SHILLONG, OCT 13: Governor Tathagata Roy today said the threat of unity is running deep inside the people of the country because they know that they have to either ‘sink or swim’ together.
Addressing at the Get-together of Harmony organized by the Central Puja Committee (CPC) here on Saturday, Roy said, “This threat of unity and diversity runs so deeply through the people of India because in our hearts of hearts we all know that we either sink or swim together.”
The governor, who also led an all faith prayer during the occasion, said the separatist movements did not succeeded in India because they did not have the support of the majority.
“It is also because the majority of the people in this country want to live together; they did not want to be separated from India. We have been like that for the last 70 years and we will continue to remain united for all times to come,” he added.
Stating that he knows what had happened in 1979 and 1992 due to his connection with Shillong, the governor however said, “We have left all that (aberrations) back as it is not the central thing and it is not important as what is important is the intervening years which all communities and people of religions have lived in amity.”
Roy further lauded the CPC for its initiative in bringing together people from different religious denominations, religious leaders and people from different ethnicities – Khasi, Garo, Bengalis, Nepalese and others – under this roof.
“This in a way is a manifestation of that mindset. The CPC has been able to bring here Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, this itself is a great success and this reflect the greatest thing about this country which is unity in diversity,” he said.
In his speech, Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Mukul Sangma said Meghalaya being a Christian state should show the way and should lead by example.
Quoting verses from the Bible, Sangma said that if one has learnt to love another he has fulfilled the law as he added “This should be the strength for the state because love is a gift of God.”
The Congress leader that the central puja committee reminded that Meghalaya is a just like a ship as he urged the people to come together and ensure that this ship does not sink and that state should prosper.
According to him, all aspires to have peace, harmony, happiness and sense of well being for the present and furture generation.
Others who spoke on the occasion were Meghalaya State Planning Board (MSPB) chairman Lambor Malngiang and CPC president and secretary, Naba Bhattacharjee and JL Das.
By Our Reporter
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