MSCW to take a call

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, JULY 10: The Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) said it would soon submit its recommendation on the case of discrimination against a tribal woman’s dress by the Delhi Golf Club after hearing both the parties.

The Commission heard Tailin Lyngdoh, who was asked to leave the Delhi Golf Club just because of wearing a traditional ‘jainsem’ (on June 25), and her employer Dr Nivedia Barthakur Sondhi, who appeared before the commission here.

In the meantime, the Commission had also issued summons to the Secretary of the Delhi Golf Club Rajiv Hora, who has been directed to appear before the commission on July 14.

“After hearing both the parties, we will come up with strong recommendation from our end,” MSCW’s Chairperson Theilin Phanbuh told reporters after the hearing here.

Informing that statements of Tailin and Dr Sondhi have been taken as a first step on the matter, she said, “Both have pleaded that they want strong action should be taken against the Club.”

She informed that the Commission – after a recent meeting held with women’s organizations to condemn the incident – had submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, National Commission for Women (NCW), National Commission for Scheduled Tribe (NCST), National Human Rights’ Council (NHRC) and three MPs from the state.

Lauding the action taken by the NCST, Phanbuh said, “We extend our support and at the same time appeal to the NCST to take strong action against the Delhi Golf Club.”

Stating that people from the North East are facing problems as they are being looked down because of their looks, she said there is a need to put pressure so that these types of incident do not happen.

Asked, an advocate and member of the commission Rebina Subba said according to the SC/ST (Attrocities) Act there is a provision in which any words or gestures that are discriminatory is liable for punishment up to 6 months (imprisonment).

She said that the Commission is coming up with strong recommendation as whatever has happen (which shouldn’t have happen at all) is against the equality of citizens in India.

“Even the policy which was followed by the Delhi Golf Club should be scrapped because it is against the equality status of all citizens and it is kind of discriminating racially and profiling people according to class,” Subba said.

Speaking to reporters, Dr Sondhi that the Delhi Golf Club has claimed that they did not asked us to leave the premises.

“However, if she (Tailin) is asked to leave then why nine others should sit and have our meal. If she is thought to be not fit enough or good enough to eat at their dining hall why should we sit and eat. So we all left,” she said.

On the Delhi Golf Club’s claim of having issued an apology to a member who had invited them to the Club, Dr Sondhi said, “Now, who is aggrieved party? It’s Tailin Lyngdoh and they have not sent any apology to Tailin or by default to me. So it is wrong statement that they have made.”

She also informed that the Delhi Golf Club had also institute an enquiry committee headed by a retired Judge. “We have deep respect for the committee members but we don’t recognize the committee because how an accused party can be the judge of themselves?” she argued.

“In view that there are many commissions like the Meghalaya State Commission for Women and others who are investigating into the matter, we decided to cooperate with them,” she said.

Urging that the matter should not end only in commission and enquiries as people of North East have enough of that, Dr Sondhi said, “It is time that some action somewhere people should realize that racial profiling us – and telling us we are less than other people in the rest of India – this has to stop.”

“Tailin is who she is and she is my child’s nanny but that day she went as a guest as she was invited there. But she has lived in London and Abudhabi, with us for last 10 years, never has she faced any problem with her jainsem before. This is the first time her jainsem was pointed out, her looks was pointed out and said that she had no right to be at that dining table,” she said while recalling the incident.

It may be mentioned that   Tailin Lyngdoh   is Raghav’s   Governess by profession   and she has been with the family for over nine and half years in   London and   they are staying in   Abudhabi, UAE since September 2015.