SHILLONG, July 20: While Meghalaya’s students stayed home for a government-mandated football holiday on Monday, the State Secretariat appeared to have unofficially joined them. Despite offices remaining technically open, departmental corridors were largely empty as top Cabinet ministers decamped to New Delhi.
The irony was not lost on observers; Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who ordered the closure of educational institutions to mark the FIFA Club World Cup final, was in the national capital to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his brother and newly elected Rajya Sabha MP, James Sangma. Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong was also reported to be in New Delhi.
The absence at the top trickled down through the ranks. Attendance among Secretariat staff was noticeably lower than on a typical working day. While official business continued in a limited capacity, the thin presence of both decision-makers and support staff resulted in a sluggish day for the state’s administrative hub, even as citizens from rural districts arrived expecting a full day of public service.
