SHILLONG, July 29: Widely acknowledged for his no-nonsense attitude, veteran politician Robert Garnett Lyngdoh would be forever remembered as the Home minister who had dared to take a tough stand against militancy.
Lyngdoh, who held the Home portfolio when militancy in the state especially in Shillong was at its peak, was against the idea of holding talks with gun-wielding groups like the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).
He had the firm belief that banned militant outfits should be neutralised at all cost.
Ironically, Lyngdoh’s demise comes at a time when the MDA government is clearing the pathway for talks with the HNLC.
Senior police officials who led from the front in the fight against militancy said Lyngdoh, whom they fondly referred to as ‘Bah Bob’, was a Home Minister of a different league.
“The support we got from him was unbelievable. He would always listen to our problems and he would always encourage us in whatever we did,” a senior police official said on Friday, fondly recalling her association with the former Home minister.
She said ‘Bah Bob’ believed in exchange of thoughts and ideas and would never impose anything on the officers out in the field.
“Personally for me, he was more of a mentor, a friend than a Home minister. He gave us the confidence to give our best since he would ensure that whatever action we take would not lead to any problem. He would always back us to the hilt,” the senior police official said, requesting anonymity.
Inspector-General (Prisons), Mariahom Kharkrang said, “As Home minister he would call us regularly and assure us of his unflinching support.”
“He never failed to encourage us after any unsuccessful operation. He was truly a leader for us on the field,” Kharkrang recalled.
Another senior police official said ‘Bah Bob’ was a Home minister who truly understood the ground situation.
“Even if there was a hue and cry from the public, he would not just react. He would always wait to hear the real thing from us. He would take a decision only after he had listened to our side of the story and weighed it against what he heard from the public side,” the official said.
“Whatever we did was with confidence since he would always back us. It was because of this that we were able to get the upper hand in the fight against militancy. The police went out of their way to do their job. We were always eager to go one step further,” he said.
“We will all miss him dearly since a person of his quality and ability is rare to find,” he added.
Former chief secretary KS Kropha recalled that he had heard a lot about Lyngdoh but got to meet him for the first time only when he was given charge of Information & Public Relations.
“Here was a case of the best man for the right job. He treated me more as a friend than an inescapable nuisance one had to bear with. The friendship endured, and I was the richer for it,” Kropha said.
According to Kropha, he was untouched by any petty prejudices and biases.
“He had a heart of gold and had an open mind on all matters. He was candid and encouraged others to be forthright as well. One enjoyed conversations with him – one felt free to hold forth on any topic or issue, even on those which were considered to be a ‘little sensitive’ in the context of Meghalaya,” the former chief secretary recalled.
“It is an irony of fate that he had the potential to make so much of difference to the destiny of the state but got marginalised from the mainstream politics. And it is a pity that people of the state could not take advantage of his potential,” Kropha said.
