Hi Mayur: Malabika's comment and my endorsement are not fixations on semantics, but rejection of a deeply ingrained, but unacceptable cultural chauvinism that permeates thruout the south Asian subcontinent's many peoples. It also works in a pac-man-like, the bigger fish eating up the smaller fry manner.
Ram's analogy to the American milieu is not only a stretch, but a completely inapplicable analogy. Why? Because in America political power is not distributed along ethnic or religious or cultural lines. True the racial minorities once were held under with overtly suppressive methods, but that is in the past. India's political powers continue to be divvied up along ethnic and religious lines, and rarely, if ever, along ideological or issue based ones. India has unable to break free of this mode, and will not in the foreseeable future. In that context, use of terms such as 'main-stream', 'tribal' etc.to categorize and label people , even without any intention of causing any harm, perpetuates and tacitly endorses a legitimacy of the hegemony of numerical majorities along ethnic, language and religious lines, which could not be more inimical to the realization of the much touted but far-from-reality 'secular, democratic and federal republic of India'. Terms like 'main-stream-India', automatically sidelines the peoples of NE India for example and makes them also-ran, not all that important components. And it is not a figment of insecure minds, but a well established and demonstrated fact. Just look at the Haryana folks' perception of the NE that you spoke of. And they, some of the most corrupt and violent people in the sub-continent should talk. Finally, I have another comment on your effort. You are attempting to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the people who call Assam home, using the populations of other parts of India as a benchmark. Obviously you feel insecure of your own ethnic identity in comparison, and thus want to pinpoint the areas that might need improvements, relatively speaking. First off, it is a lost cause, because you are using a benchmark that does not exist. It is as nebulous and fictional as one could be.In our architectural jargon we would call it a 'rubber-scale', one that could be bent and stretched to fill any need of the user. Why I say that is because if you try to quantify the qualities of those other peoples that you propose to judge those of Assam by you will immediately find that they would not stand to ordinary scrutiny even momentarily. If you don't believe me, give it a try and any number of netters will be able to show you why :-). Secondly, should anyone attempt to reach higher goals, it is imperative that they should aim for a sufficiently high aim. Low expectations, reaching for low standards, is one of the biggest impediments to growth and achievement. Your using the examples of 'those other Indians' is such a low-expectations-pursuit. Very much in line with all those Indian nationalists who go ga-ga over anything that seems better than Pakistan or B'desh. That I would submit, is nothing less than a loser's pursuit :-). Best to you. cm At 8:13 PM -0700 9/14/05, mayur bora wrote: >Hi Malabika > >After seeing your comments and subsequent endorsement >by Mr Mahanta, I am constrained to conclude that WE >ARE PROBABLY MISSING THE WOODS FOR THE TREES. I would >have been happier had you viewed my comments in a more >comprehensive way in stead of getting bogged down by a >particular word (mainstream) which I had to use with >my limited vocabulary to drive home the fact that the >kind of mutual love and trust that should have been >existed between the Assamese and other tribal people >of the state is missing and I have stated the reason >also. At times, one tends to get affected by some >small issues leaving the larger the issue unattended, >that probably can be termed as one of our weaknesses. >I am sure Mr Anupom Rajkhowa is probably feeling on >the same lines in respect of the issue he raised. > >But I must thank you for your observation. I am very >clear in my objective. I don't want people to ratify >what I said. What I want is a lively and healthy >debate on the issues. > >Bye for now. > >Mayur >Chandigarh > > > >--- Malabika Brahma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >wrote: > >> >> 1. Alienation of tribal people from the mainstream >> due >> to the cavalier attitude shown by caste Hindu >> Assamese. This has resulted in disunity and a sense >> of >> mutual mistrust among different tribes. (I am a >> caste >> Hindu myself >> >> >> >> What is mainstream anyway ? Just like the Cow-Belt >> culture can not be a Mainstream culture in India, >> the Culture practised by the Assamese speakers in >> Brahmaputra valley is not considered MainStream by >> other speakers, for example Bodo. These are >> different stream, one is not "SUB" to another. What >> is needed between the 2 streams is appreciation and >> respect. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> --------------------------------- >> To help you stay safe and secure online, we've >> developed the all new Yahoo! 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