People pay tribute to Williamson Sangma at Baghmara on Saturday. Telegraph picture

Tura/Shillong Oct. 25: Meghalaya today paid tribute to two of its late stalwarts, Capt. Williamson A. Sangma and Brington Buhai Lyngdoh, both of whom were chief ministers and architects of initiatives.

The 25th death anniversary of founder-chief minister of Meghalaya, Capt. Williamson A. Sangma, was today observed in the Garo hills. Sangma was the first chief minister of Meghalaya while Lyngdoh, who is considered as the founder of coalition politics in India, was the architect of the legislator’s local area development scheme commonly known as the MLA scheme.

Lyngdoh passed away on October 27, 2003.

A ceremonial programme was held at the office of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council here and at Williamson Memorial Park at Baghmara in South Garo Hills. “He was a man with strong determination committed to love everyone and lead the people with example of clean, truth and able administration,” said T.G. Momin, deputy commissioner, South Garo Hills.

Capt. Sangma, known as the architect of Meghalaya, was the first chief executive member of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council and first among the tribals to have headed the state of Mizoram as its governor. The chief executive member (CEM) of the district council, Alponse A. Sangma, said, “No leaders of our present generation can compare to what Capt. Sangma has contributed to the state and the nation as a whole. He was a committed man with a vision, who had no quest for fame or money.”

The CEM also stressed on Capt. Sangma’s contribution to the statehood movement, following Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence module. “I urge the people of Garo hills fighting for separate Garoland to inculcate in them the examples and ideals of Capt. Sangma,” the CEM said.

Delivering a speech at the B.B. Lyngdoh Memorial Lecture in Shillong, former chief minister D.D. Lapang expressed dismay to witness the penchant among the citizens of the state to overlook the contributions of past leaders.

Lapang stressed on the need to honour late leaders like Rev. J.J.M. Nichols Roy, Edwingson Bareh, Prof. George Gilbert Swell and B.B. Lyngdoh in an appropriate manner. Former deputy chief minister B.M. Lanong termed Lyngdoh a “fearless leader” and someone who believed in “clean politics”.

Home minister Roshan Warjri said the former chief minister was the architect of the MLA Scheme. “I was told by the former chief minister that the main reason he had introduced the MLA Scheme was to ensure that development reaches the people directly,” Warjri said.

Congress leader John F. Kharshiing articulated the need to construct a “memorial” in honour of the stalwarts of the state in every district to ensure that the future generation would know about their past leaders.