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Agnes Kharshiing

Agnes Kharshiing is an Indian social and women's rights activist based in the state of Meghalaya in north-east India. She is known for her sustained campaigning on issues of human rights, women's welfare, illegal mining, and corruption in Meghalaya, particularly in the East Jaintia Hills and the coal-belt areas of the state.

Key facts

Name Agnes Kharshiing
Nationality Indian
State Meghalaya
Known for Activism on human rights, women's rights, anti-corruption, and illegal coal mining
Affiliation Civil Society Women's Organisation (CSWO), Meghalaya

Background

Kharshiing has been associated with civil society work in Meghalaya for several years, with a particular focus on the rights of women and marginalised communities in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. She has served as president of the Civil Society Women's Organisation (CSWO), a Shillong-based group that has taken up issues ranging from violence against women to administrative accountability.

Areas of activism

  • Women's rights: Campaigns against domestic violence, trafficking, and discrimination, and advocacy for stronger implementation of laws protecting women in Meghalaya.
  • Illegal coal mining: Documentation and complaints regarding unscientific "rat-hole" coal mining and unauthorised transport of coal in the Jaintia Hills, an issue that drew national attention after the National Green Tribunal's 2014 ban on such mining in Meghalaya.
  • Anti-corruption work: Use of complaints, the Right to Information Act, and public interest petitions to highlight irregularities in public administration.
  • Human rights: Engagement with cases concerning custodial issues, displacement, and accountability of officials.

2018 attack

In November 2018, Kharshiing was attacked in the East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya while she was travelling to document allegedly illegal coal-related activity. She was accompanied by fellow activist Anita Sangma, who was also injured in the assault. The attack drew widespread condemnation from human rights groups, women's organisations, and political figures, and led to demands for stronger protection for activists working on environmental and anti-corruption issues in the state. The case was subsequently investigated by the Meghalaya police, and arrests were made in connection with the incident.

Significance

Kharshiing's work is often cited in discussions of activism in north-east India, where civil society engagement on extractive industries, gender, and governance frequently intersects with questions of tribal autonomy and customary institutions. The 2018 attack in particular brought renewed national focus on the risks faced by activists challenging the coal economy of Meghalaya and on the broader debate over illegal mining despite the National Green Tribunal's restrictions.

References