SHILLONG, MAY 29: Forty-eight year old Selekost Shadap his wife Bahunlang Rympei and seven children were ostracised from the Mawrong village under the Ri Bhoi district by the executive committee of the dorbar on the allegation that they were mehsohnoh (one who practice witchcraft) even as the victim later found that his name was in the job card holder list under the NREGS and that he had been paid wages which he had never withdrawn.
Whether the ostracising of Shadap and his family from the village has any connection can be revealed only if investigation is undertaken, but a RTI filed by the victim after he was expelled from the village revealed the irregularities and anomalies in the functioning of the VEC of the Mawrong village.
According to the RTI, Shadap’s name appears in the list of the job card holders under the NREGS showing that he has withdrawn his wages as per the days he had worked. Shadap, who is a farmer by profession, told a news conference on Wednesday, “Since the time the scheme was introduced in the village, I have never availed the benefit of the scheme but I don’t know how my name came in the lists of beneficiaries when I did not work for a single day under the scheme.”
The RTI findings also revealed that Shadap was paid Rs 980 for 16 days work from September 1-16, 2009, Rs 1000 from January 4-19, 2010, Rs 980 – June 4-19, 2009 till April 2011.
Shadap alleged, “The members of VEC have forged the signature in withdrawing the money sanctioned under the scheme.” He said he had never been provided with job cards.
Whether the NREGS fraud and the ostracization of Shadap has any connection can only be confirmed if a thorough investigation is undertaken by the police but the fact remain that the victim was suddenly driven out of the village in April by the executive committee of the dorbar shnong on a trumped up suspicion that the family was praticising witchcraft.
Shadap told reporters, “We were summoned by the dorbar on April 12 where they declared that we have been ostracized from the village as my wife and I were suspected of practising witchcraft.”
Shadap said the allegation of dorbar shnong is baseless as they failed to produce evidence against them that they were praticising witchcraft. The couple and their seven children have been residing in the village for last 27 years.
Shadap said, “All these years we have been living peacefully in the village but all of a sudden without any reasons they charged us with such allegation.” He informed that they tried to find a compromise but the Rangbah Shnong Lambha Syiem said what had been decided cannot be reversed.
The couple had approached the police and even ngos seeking their intervention but neither the police nor the ngos came to their rescue.
Shadap informed “We approached the in charge of Umsning police station, but the officer said that the police can only give protection to them if they stayed in the police station but cannot provide escort and security to the family.” He said even the ngos refused to take up their case.
Threaten by the village; the family had no option but to leave their home and property. They are now taking shelter with their relatives in Bhoi Rymbong. – By Our Reporter
