Shillong, Nov 8: Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma, who were attacked by a mob in East Jaintia Hills in 2018 for investigating illegal coal mining, will not give up their fight for justice despite the adversities.
Speaking to Meghalaya Monitor on Tuesday, which was the fourth anniversary of the incident, Kharshiing said they are still waiting for compensation from the government.
The East Jaintia Hills district administration, in a letter, has informed that the compensation would come after the completion of the court trial, she informed.
“The letter also mentioned that the government already paid our medical bills and that we were late in submitting the request for compensation,” she added.
As per the rule, the victims should have applied for compensation within three years of the incident, that is by November 2021. Meanwhile, the Covid-19 pandemic started in 2020 and there was a series of lockdowns. The second wave started in 2021 that prompted the Centre to announce another lockdown. The compensation request was filed in June this year.
“More than me, Amita needs the support. She is a single mother of seven children. There are many others who are awaiting compensation. Those victims should also be considered,” said Kharshiing.
The brutal attack on the two activists have also left a debilitating effect on their health. Kharshiing, who suffered severe head injury, has lost her sense of smell and she finds it difficult to articulate sentences at times. She cannot drive anymore and it has affected her social work. On the other hand, Sangma, who received grievous injuries on her hands, said the pain is lingering and she finds it difficult to sleep on her left.
On the status of the case, Kharshiing said 26 have already been charge-sheeted. “I enquired about the case during Covid. A few days after getting information from the government lawyer, Nidamon (prime accused Nidamon Chullet, who was also NPP’s East Jaintia Hills unit president) gave Rs 2 lakh to the CM’s Covid fund. What does that mean? It means they are trying to negotiate,” she added.
Sangma said James Sangma, who was the Home Minister at that time, promised thorough investigation and punishment of the culprits. “Nothing has happened. This is because those who attacked us were NPP and UDP men… We don’t even know whether we will get justice. But we will continue to fight for justice,” she added.
Also read: Amita & Agnes thank God on the eve of 4th anniversary of attack on them
