Shillong, March 30: The former MP of Rajya Sabha from Meghalaya Mr Robert Kharshiing has file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) with the Supreme Court of India for the intervention to speed up the investigation on the rape case of the 16 year old Garo tribal girl was raped by these 16-17 men while returning from the Simsang Festival of the Garo/Achik people on 13th December 2012.
The Former MP who is the Co-Chairman, All-Party Parliamentarians & Professionals Foru Life Member, Indian Parliamentary Group, Lok Sabha address his PIL to the Hon’ble Chief Justice, Altamas Kabir and the same was sent to the president of India. The former MP in his PIL said that though news paper have reported the incident but the family victims succumb to many perasure.
The PIL file by the former MP Rajya Sabha stated that “ Because we hail from such a remote part of this great country of ours and because it was the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi who said that India lives in its villages, I humbly request you to take up this matter with utmost urgency. For the last 100 days, news media across the country (Indian Express, Times of India, Times Now, Tehelka.com, OneIndia.in, Assam Tribune, Telegraph, NorthEast Today, Daily Bhaskar, NDTV, Headlines Today, Hindustan Times, Sentinel, Shillong Times, Meghalaya Times, Rupang, Nongsain Hima, Peitngor, Mawphor and many others) have been reporting the most cruel rape of a 16 year old Garo tribal girl by 16-17 men in Williamnagar, the headquarters of the East Garo Hills District, about 240 km from Shillong city, Meghalaya.
On 13 December 2012, this 16 year old Garo tribal girl was raped by these 16-17 men while returning from the Simsang Festival of the Garo/Achik people. Yesterday, 27 March 2013, Times Now Channel began constant reporting on the story. The Chief Minister spoke over phone to the Channel and tried his best to defend the State Government but it was obvious that Times Now Channel was not buying his story. Even after 100 days following this horrific incident, the abused girl and her parents are still suffering from victimization with the State Government taking a very callous and uncaring attitude towards both the girl and her parents. Now it has reached a situation where the parents of the child do not know where the girl is while the State Government claims that they have hidden her in a school. It seems that one of the rapists is related to a sitting Minister which is why the case is going nowhere. The parents are being threatened by surrendered militants so that they keep quiet. They appeared on Times Now at considerable risk to their lives. “In the past decade, Meghalaya has seen over 800 rape cases, 500 of which are still pending trial in various courts. Contrary to the popular belief that women have greater control over their lives in matrilineal societies such as in Meghalaya, the condition of women seems to be no different here from the rest of the country.
‘Our matrilineal society has become mere words on a placard, while the factors contributing to crimes against women in Meghalaya remain the same as in Delhi or Assam,’ says Patricia Mukhim, editor of The Shillong Times. “There is little political will to change the situation.” In fact, there was a six-fold rise in cases of rape registered annually in the state between 2001 (26 cases) and 2010 (149 cases). In a state that boasts of women’s empowerment — where women inherit property and are seen at the forefront of domestic and public life — 830 rape cases between 2002 and 2012 should have shaken the conscience of the political parties and the administration, and forced them to act. Instead, the conviction rate remains awfully low, compensation is hardly awarded and there are only three fast track courts dealing with rape cases — one each in the Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hills and East Khasi Hills districts. In the Garo Hills alone, which does not have a single fast track court, 23 rape cases, including two gangrape cases, have been pending for over a decade.
Though the William Nagar rape victim received a compensation of Rs 25,000 after human rights groups took up her case with the government, she asks, “What will I do with the money when I can no longer lead a normal life?” Her mother alleges that the doctors at the William Nagar Hospital refused to get her daughter admitted even though she was bleeding profusely. “Not only had the boys raped her, they had also mutilated her private parts and perhaps tried to kill her.” (Tehelka.com)
Times Now also asked why no politician is taking up this case. As a senior politician of the State, I hang my head in shame. I belong to the ruling coalition which is governing the State of Meghalaya but my conscience no longer allows me to stay quiet when I watched the horrible news being flashed again and again by Times Now. My own sister who is the President of a leading Women’s NGO (Civil Society Women’s Organisation) of the State has being taking up this case since it began. On 26 March 2013, while taking the mother of another rape victim to the Media Center in the State Secretariat, she was arrested with all sorts of flimsy Sections filed against her like trespassing, forceful entry of the Secretariat etc (Sections 353, 447 and 180 of IPC). All the leading NGOs of the State of Meghalaya rushed to the police station and condemned her arrest. I then issued a strongly worded statement (copy enclosed) following which she was released but they refused to drop the ridiculous case.
It was obvious that she was arrested in an attempt to silence and intimidate her. For many years now, she has been taking up such cased on behalf of harassed, abused, victimized women as a leading RTI and NGO activist of the North East of India.
Your Excellency, on the basis of this Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which I hereby submit to you, I most humbly request you to issue show cause to the Government of Meghalaya and the Meghalaya Police asking among others the following:
1. In the light of the outrage and intense sentiments across the country on rape and rising crimes against women, why is such a horrific case not being heard on a day to day basis as suggested by the former DGP of Meghalaya, Shri Kulbir Krishan, IPS?
2. Was Shri Kulbir Krishan, IPS summarily transferred as DGP because he dared to make such a suggestion when it is known that one of the rapists is a relative of a Minister?
3. What is the current status of the case regarding the rape of the 16 year old that took place on 13 December 2013?
4. Why are the parents not being allowed to speak to the girl or to meet her?
5. Why was the leading women activist, Smt. Agnes Kharshiing who has been at the forefront in seeking justice for this poor 16 year old Garo tribal girl arrested on such flimsy grounds and why has the cases against her not been withdrawn immediately?
6. In the light of the stringent Anti-Rape Law passed in Parliament, what action has been taken against the police officers, State Officials or politicians involved in the hushing up of the Rape of the 16 year old girl and why should not they be summoned to appear before the Supreme Court?
7. Similarly what action has been taken against the police officers, State Officials or politicians who instead of assisting the Rape Victim’s mother as required by the new Anti-Rape Law passed by Parliament were involved in the filing of FIR and subsequent arrest of the leading Women’s Activist and whistleblower Smt. Agnes Kharshiing, President, Civil Society Women’s Organisation on 26 March 2013 and why should not the politicians, State Officials and police officers involved so involved not be summoned to appear before the Supreme Court?
8. What are the specific steps being taken by the Government to stop crimes against women?
9. Why are the NGOs taking up such causes harassed instead of supported by the State Government?
10. In the light of constant threats and intimidation by surrendered militants, what is the security being provided for the rape victim, her parents and the leading women activists who are taking up her cause
Your Excellency, kindly forgive my lack of legal finesse as I am not a lawyer, just a concerned State leader who is writing this Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to you in haste due to the utmost urgency of the situation.(SP News)
