SHILLONG: The mortal remains of late Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Speaker and president of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Donkupar Roy arrived at his official residence at Pine Mount Ridge on Monday and leaders, cutting across party lines, paid tribute to the departed soul.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma came along with the body from Delhi. Roy passed away on Sunday.
The mortal remains will be taken to Sohra on Tuesday and a state funeral will be accorded to the departed leader on Wednesday at Sohra following which he will be laid to rest at Shella.
Earlier, as the coffin was lowered and taken inside the house, the sigh of wailing women was heard.
Besides the chief minister, a host of dignitaries, former chief minister and leader of opposition, Mukul Sangma, Governor Tathagata Roy, cabinet ministers and others paid their last respects to the departed leader.
Speaking to reporters, the Governor said that he met the UDP president only once in Kolkata where Tathagata enquired about his health as he noticed that Donkupar looked sickly.
“He was an outstanding politician. He was in different capacities, that of a Speaker, party president and former chief minister and all the three things combined made him an outstanding politician,” he said adding that the void following his departure will remain.
The chief minister recollected his late father Purno Sangma’s qualities in Donkupar.
Conrad said, “He (Donkupar) was closely associated with my late father and they were very close always. I saw a lot of similarities between both of them. It was a generation which was different in their political ways of doing things. He was a father figure and mentor to us.”
Conrad went on to state that he would confide in Donkupar and discuss with the late leader about the issues and interest of the state as he found Donkupar to be a person truly committed to the people of the state.
Leader of opposition and former chief minister, Mukul Sangma said Donkupar is known for his simplicity and accessibility for all people including political colleagues irrespective of political parties.
Mukul recalled his association with Roy in 1998 when they were part of the government under late BB Lyngdoh and also in the same government in 2009-10. He added that they dealt with the issues confronting the state together.
The Last Journey
Tuesday: Prayer service at Roy’s official residence at 1 pm.
Procession to Sohra at 2 pm.
Wednesday: Funeral service at his home in Sohra from 10 am to 12 pm.
State funeral from 12.30 pm to 3 pm following which his mortal remains will be taken to Shella for burial.