Pur remembered

From A Correspondent

Tura, Sept 1: Tura Lok Sabha MP Conrad K Sangma has urged the students of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) to follow the ideals of late Purno Agitok Sangma in their own lives to realise his (late Sangma’s) dream of a progressive tion.

Conrad was speaking at the first memorial lecture on Purno Agitok Sangma at NEHU, Tura campus, where retired Professor of Dibrugarh University Udayan Mishra delivered a talk on the theme “India’s North East Experience”.

“Late Purno Sangma had guts and courage to face all kinds of challenge. He followed the principle of humility and had a clear conscience. The younger generation should learn to be humble in their conduct to achieve whatever they want in their lives,” said Conrad, while recollecting his late father’s struggle in life.

He explained to the students on the vision of late Purno Sangma, who had always pitched and mooted that North Eastern Council (NEC) be strengthened as a regiol policy-making organisation.

“Late Purno Sangma wanted that an organisation in the Northeast should formulate policies for its own people as there were several opportunities in the region, which needed attention from its own people. He had a vision for a separate mini Parliament in the Northeast and had recommended multiple parliamentary systems in the country,” recollected Conrad, while saying that late Sangma had a different vision and mindset for the progress and development of the region.

Conrad urged NEHU Vice Chancellor Professor SK Srivastava and Pro Vice Chancellor Professor G Singaiah to balance the varsity’s Shillong and Tura campuses. He said, “There has to be a balance between Shillong and Tura campuses of the university and more and more courses and departments should be opened at the Tura campus so that the students of not just Garo hills but entire Northeast derives its benefit.”

In his speech, Professor Mishra said late Sangma had been able to push the Northeast among other Indian States overcoming challenges of pluralism.

In his talk on “India’s North East Experience”, Mishra said, “In 1964, the Government of India signed a ceasefire agreement with NSCN, which looked more like an agreement between two countries. It signifies that government is in a position to initiate a dialogue after several rounds of talks. It is a sign of maturity of India democracy.”

Dadenggre MLA James K Sangma and former Rajya Sabha MP Thomas A Sangma, among other dignitaries, also attended the lecture.

Earlier in the day, Conrad and James along with their family members paid homage to senior Sangma at his graveyard at Bishop Compound, Tura. Prayer services were also held at the tiol People’s Party office here and at his residence later in the evening.