I remember seeing a cartoon in Prantik, may be some twenty five years back
(during Assam agitation) on Kaziranga. It was something like this. There was a
barricaded area and a sign board saying Kaziranga National Park for protecting
last of the Assamese people. In side the barricade there were no rhinos but
there was an Assamese family-the gamusa wearing kaami haar uluwa male member
was doing some baah bettor kaam. And the whole barricaded area was surrounded
by numerous people wearing lungi and sporting beard looking curiously at the
exhibits.
Mahanta da something on what you said
India not entertaining the idea of plebiscite-I think it is not the result of
plebiscite, Mahanta da, but the PREMISE. Even a child can understand it. Tell
me if there a historical basis for asking for a plebiscite when Assamese whole
heartedly supported becoming part of India in 1947. Another option was Pakistan
or an independent country like Bhutan. But did any of the Assamese leaders
mention an independent Assam at that time? Was there a murmur of protest like
that in Hyderabad or Junagarh or Kashmir due to merger with India? Historically
I think states like Goa, Sikkim or princely states of Manipur or Tripura or
Cooch Behar district can lay claim to a plebiscite. But not Assam, as it was
part of British India for more than 100 years and chose to become part of
independent India just like Bengal, Bihar, Orissa. If you would still like to
find a historical perspective (harping on this fallacy that Assam was never
part of India), should it be ULFA asking for a plebiscite
on this 78000 sq of land mass or should it be the descendants of Ahum roja
for those few upper Assam districts, Jamidars of Bijni, Gauripur for undivided
Goalpara, descendents of Kachari king for NC hills, descendents of Chutiya
kings ousted by Ahums, present and still living Tiwa roja for western Naogaon
and parts of Karbi Anglong?
Believe me the mode Assam is in today-that of reinventing its diverse
ethnicity and past-all these descendents will appear from nowhere. I am not a
student of history. Correct me if anywhere I have gone wrong.
But Mahanta da if you think plebiscite is needed because there is a DISPUTE
and the party asking for plebiscite has promised that it will abide by the
rules, then tell me Mahanta da, should GOI hold plebiscite in Maharashtra also
in 2008 just because ONE single person is asking for it and he happens to have
Indian President Pratibha Patils grandson as hostage.
To make things simple for you-
First-please educate us if there is any historical basis to this demand for
plebiscite?
Second-if a plebiscite is needed because ULFA is asking for it, should India
not give this luxury of options to all the downtrodden and more so to states
like Mizoram, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, and all the 540+erstwhile princely
states?
Third-For Assam should it be single choice (India vs. Independent Assam) or
multiple choice questions (India vs Independent Assam/Dimaraji/Bodoland/and
numerous other lands which will spring up during the plebiscite like those
numerous political parties which surface during elections). I hope you can give
a answer to this third question to prove that you have done your homework on
this plebiscite issue.
Regards
Chittaranjan Pathak
---------------------------------
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