Chandrashekhar H Vijayashankar was sworn in today as the new Governor of Meghalaya, with Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court, Justice S Vaidyanathan, administering the oath of office at Raj Bhavan.
Talking to Media persons, Governor Vijayashankar expressed his awareness of regional issues in the state and his commitment to addressing them justly. Emphasizing his background from a backward class and his previous visits to Meghalaya as a member of the standing committee in Parliament, he assured the people of his understanding of their concerns.
“I also belongs to backward (class) and I am coming from the same community whichever community you address now, the same community I belong, nothing to worry, I know the regional issue here and long back I had come to Meghalaya when I was in the standing Committee, Member of Parliament twice I have visited to Meghalaya, Many time I have come here, I know the regional issues and keeping all these issues in the mind, let us try to do and give justice to them,” Governor Vijayashankar said.
He was replying to a query on the insecurities amongst the tribal people in Meghalaya with regards to influx and they have been demanding for the implementation of Inner line permit in the state, as a Governor will you take it up with the centre.
Governor Vijayashankar aims to be a ‘People’s Governor’ with a focus on the state’s development, without any personal or political agenda. He emphasized collaboration with the local government and the Chief Minister, drawing inspiration from the late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. He also highlighted his love for nature and reiterated his commitment to working with both the state and union governments for Meghalaya’s development.
“I am supposed to work here as a governor. I take everybody into confidence here not only the government, bureaucracy, I take everybody into confidence and the only (agenda is) development.
I don’t have any personal agenda here, I will never keep any personal agenda here including political I have political agenda,” he said. He said, “The President and Prime Minister have sent me here to serve the state as a governor, that’s all is my responsibility. As a governor, whatever I am supposed to look after, whatever care I have to take, I will stick to that rest of the issues not at all related to me.”
Vijayashankar also expressed that he wanted the people of Meghalaya to remember him as one of honest and development oriented governors that have come to the state.
“Meghalaya people should always remember (like this). In that way I am ready to give my time, I am ready to work (for the people),” he stated.
“I am going to be with the people and take you people into confidence. Always I am open so let us work together for the development of Meghalaya,” he also appealed.
“I know many of the Ministers in the Union Government. They are my colleagues, they are my friends, I will take the local Government and the local chief Minister in confidence and always we will be in touch with the union government,” he added.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, his cabinet colleagues, Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Thomas A Sangma, Chairman of the State Planning Board Matbah Lyngdoh, judges of the High Court, personnel and officers from defense and police, among others.