Shillong, Dec 2: The state government has blacklisted an organisation, Leisynshar Cultural Society, following a complaint by Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSPCR) about its illegal operation in sending minor children outside the state for “better education”.
“The DC has given an order to stop the organisation from functioning, and an official letter has been issued,” MSPCR chairperson Agatha Sangma told reporters on Tuesday after welcoming the 24 girls rescued from Karnataka recently.
The girls from Meghalaya, aged 8-13 years, were rescued from Sowmya Kesanupallii Student Home in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka.
Leisynshar Cultural Society had sent the children to Karnataka in June this year allegedly without proper documentation and under poor conditions.
The MSCPCR action has forced the organisation to shut down its operations immediately.
“Now, they cannot function as an organisation anymore,” Agatha stated.
Of the 24 rescued children, 10 are from East Khasi Hills, 7 from East Jaintia Hills, 6 from West Jaintia Hills and 1 from West Khasi Hills.
Following receipt of a complaint from Karnataka, Meghalaya Child Welfare Committee officials conducted a video conference with the children to understand the situation before lodging a complaint against the organisation.
The SCPCR chairperson, meanwhile, assured that education of the rescued children will be taken care of by Social Welfare Department and they will be absorbed in the coming academic session.
Expressing concern over children being sent to other states for education, she said, “This is definitely a concern where maybe children feel the need to go to another state in order to find education but as you can see most of these organisations taking these children are not even taking them to better institutes as such. It is like a hoax,” she said.
The children will temporarily stay at Children’s Home Girls Mawkasiang, Shillong.
For the school enrollment, bridge courses and preparatory classes of the children, the Social Welfare Department will have to coordinate with the Education Department since it has to be conducted within the institution to facilitate smooth transition into the 2026 academic session, officials said.
