cannot afford to lose its rivers and streams to this neglect. Environmental pollution must be branded a “criminal offence” without any further delay. Look at Sikkim — spotless, scenic, and thriving on tourism, with citizens strongly supportive of maintaining cleanliness and a healthy environment. If Sikkim can attract tourists year‑round and “mint money”, why can’t Shillong? Our countless homestay operators open their doors with warm hospitality, hoping simply to earn a livelihood. Wouldn’t clean rivers and a healthy environment make Shillong even more inviting?
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong
