SHILLONG: The KSU Laban Circle has rubbished the allegations of South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai that their opposition to rename Zigzag road to Ardhendu Choudhuri road was politically motivated.
Speaking to reporters, president of the union, Laban Circle, Manly Nongpluh, said that the union has been pursuing the matter since last year.
He said that the union members met Sanbor Shullai on April 25, 2019, a day after they met the General Administration Department (GAD) Minister, Comingone Ymbon, to reconsider on renaming the road.
Nongpluh said that in their meeting with Shullai last year, there was only verbal communication.
“In good faith, we waited and trusted him. We also did not take any written assurance from him that time,” he said.
Nongpluh said the union preferred giving a local indigenous name to preserve the identity of the places rather than giving local places non-indigenous names.
Expressing gratitude for renaming the roads in Laban, he said that the union was dismayed over other roads being named after local indigenous people except for Zigzag road.
It may be mentioned that Howell Road, ADB Road Batti Bazaar and Sylhettipara Road have been rechristened to Thranghok J Rangad Road, Roland Lyngdoh Road and Khrep Sing Swer Road, respectively. Jackson Trace Road in Lower Lumparing will be called Milanton Kharkongor Road.
Interestingly, Nongpluh said that the Dorbar Shnong of KOR (Kenches’s Trace-Oxford and Rilbong) have not issued any NOC so far to have the road renamed after late Choudhuri.
The KSU, Laban circle, had sought a clarification on February 11, 2019, from the KOR Dorbar Shnong on the renaming of Zigzag road. (The Dorbar Shnong — in a letter to the KSU Laban Circle on February 15, 2019 — stated that the Dorbar Shnong of KOR has not issued any NOC to the state government to rename Zigzag road to Ardhendu Choudhuri Road and there was no consultation either.
Further, KOR Dorbar Shnong, in its letter to the union, had stated that an executive meeting was held on February 14 and it was decided to rename the road to late Dapstarlin Mawlong Road, who had served the community as a headman for 25 years.
On the other hand, the union also favoured the name of late HS Lyngdoh Road, a veteran politician from Nongstoin who resided in Oxford.
Will meet the CM: KSU
The union said it will meet the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma with regard to renaming the road if the situation demands.
“We will sit and discuss the matter with our president and our general secretary first. The matter is not only about Laban but the Khasi community as a whole as our places should have indigenous names,” Nongpluh said.