Shillong, Jan 11: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday said there will be a prayer but there is no question of organizing a consecration programme during the inauguration of the first Captain Williamson Sangma State University on January 13.
His statement came as a reaction to the controversy that arises following the recent statement of the education minister Rakkam A Sangma that the government will organize a massive Christian prayer for the consecration of the first state university.
“I think the education minister has already responded that he has been misquoted (on the issue). I was not there when the minister made the statement and I was not there when he replied to it also so I don’t know about what his statement was and what he has said. I am just telling you that this is a pure government programme where the vice chancellor will be taking over and this is a programme where proper government procedures will be followed,” Sangma told reporters.
Informing that all are invited to the inaugural programme, the chief minister said, “We have invited all church leaders, religious leaders – everybody has been invited to come and only thing we are doing when we start the programme like we do in many areas we just have a prayer and that is nothing wrong in that.”
“So a prayer will be (there) but there is no question of a consecration programme, that is going to happen. It is a pure government programme, where everybody is invited and people from all religious backgrounds, all society people, organizations, cabinet ministers, officials are being invited because this is a very important moment for us,” he said.
“We realised that apart from the entire issue of CUET, the university is necessary for important aspects of research, important aspects of education, different departments coming in – therefore, this is a very important step and a very memorable day for us. That is why we are giving it importance,” Sangma added further.
