SHILLONG, SEPT 6: NPP candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha byelection Dr DRL Nonglait said politics and faith have one common mission – service to humanity.
Addressing a campaign meeting at Maweit in Mawshynrut, Dr Nonglait said governance and religion cannot be separated when it comes to serving people.
He was responding to comments about his age and his background as a religious speaker.
“Some say I am too old to contest. Many old people are in politics, Bah Hoping was also old. Many times I have been chosen to speak on politics and religion in seminars,” he said.
“Politics and faith meet in one mission – to serve humanity. Governance and religion have to work together. We cannot avoid religion and politics. We need to serve our fellow human beings and make them complete in body, health, mind and feeling,” he said.
“Even though we are from different faiths, we need to work with the governing powers for that one mission,” he added.
Recalling his journey from poverty to becoming an educator, Dr Nonglait said his life has been about service and hard work.
“You know me as a villager who lives on jhum cultivation like you – carrying firewood, thatch, weaving. Earlier I used to weave khoh, carry firewood and sell them for Rs 15 each at Kynshi,” he said.
“I didn’t get much chance to go to school, but God gave me wisdom. Even though I didn’t attend school regularly, teachers allowed me to write exams because I was poor and because of that I got many degrees,” he said.
“I thank God because He led me through hardships. Aspiration and hard work brought me to positions that not everyone can reach. I worked in an office and reached the teaching profession, taught in secondary school and then college. I am telling my story not to boast but to inspire children studying in village schools like I did,” he said.
“God has used me, our descendants are greater than us, we should not claim we are greater than our descendants,” he said.
He said his politics will follow the same principle.
“Whether in the classroom, secular seminars or religious seminars, my duty is to improve, to enlighten and to build. Similarly in politics, my duty is the same,” he said.
