Dear people of Assam,
I grew up in the 1990s. My cousins today do not realise how difficult an era it was. I grew up hearing stories of how “our boys” combated the Army. Some time, I felt proud and, at other times, I didn’t know how to respond. I never witnessed an Independence Day or Republic Day function in my life. Those were the days of Doordarshan and it had its staple diet of nationalism. And it was in this euphoria that during an Independence Day I drew the tricolour on paper and put it atop our house. Immediately, I was slapped and brought to my senses. Not because my parents were anti-nationals but because they didn’t want to incur the wrath of “the boys,” who had eyes and ears everywhere.
As I grew up, I was pulled between my national sentiment and my strong, sub-regional aspirations that began to find expression in my thoughts and action. It was perhaps during my 15th or 16th year that I realised that the grandiose dream of India that I had seen on Doordarshan all my life was not entirely true. My history also spoke of the brave Lachit Phukan, who trounced the Mughals 16 times. Barring the Palas, we were never conquered by the powers in Delhi, not even once. I came to know about the brave Ahoms who ruled for 600 years, defying historians’ perceptions of the “rise and fall of empires.”
And yet when I wanted to read more, I couldn’t find anything. For all their glossy covers, the Macmillan history books, which spoke so eloquently about Delhi and South, failed to mention Assam, the northeast, and referring to it only as a distant region of wild animals and wilder people! Those days, the Internet was not in vogue and this predicament haunted me. I became a staunch sub-nationalist and stopped my attachment to I-Day or R-Day.
And then, as I took the first steps towards adulthood, I realised that I had to rethink my own sub-nationalist aspirations. I began to understand that howsoever I wished to live in the past it was not possible anymore. In this global era, to talk about territorial sovereignty when boundaries are fast disappearing is almost an oxymoron. Among the choices of staying with India, being independent and staying with China, I preferred staying with India. Not because I had a special attachment to Delhi but because the concept of freedom in my mind had changed its definition.
How could I call myself free when the poor were languishing in my State? What good would freedom do if we were to be hit by floods ever year? What good would freedom do if we saw our young men and women leave their home at the first chance, lamenting “lack of opportunities” in their home never to return? I realised that all of this meant nothing. It didn’t matter what national colours I wore, what mattered was whether the poor man in the street was truly free. My guess is ‘no.’
Freedom as a concept is perhaps a tool of the middle and upper classes to fuel their own ambitions firing the gun from the shoulders of the masses. In truth, perhaps, freedom in today’s world is a lie to fuel one’s own gains. Yes, some struggles may be legitimate, some may have historical connotations, but this is not the 1930-40s anymore where there is a global surge against imperialism.
Thus, I was happy to witness the progress Assam had seen in the past 10 years. The Assamese inside me was content. Finally, we were reaching out, leaving the idiom of freedom a vague struggle behind and concentrating on development which is a lofty goal to be achieved. I felt proud when my friends who arrived from every corner of the country and were pleasantly surprised to find the KFC in Guwahati. I felt happy when my friends called up to tell me that Assam had scored in the charts on health, education and other parameters. I finally believed our time had come. We had made peace with the Bodos, the Karbis, the Misings; the Dimasas had finally come together albeit in some crude form to some understanding. I believed it was time we would work for the common good.
And once again, I was proved wrong. Today, as Assam burns, I ask myself: are we going back to the 1980s once more? About 8,000 people lost their lives in that era and a whole generation was ruined; and today we stand at the crossroads again. It is time we looked at the history once more. Immigration — illegal or not — is a universal phenomenon and it is here to stay. We have to find ways to control and harmonise it; but we cannot let ourselves fall headlong into the tumultuous 1980s-1990s once more. It will take our State 20 years back.
Some would argue that the way forward is political freedom for us. Delhi does not understand our feelings. Delhi is a tyrant. But then the question is who has stopped us from making inroads in Delhi. Delhi did not debar politicians from joining North Block, from joining the national media, from joining the administrative services and the armed forces. When was the last time we heard a strong voice from Assam in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha?
Our MPs mostly sit in the last benches and talk as less as possible so as to attract minimum attention. It’s us we who have decided not be the stakeholders in our own future. And now when hell broke loose, we all went back to what we know best — anarchy. It is time we left behind this quality for striving for anarchy. It is time we brought peace, it is time we the people of Assam reassessed what we want and how we want it. A friend of mine called me and asked “Are you safe? Oh man, Assam has gone back to those dark days once more!”
And I stood there shocked, humiliated and most of all hurt.
(The writer blogs on national and global issues. pabloo8690@gmail.com)
Keywords: Assam ethnic violence, Kokrajhar riots, Bodo tribals
Thanks a lot for bringing light on the matter. I am seriously concerned about my love-Assam and its development. We don't want Assam to go underdeveloped once again. It has bright human and natural resources, and very rich culture and diversity. We just need to create opportunities for utilizing these to become one of the developed states in India. I am here only to see that HAPPY day.
A very genuine question raised by the author. The government boosts
about the development and it can be seen from the fact that Imphal has
power cut for about 10hours daily. The whole north east region is
treated as a separate from mainland. Much needs to be done. Even if the
blame for recent problems in Assam was attributed to Pakistan, I would
like to ask "Is this the development we have that even a hoax can a
turmoil?" India should develop as a whole nation rahter than as
mainland and northeast.
Lachit Barphukan did not defeat the Mughals 16 times. What is usually
known in Assam is that Assam (read the Ahom kingdom) defeated the
Mughals a total of 17 times.
I grew up seeing everyone who wanted to seperate from India as an evil
person. as i grew up I realised that this is not a white-and-black area,
and that many people have fluctuating opinions on these issues. And that
these opinions, whether I agree or disagree are a product of the
situation there, not out of evil. It is articles such as these that
remind us that people who stay away from the heartland are just as human
as we are. We need to help the people of the north-east live a life of
dignity and peace.
I just wonder how The Hindu can publish such an elitist caste-Hindu Assamese perspective of viewing the entire context. The entire premise of the arguments is based on historical distortions, sociological pretensions and a failed bourgeois understanding of the societal and political realities of Assam. The representation of Assam's immediate past as 'dark days' is undoubtedly a failed attempt to understand history and cycles of transformations. Equating 'development' with coming of KFC is childish and simply preposterous. And the creation of an 'other' sphere for Bodos, Misings, Karbis and Dimasas vis-a-vis patronising caste-hindu presumptions clearly shows a lack of cognizance on the part of the author. This is actually a very incorrect, distorted and even hegemonic nationalist analysis (India vis-a-vis Assam) of the chain of events.
thanks Hindu for bringing right people to talk about the issue.
I highly appreciate the views expressed by the author.
We are a single community, physical borders do not play any role any more. Lets all echo the same thought, God willing we shall one day have beautiful unified India progressing on all scales. Surely future is ours if rise above our community and state. We are an institutionally strong country, imagine if we unite together, we can really give a great society and a country to the world which will be real world power. God willing.
Sir, indiscipline and ignorance is the root cause for all these ills of the present
India.as the commentator said tolerance, adjustment is lacking or simply keep silent
for all injustices towards one weak community.this is also happening now.one state
persons has to mix with the locals but their domination is not bearable.that is also
one point.all should have the feeling that this country is ours and we all belong to
this land.separatist feelings and religion more important than nation is wrong.hindu
philosophy is live and let live others also peacefully. hope my comment will see the
light.
Being an Assamese I agree with the author.However I would like to add few more thoughts without blaming anyone.I grew up in Assam during 70's and 80's and witnessed the hatred among humans in the name of either on language or religion.Who can forget the infamous NELLI masacare of small children.Did we achieve anything from such agitation?
I have been living and working in various parts of India and abroad and often faced awkward questions on Assam.Last month I was in Assam and witnessed one more violent Assam in the name of religion and caste.The beneficiaries are once again the political parties and the so called various student organizations.Assam is the only place probably in the whole world where student leaders are above 50years of age.Instead of going ahead,Assam is going backwards.I feel very sad looking at the helpness of innocent people.
we have the same color of blood yet the hatred continues.We have forgotten BhupenDa's song MANUHE MANUHAOR BABE,JADIHE AKONU NABHABE----.
Agree, we cannot go back to the 1980's parochial mode. Things have changed and it's high time we should change ourselves. Assam will do better if it's citizens concentrate on work culture rather than relying on some leaders who has keep repeatedly fooled us with populist agendas.It is time we identify the difference between pragmatism and disillusionment or else as the writer correctly identifies- we are doomed.
Like most of other issues on Assam only 2 sensible person has
responded it.no body care of Assam or Northeast.but why should one be.
its a lost land.baring Tarun Gogoi not a single Congress worked for
its people on influx.Hiteshwar Saikia tried to work indirectly by
making it a tribal state.
if problem to influx is not stopped no peace can come.its a economic
issue and not of back stabbing...unlike other parts of India this
people has strong literacy level and health n hygiene conditions (see
NSS data)but here is not enough opportunity nor any hope
the only 4 lane road is not completed in last 10 years.n we dont see
it will in next 4 years.
any entrepreneurial activity for the Indian market is un-economic
because of the logistic issue.if u draw a circle with center as
Guwahati the shortest economic Hub is Dhaka and Guanzao n not
Hyderabad or Chennai like from Bangalore.
we need somebody to lead.we need a economic strategy.we need a
political decision.N all this to be invented in NEast
These "dark days" were a result of the continual economic exploitation
by Delhi and rampant immigration from Bangladesh.Consider this :(i)A
state's (undivided then) per capita income which is higher than the
national average in 1947 falls below it in 15 yrs;(ii)It contributes
90% of tea and 50% of jute, 2 of the 3 main exports of India in the
initial years;(iii) Meets 50% of the nation's petroleum requirements
till the 70s. However to get any developmental work done, one has to
resort to agitations : Eg, Assam Accord in 1985 for the Broad Gauge
line to Guwahati; Recurring floods, brought about by the earthquake of
1950, find no worthy attention from the center.On our part,we welcomed
everyone from different parts of the country to come and settle in
Assam to the extent that in the census of 1970,Assam had the highest %
of people born outside the state.Today, due to vote bank politics we
cannot elect our own govt. at Dispur. Peace can be possible only with
security-political & economic.
After reading so many bloggers and other postings on the world wide
web, it was so a satisfying to read Mr Garg's well written piece on
his views and sentiments about Assam.
As an expatriate I have not lost my ties with Assam and always look
back fondly about my early days in Assam, I had a fare share of the
goings on in the 60s. While sharing his views about a section of the
back bench member of the Parliament, I cannot quite bring myself to
believe that springing up of a few KFC s can be a marker of progress.
On my visits to Assam what always gets me is the lack of
infrastructure and forward planning. I do regret the senseless
violence that is going on and only hope that some strong willed leader
with emerge in the near future
same feelings here. i just somehow want my northeast to develeop and grow.
Don't get me wrong on this, but i repeatedly keep coming across
references to a myriad tribes in the north east, all at loggerheads
with each other. I am from the south canara region in Karnataka, which
has kannadigas, konkanas, tuluvas, bearys, koragas, and maybe a dozen
other major population groups and i now realise how fortunate this
part of the country has been to never witness the kind of
seperatist/communal/ethnic idiocy that prevails in Assam/the north
east/Kashmir. Like the author says, i have also always felt that in
post independence India, these sub regional aspirations for
"independence" have always been about a few from the privileged class
shooting from the shoulders of the majority of the underprivileged.
Rare as hen's teeth will be the politician who would be leading a
modest life. Instead of demanding development and a better life,
people are busy stabbing some other tribe in the back. How silly is it
then to complain of discrimination from the rest of the country???
I agree with you. These problem will be repeated every time unless we
start some sort of self-evaluation process. We can not blame others
for not developing our state or for not solving our economic problems.
Our own people are sitting in the power (State Government)and they
have never tried to resolve them at the initial stage. The problems
and issues are being played politically to keep the power in hand. Now
we need vast economic activity to increase the employment opportunity
and develop the state's infrastructure and communication level.
Entrepreneurship development programs should be arranged to crate an
awareness level among the people.
A reflection of what an entire generation feels. Yes, we are shocked,
humiliated and most of all, hurt. Well written Ibu Sanjeeb Garg.
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