RS MP spells out plans for adopted village

SHILLONG, Aug 17
Member of Rajya Sabha, Rakesh Sinha, who announced adoption of Kongthong village from August 15 and work towards its development as a model village and a tourist attraction, has dreams of transforming this sleepy village to a bustling hub of economic activities without having to dilute its pristine homogenous culture and ethos. In an exclusive interview to The Shillong Times, Prof Sinha talked about his vision and action plans for Kongthong and dwelt on what retards pace of development in Meghalaya.
Here are some excerpts:
ST: Prof Rakesh Sinha, how did you first hear of Kongthong village and what made you take up the issue of it being listed as a heritage site by UNESCO?
RS: The culture and people of North East reflect originality. There is an ethos of universalism. That’s why they are accommodative and also adjust with people of different regions. However, they have been treated like subjects of study and object of politics. It needs to be radically changed. They are in fact sharers and contributors in our National ethos.
There are many things which, I believe, the rest of the country should learn from the people and culture of the North East. Their love for nature, non-materialistic lifestyle etc., distinctively make them superior to many regions and people. All these entice me.  I have been trying to understand cultural life of North East in general and Meghalaya’s progressive traditional life in particular.
I found a parallel in Kuskov, a village in Turkey which has been recognised by the UNESCO as a cultural heritage. I raised the issue about the uniqueness of Kongthong in July 2019 in the Rajya Sabha. It received huge support from the members. Many of them were dumbfounded to know about Kongthong and proposed to visit the village with me.
During the meeting of NEHU Court (I am its member) last year, I requested the VC to encourage research on not only Kongthong but also micro-traditions of Meghalaya.
The media, including The Shillong Times, then highlighted the issue and a national daily reported that 22 more villages claimed the same characteristic. This is the way to understand our own age-old traditions and culture and preserve them as intangible cultural heritage.
ST: North East India is poorly connected within itself and with the rest of the country. Many rural villages are suffering due to want of motorable roads. Development has passed them by and they are voiceless. Would you like to take up the issue of rural roads or their absence in the North East, in Parliament and also ensure that their construction is diligently monitored?
RS: Infrastructure development in the North East has been tremendous since 2014.  North East has never witnessed such sincere efforts as has been happening since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister. North East has a special place in his heart. There is a reason for saying so. It is not an exaggeration. He visited the region many times before the 2014 Lok Sabha election, which is disproportionate to the number of Lok Sabha constituencies. After becoming the Prime Minister, he visited North East and encouraged Cabinet ministers to visit the region, which is a record in itself.
Airports, roads and research institutes are being developed.
Nevertheless, there are many developmental issues, educational problems in the North East. The state governments must utilise central assistance honestly and for that micro and macro planning is imperative.
There are some elements that obstruct developmental activities and invoke undesirable social and religious issues to create civil anarchy. They should be addressed properly and sternly.
Courtesy Shillong Times