Tathagata Roy
Tathagata Roy. Image credit - Twitter

Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy will return to Shillong Raj Bhavan on Saturday to resume his duty after completing his 18 days of leave.

Roy had gone on leave following his controversial tweet asking those who do not want “divisive democracy to go to North Korea” during the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 in Meghalaya.

President Ram Nath Kovind granted leave to Roy, who is known for shooting his mouth and getting into controversies.

The opposition Congress in Meghalaya had demanded for immediate recall of the Governor following widespread criticism over the controversial tweet.

Nagaland Governor R.N.Ravi was given the additional charge of Meghalaya during the absence of leave of Roy.

“His Excellency Governor Tathagata Roy will arrive in Raj Bhavan tomorrow (Saturday) forenoon and will resume his official duty as the Governor of Meghalaya. This is latest subject to any further changes,” a Raj Bhavan official told Northeast Now.

Governor Ravi, who is camping at Shillong Raj Bhavan will be leaving Shillong to pave way for Roy to resume to his official duty as the head of the State.

According to Governor Tathagata Roy’s twitter handle, he was holidaying in Diu, the former Portuguese possession at the bottom of Sarurashtra and Gujarat. He arrived in his hometown Kolkata on Thursday.

Roy tenure as Meghalaya Governor end on May, 2020.

Prior to his tweet asking “people to go to North Korea”, Roy had also tweeted saying that opposition to the proposed amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955, was the “height of absurdity”.

He had also stated that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill would be passed whether it was “right the wrong”.

Differences had also cropped up between Governor Roy and chief minister Conrad Sangma over his refusal to give his assent to the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security (Amendment) Ordinance.

The ordinance was passed by the State Cabinet seeking mandatory registration of outsiders entering the State.

A delegation led by Chief Minister Sangma had met Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, seeking the Centre’s cooperation to persuade Governor Roy to give assent to the Ordinance.

Raymond Kharmujai is a Shillong based journalist. He can be reached at [email protected]