Costing Rs 4 lakh, the granite bust of the founding father of the District Council was made in Orissa. The bust was unveiled at the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council premises by its Chief Executive Member, Mansturdy Nongrem.
“He was a true nationalist and the person behind the Hill State Movement which helped Meghalaya attain Statehood,” former Union Tribal Minister and a close associate of Rev. Roy during the Movement, PR Kyndiah said.
Rev. Roy, Kyndiah said, opposed the British Government’s move to make Shillong the capital of East Pakistan during the Partition of India. Instead, Rev. Roy wanted the merger of all “Khasi chiefdom” into a State with special status and remain with India, he added.
“He was a visionary and thought way ahead of his time and shaped the destiny of Khasi-Jaintia-Garo hills.
Rev. Roy was the grandnephew of freedom fighter, U Tirot Sing and worked together with Dr BR Amedkar to help draft the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution as a member of the Constituent Assembly which eventually helped in the formation of District Councils.