The police forces were also helped by CRPF personnel who had been deployed around the city during the Durga puja celebrations and who were continuing to aid the State Police in handlingthe present law and order problem in the city. Of late, there has been a palpable undercurrent of tension and anxiety which has come about because of the ongoing impasse between the State Government and ten agitating NGOs over the issue of implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya.

“The time devoted to discuss on financial matters is not enough and Assemblies could hold more frequent sessions, sit for longer periods and this is essential if democracy has to be strengthened.”

In this backdrop, President Mukherjee arrived at Shillong at around 2.30 on the 21st of October. At about 4 pm on the same day, the President graced the august house of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly at Rilbong where its autumn session was going on.

Addressing the 60 member house, President Mukherjee advocated the need for initiating dialogue with any groups or civil society members which can help in arriving at a consensus on various issues. He added to this by saying that in a democracy, the only way to address different views is to engage in dialogues. In light of the ongoing impasse between the State Government and the agitating NGOs, the President’s words gain more meaning in the context of the current situation in Shillong. “NGOs play an important role in expressing the views of the people. It is the responsibility of the Government to respond, and it is only through dialogue that consensus could be built,” the President said. However, sources close to the President’s office later made it clear that this statement made by the President was general in nature and had nothing to do with the current situation in Meghalaya.

President Mukherjee also took this opportunity to advise the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly to hold longer sessions so that more extensive deliberations on various financial matters of Government can take place. President Mukherjee went on to say that legislators need to devote more time in the scrutiny of any expenditure proposal meant for the development of the State in the Assembly while drawing attention to the fact that there is hardly any discussion taking place in this regard. “Since there is not much discussion taking place in the Assembly on matters related to Budget, more time should be given to debate, discuss and scrutinize the expenditure proposal so that the executives will be on their toes,” he said.

Addressing the 60 member house, President Mukherjee advocated the need for initiating dialogue with any groups or civil society members which can help in arriving at a consensus on various issues.

Speaking to the MLAs gathered there, President Mukherjee said, “There is a need to have effective use of resources. You are the real masters as executives in matters of taxation and finance. The time devoted to discuss on financial matters is not enough and Assemblies could hold more frequent sessions, sit for longer periods and this is essential if democracy has to be strengthened.” President Mukherjee also urged the MLAs to work for the betterment of the general public and society in general. He said, “Every legislator has got his job after begging people for their votes. After gaining their trust, it would not be fair if a MLA does not discharge his responsibilities.”

Going back to the days when Anna Hazare led a very strong and popular demand for a strong Lokpal Bill, President Mukherjee used this as an example and said that at that point of time, the Prime Minister of India did not say that the Government would not discuss the Lokpal Bill which had been drafted by the NGOs. Instead, according to the President, “We did not say no, we tried to understand their point of view and we had eight meetings with them though it did not produce the desired results.” This is another statement which gains weightage in the case of the current situation in Meghalaya as the State Government under the leadership of the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has outright shot down the proposal of implementing the ILP made by the agitating NGOs.

Terming Meghalaya as a mini India, President Mukherjee said that there is a composite culture in the State which everyone is proud of while adding that there is a need to build, “A mini India in this beautiful land with a common culture where people will live in peace and harmony.”

Pranab Mukherjee Administrative Career: Deputy Minister,Industrial February 1973 to January 1974. Development Deputy Minister,Shipping January 1974 to October 1974 and Transport Deputy Minister,Steel and Industry . . . Minister of State for Finance October 1974 to December 1975 Minister of State for Revenue December 1975 to March 1977 and Banking (Independent Charge) Cabinet Minister of Commerce January 1980 to January 1982 and Steel and Mines Cabinet Minister of FinanceJanuary 1982 to December 1984 Additional charge of the Ministry September to December 31, 1984 of Commerce and Supply Deputy Chairman, June 1991 to May 1996 Planning Commission Cabinet Minister of Commerce January 1993 to February 1995 Cabinet Minister of External Affairs February 1995 to May 1996 Cabinet Minister of Defence May 2004 to 24 October 2006 Cabinet Minister of External Affairs October 2006 to May 2009 Cabinet Minister of Finance 24 January 2009 to 26 June 2012 Parliamentary Career: Elected to Rajya Sabha    1969, 1975, 1981, 1993, 1999 Elected to Lok Sabha    2004, 2009, upto July 2012 Deputy Leader of the Congress 1978-80 Party in the Rajya Sabha Chief Whip of Congress 1996-2004 Party in the Rajya Sabha Leader of House in the Rajya Sabha 1980-85 Member,Business Advisory Committee, Committee on Privileges and Committee on Rules     Member,Consultative Committee 1996-99 on External Affairs Chairman,Parliament Standing 1997 Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests     Chairman,Parliament Standing June 1998 to May 2004 Committee on Home Affairs Leader of the Lok Sabha    June 2004 to June 2012 Books Published: Beyond Survival: Emerging Dimensions 1984 of Indian Economy Off the Track 1987 Saga of Struggle and Sacrifice 1992 Challenges Before the Nation 1992 (on Indian National Congress)

After this speech at Rilbong, President Mukherjee visited the Brookside Bungalow where Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore had stayed during one his visit to Shillong in 1919. It is to be noted here that Rabindranath Tagore had visited Shillong on three separate occasions. During his visits to the historical Brookside Bungalow, President Mukherjee paid a floral tribute to the life sized statue of the poet standing at the premises after which he read portions of Sesher Kabita (farewell song) which is a novel conceptualized in Shillong by Rabindranath Tagore which depicts a romance between the characters Amit Ray and Labannya in Shillong. President Mukherjee also glanced through Tagore’s handwriting in Bengali and his poems besides having a view of a traditional bed inside the bungalow which is believed to have been used by Tagore during his stay at Shillong in 1919.

On the first of his two day visit to the State, President Mukherjee also visited the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures which is located at the Mawlai locality of Shillong. President Mukherjee said that visiting the museum provided a thrilling and enriching experience and he complemented and extended his best wishes to all those who are associated with the institution. After his tour of the museum, President Mukherjee wrote in the visitors’ book – ‘The rich accumulation of trivial artifacts has been displayed beautifully depicting the distinct yet composite culture of the Northeastern region of our country.” It has been learned that the President wanted to visit the museum after learning about the unique display of indigenous culture there.

On the final day of his visit to Shillong, President Mukherjee attended the 21st convocation of the North Eastern Hills University (NEHU) where, in his keynote address he stressed on the need to reform the education system in India while adding, “The curriculum should motivate students to take up research and innovation. Universities need to develop in their students a scientific temper and a curriculum that will encourage the growth of research and innovation. There has to be urgency amongst the administrators and academicians to introduce innovative changes in the institutions.”

While pointing out that not a single Indian university can claim global ranking due to lack of quality, President Mukherjee said, “These rankings are based on specific criteria. The standards of our universities are much higher than what the rankings suggest but the universities have not been able to adequately present our case for higher rankings.”

It was a lifetime experience to receive the degree from the President of the country.” - Ampareen Lyngdoh

President Mukherjee however expressed his happiness over the gender parity in the student population at NEHU where there exists a 1:1 male – female ratio. He also expressed his happiness that women generally outperformed men at the university. In this regard, President Mukherjee said that the university has fulfilled an important objective of India’s higher education system. Therefore, President Mukherjee urged the authorities to extend their support to turn the university into a centre of excellence in a time – bound manner.

Among the 114 scholars who received their PhD degrees from the very hands of the President himself was the State’s Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh who said, “It was a lifetime experience to receive the degree from the President of the country.” Lyngdoh has been conferred the doctorate degree by NEHU for her thesis ‘Influence of Media on Public Opinion during the periods of Social Unrest: A Study of Meghalaya’.

At the end of the day, President Mukherjee also inaugurated an Innovative Club and witnessed an exhibition of Traditional Herbal Practitioners at NEHU besides witnessing the NEHU Professors’ Patents Exhibition before bidding Shillong adieu.

D. Nampui