SHILLONG: There is a growing demand to rename a road in Laitumkhrah area of the city, the land for which was donated by a philanthropic organization, called the Ramakrishna Mission (RKM), Shillong.
The demand says that the road shall be used for motorable purpose on the condition that it should be named “Ramakrishna Mission Road” instead of the presently named Sebastian Bia Road. According to local residents, Sebastian Bia was a Christian saint.
This oxbow fashioned road connects Laitumkhrah Beat House and Arbuthnot Road on either side. A book on RKM, Shillong that this centre is working on its research has revealed that a certain proceedings of the meeting of RKM Managing Committee clearly records that this land was donated by the philanthropic organization for public good.
Now the devotees of RKM are rightly demanding that this road be renamed “Ramakrishna Mission Road”. This is indeed a sentimental issue for the devotees who have said that if need be, the matter will be taken up with the RKM’s Headquarters in Belur, West Bengal.
The proceedings of the meeting of managing committee of RKM, Shillong held on Novembe 24, 1946 was attended by its members – Rai Bahadur J. N Chakraborty, Paresh Lal Shome, Prof Anil Chandra Roy, Tamonath Shome, Prafulla Kumar Choudhury, Sudhanshu .M. Dasgupta and Swami Sadhanananda.
The committee considered the request of Babu Amulya Bhusan Choudhury, Head Commission, for a free grant of land by RKM, Shillong for the widening of footpath running from the southeast corner of RKM compound to the Laitumkhrah main road in order to convert it into a motorable road.
Also to resolved that a strip of land not exceeding four feet in width may be given to the Shillong Municipality in connection with the removal of fencing hedge and the latrine, if necessary, will be borne by the Municipality.
It was also resolved to request the Municipality that the road, on completion from its junction with the Arbuthnot Road to the Laitumkhrah Main Road be named ‘Ramakrishna Mission Road’,” said the proceeding records register made available to this reporter by a volunteer.
On a query as to how RKM has not objected to this renaming of the road despite giving the land for it, the Secretary, RKM, Shillong, Swami Achyuteshananda Maharaj said, “It could have been oversight on their part” but observed that many do not understand the “altruistic character of RKM”.
“For the RKM monks, what is more important is rendering services generously. We are not supposed to engage in any complaints,” he reasoned.
But there is a common call now from the devotees of RKM that this road “must be renamed by the State government on the very condition on which the land for it was donated” and “respect the emotions of the staunch RKM followers attached with it.”
