Three- day state mourning from today, funeral on Wednesday
SHILLONG: Assembly Speaker and former chief minister Donkupar Roy passed away on Sunday afternoon at a hospital in Delhi after a brief illness.
Roy, fondly called Dr Don, is survived by his wife R. Syiem, two sons and four daughters.
His mortal remains will be flown from Delhi on Monday morning and will be brought to his official residence in the city at around 10 am to enable the people to pay tribute. On Tuesday, the mortal remains will be taken to Shella, his native place and constituency where he will be laid to rest on Wednesday.
The government has declared a state mourning for three days and a holiday on the funeral day on Wednesday.
An official message said that as a mark of respect, the state will observe mourning from July 29 to 31 and the national flag will be flown at half mast on government buildings throughout the state and there will be no official entertainment during the period. “All state government offices, revenue and magisterial courts and educational institutions will remain closed on July 31”, the statement said.
A state funeral will be accorded to the late leader at Sohra followed by his burial at Shella.
Born on November 10, 1954, Roy, who was the president of UDP, was first hospitalised on July 16 at NEIGRIHMS due to diabetes-related illness and other complications and later flown to Medanta Hospital, Gurgaon from Umroi by an airbus on July 18.
Commissioner and Secretary, Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Andrew Simons, who was at the hospital from July 20, said the Speaker, who was in the ICU of the hospital, passed away at 2.40 pm.
Multiple organ failure is cited as the cause of his death.
Political journey
The economist-turned politician and the longest serving legislator had donned many roles during his political career.
While his primary education was at Ramakrishna Mission, Shella, he completed his secondary school education at Ramakrishna Mission, Sohra.
He completed his pre-university and degree studies from St. Anthony’s College, Shillong.
After post graduation and on completion of PhD in Economics from NEHU, he taught the subject at Synod College and NEHU.
For the first time, Roy contested and won the Assembly election from Shella as an Independent candidate in 1988 on the drum symbol.
He was supported by then Alliance Reconstruction of Meghalaya State, a political body of the Khasi Students’ Union.
The 65-year-old soft spoken veteran politician was never defeated in any Assembly polls and was elected for the seventh consecutive term in 2018.
In 1989, he was nominated as a member of the Committee on Privileges.
Later, he was inducted as a minister of state in the BB Lyngdoh ministry and served the government in various capacities.
In 1990, he served as the cabinet minister of health and family welfare in the United Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum government led by PA Sangma.
On March 26, 1990, Roy resigned from the council of ministers and he along with other MIAs withdrew support to the United Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum and joined the United Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum (B) formed under the leadership of BB Lyngdoh comprising 21 members.
The United Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum (B) then merged with Regional Democratic Front and jointly constituted a new Parliamentary Party under the name of Meghalaya United Parliamentary Party (MUPP) under the leadership of BB Lyngdoh and Roy held the post of health and family welfare minister.
In 1991, he was disqualified from membership of the Assembly by the then Speaker PR Kyndiah on the alleged ground of defection from his party and alliance and joining the HSPDP along with two other members.
However, the disqualification of the Speaker was challenged in the court since he was an independent and later, the Supreme Court set aside the ruling of the Speaker.
In 1993, he was re-elected to the Assembly.
Roy co-founded the United Democratic Party in 1997 along with BB Lyngdoh and EK Mawlong.
He was re- elected to the Assembly in the next election in 1998 and was appointed cabinet minister in- charge education in the UDP- led coalition ministry headed by BB Lyngdoh.
In 1999, he assumed charge as cabinet minister in-charge health and family welfare and continued to hold the post till he was made finance minister in 2001.
In 2002, he held the portfolios of health and education.
He won the 2003 Assembly elections and in the ministry, he was appointed deputy chief minister till 2007 holding portfolios of power, finance, health and education.
In 2008 after his election to the Assembly, he was sworn in as the chief minister with the support of NCP led by PA Sangma and other regional parties.
However, in 2009, his government was dismissed paving way for President’s Rule for a few months and later when DD Lapang became the chief minister, Roy and his party supported the Congress-led government.
From 2009 till 2012, he held the post of chairman of state planning board.
In the next election in 2013 after he was elected to the Assembly, the UDP led by him chose to remain in opposition and he remained as Opposition Leader till the end of the term.
In 2018, after Roy was yet gain elected to the Assembly, he was made the Assembly Speaker.