Assembly Speaker’s body taken to Sohra, Biswa pays rich tribute to Dr Roy

SHILLONG, JULY 30: The mortal remains of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Speaker and former chief minister Dr Donkupar Roy were taken today to Sohra, where he would be accorded a state funeral will be held on Wednesday.

The state government has declared a three-day state mourning and a holiday tomorrow when the last rites of the United Democratic Party (UDP) supremo would be performed with full honour at his native village Shella, also the constituency he represented for over three decades.

People also gathered at the official residence of the departed leader, here in the city to pay their last respects, before his body was taken on a truck to Sohra.

Assam Finance Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma also paid rich tributes to Dr Roy and said in his sudden demise, Meghalaya as well as the entire North East region has lost one of its tallest leaders.

Sarma had last year frequently visited Dr Roy in his official residence before and after the formation of the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“Since formation of the government, we have discussed many things and I have seen all along that he was a man of strong principles, a man of strong commitments and in fact he was one of the tallest leaders of the North East region,” the BJP leader told reporters.

“I believe that it is not only the people of Meghalaya who have lost a great leader but it is the entire North Eas which has lost one of its tallest leaders. It is going to be very difficult to compensate the lost of Dr Donkupar Roy,” he said.

Sarma said, “I deeply condole his death and I pay my personal regards and on behalf of the people of Assam, BJP and NEDA, we offer our condolences to his family.”

Chief minister Conrad K Sangma, cabinet ministers, and a host of UDP leaders accompanied the body of Dr Roy along with his relatives from the official residence for Sohra as many supporters of the leader gave a tearful adieu to him.

Roy, who was the longest serving legislator, passed away after a brief illness at Medanta hospital, Gurugram on Sunday afternoon. He was 64.

He is survived by his wife R Synrem, two sons and four daughters.

His body was flown in from Delhi on Monday to Guwahati airport and from there it was directly brought to the state capital.

By Our Reporter