Mizoram assembly pays homage to first Gorkha member

PTI, Aizawl, Aug 20, 2024 :  Mizoram Assembly on Tuesday paid rich tributes to former member Kapoor Chand Thakuri, the first and only nominated legislative assembly member from the Gorkha community.

The 83-year-old leader died of hypertension in a hospital in Nepal’s Kathmandu on July 15.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma made obituary references to the former member and recalled the great service rendered by him as a politician.

He said that the Mizoram government and state assembly deeply mourned the demise of Thakuri and cherished his service to Mizoram and the people of the state.

Opposition leader Lalchhandama Ralte and PWD minister Vanlalhlana also made condolence speeches and spoke about the contribution of the leader.

The two leaders also hailed the Gorkha community in the state for their contribution towards the state.

One minute of silence was observed by the members to pay respect to the departed leader.

Thakuri was born and brought up in Aizawl.

He was initially a teacher and later switched to business before he joined Mizo Union (MU), the first political party in the state.

He was nominated to the first Mizoram legislative assembly from the linguistic minority Gorkha community in 1972 after Mizoram became a Union Territory.

He was the first and only member of the Gorkha community to have been nominated to the state assembly.

After Thakuri, no person from the Gorkha community has been either elected or nominated to the state assembly till date.

During that time the Mizoram assembly had 30 seats, 2 of which were reserved for minority communities – Gorkha and Bru.

After retiring from politics, Thakuri migrated to Nepal in his old age and settled there permanently.

Two-day monsoon session of Mizoram Assembly began on Tuesday.

Officials said that the assembly secretariat has received 273 starred questions and 17 unstarred questions to be presented and answered during the two-day session.

A fresh government bill – ‘The Mizoram Prisons and Correctional Services Bill, 2024,’ four amendment bills and one official resolution have also been received to be presented in the assembly, they said.