Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday said the State government constituted a committee to look into aspects for preservation of Garo culture and heritage led by Cabinet Minister Marcuise N Marak will meet this month.
The formation of the committee assumes significance after the controversy surrounding the demolition of the cenotaph at Lower Babupara, Tura. According to the notification issued on April 3, the committee will be headed by Cabinet Minister Marcuise N Marak.
“After my discussion with the different civil society members in Tura, I had shared with them that we will be forming a committee at the state level to discuss not just the Garo Labour Corps memorial or Cenotaph but also to broaden the overall discussion on different aspects of the Garo Labour Corps issues, whether it is the issues of more historic data information that is available in France or other places or the history behind it, documenting it, even documentation of other cultural aspects,” the Chief Minister said.
He emphasised that the idea was to widen the scope of engagement on the subject. “So with that idea and concept of broadening the entire thought process on this, the government has come out with a committee headed by Mr. Marcuise N Marak, the cabinet minister in charge of PHE and different members of society and civil society, as members of this committee and obviously, from the government side, and to really go into the details of all this and how to move forward.”
Sangma further stated that in view of the committee’s formation, all ongoing activities related to the Cenotaph have been put on hold. “And in the process while this committee is going to work, we have realised that since this committee has been formed, it will be most appropriate to discuss the different aspects and concerns and so in the interim, we have asked that all activities be stopped. This committee will be meeting I am told or sometime around maybe around 14–15 of April or something within this month very soon or maybe after Easter.”
Touching on the core of the controversy, the Chief Minister said, “All aspects of the Cenotaph in terms of the design will be discussed in that committee and how we should move forward and as I said, what is more important, most important to us is that this Garo Labour Corps Memorial was in a way forgotten and there was no efforts to really improve on it. So it was with that idea that this whole concept had come up.”
While acknowledging that concerns had been raised, he asserted the government’s intention was rooted in respect and remembrance. “Of course there were some concerns that were raised, so I’ve always stressed that we’re doing this for the people, we’re doing this for the society, we’re doing this for the memory of those Labour Corps that are gone during the World War.”
He assured that sentiments of affected families will be respected as the process unfolds. “Therefore it is most appropriate for us to keep the sentiments of the people, especially the families in mind. And therefore, we’ll move forward in collaboration and discussion with different stakeholders of society. But it’s something that I would like to see should be complete and done in a proper manner. And in necessary overall respect, that should be given should be maintained and I’m sure that this committee headed by Marcuise N Marak will definitely look into all these aspects.”