Dilip-da:
I am so glad we agree so far. Let me briefly state here that independent of the actual
constitution, the political culture in India has ensured a history of brutal response
every time demands for a substatntive review of the system has been called for. There
is a huge amoount of vested interest among the national elite in the existing system.
The two arguments usually given are : if today we give in to this, tomorrow what? The
other one is: the existing system works well for (say, Bangalore), so you must be bums
to ask for change. What we may perceive as an honest discussion for change, will be
perceived by insiders in Delhi as a revolt to be suppressed. The fundamental
inflexibility of the actual working of the system is what weighs on our destiny more
than anything else.
Regards,
Santanu.
-----Original Message-----
From: Dilip/Dil Deka [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: 10/3/2004 (æ) 4:04 åå
To: Roy, Santanu
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [Assam] Car Rally from Guwahati Is Not for Fun Alone
Santanu,
Here is the question you asked me, "Now, I have a question here for you - do
you think my views are far from reality? If so, then we differ in our perception of
reality and there is no more to it. But if you more or less agree with me, then it
seems to me that some rethinking of the terms of the union, the structure of how the
sovereign commands the resources on the ground, the right of the state to
independently interact in economic matters with other nations, to kick out babus from
Delhi that think of themselves as on a colonial assignment, to decide whether or not
they want to have paramilitary and military forces deployed at their cost - are in
order."
I agree with you completely that the political structure in India needs
overhauling. After using it for almost fifty five years, the faults in the Indian
republic system are apparent to many Indians.The responsibility to bring about the
changes via democratic means lies with the citizens. The constitution has provisions
for such discussion and they have been used by people who know how to use them. If
those who feel cheated do not have the knowhow, they need to approach those who have
it. I definitely feel that the states in India need more autonomy to manage their
internal affairs.
Talk of secession and introduction of violence to get it are not practical
approaches - that is my point. I hear support for thoughts of secession in this very
net and I consider it just emotional, not practical. Let's get secession out of the
way and we will all be talking the same language.
Now talking about performance - there are flickers of performance in Assam, it
is not totally deadbeat. There are reports of Assam State Transport becoming an
example to the whole country. Numaligarh refinery apparently is performing well. There
was talk of NRL exporting to Myanmar. Shouldn't NRL and Assam Govt. pursue that real
earnest? If Delhi babus put unreasonable roadblocks, couldn't they be exposed via the
national media? I see more and more of NE India news in national papers. If export to
Myanmar could be established and made successful, won't it also give big
industrialists the incentive to invest in Assam? Will Assam be ready to accept the
influx of other Indians such industrialization will bring?
For a start, the extremists who are holding Assam hostage with their arms have
to open their eyes and realize that the majority in Assam wants to remain in the
Indian union. Let the extremists be the ones who will shake Delhi up and will propose
the changes needed in the constitution for a share to Assam. Let them be the ones who
will lobby lawmakers from the other states to get constitutional amendments passed. Do
you think there is a chance this will come to pass?
Dilipda
P.S. There will be several naysayers who will write to say that Delhi will not
let changes take place. To them I say there are several states in India who feel they
are not getting a fair share, it is not assam alone and a lobby group can be formed.
Dilip-da:
I am not recommending anything. It is not for me or any of us to
individually recommend dissolution of the Indian Union. However, I do believe that the
Indian political structure is extremely centralized and that, in particular, heartland
India does think of north eastern India in the same manner as the Russian empire
thought of its central asian fringes, the way the Han Chinese think of the Uigurs...-
as territories on the frontier to be controlled for political might populated by noble
savages that are very different culturally and have to be integrated. And being a
majoritarian structure, the government of India - its leaders and its mass of babus
reflect these views more or less. I also know that the Indian political structure has
exploited the natural resources of many regions of the country -including Assam -
through its public sector machinery and provided them at rtidiculously low prices to
industrialized parts of the country & I know that when we have brought fina!
l goods from outside of Assam we have paid higher than international prices for those
goods because of the lack of international trade. This is the scissor that has cut us
both ways. Now, I have a question here for you - do you think my views are far from
reality? If so, then we differ in our perception of reality and there is no more to
it. But if you more or less agree with me, then it seems to me that some rethinking of
the terms of the union, the structure of how the sovereign commands the resources on
the ground, the right of the state to independently interact in economic matters with
other nations, to kick out babus from Delhi that think of themselves as on a colonial
assignment, to decide whether or not they want to have paramilitary and military
forces deployed at their cost - are in order.
Santanu
-----Original Message-----
From: Dilip/Dil Deka [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: 10/2/2004 (ÃÅÅ) 11:38 ÃÂËÃâÂ
To: Roy, Santanu
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [Assam] Car Rally from Guwahati Is Not for Fun Alone
Santanu,
Can you please stop writing subliminal messages and state clearly if
you are recommending that Assam gets out of the union with India? From your last two
notes it appears so.
You mustn't forget that the majority in Assam do not want separation
from India, however hard the separationists try. Despite the faults with Indian
democracy, they are prepared to stay with it and work to improve it. At least that is
what I hear from my relatives and friends in assam.
Dilipda
"Roy, Santanu" wrote:
Dilip-da:
No marriage can be saved by one side - particularly, the weaker side.
Traditional Indian women sacrifice their life and their wants to do that. That ought
not to be the case.
Santanu
-----Original Message-----
From: Dilip/Dil Deka [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: 10/2/2004 (ÃÂÃâÃÂ) 3:43 ÃÂÃÂÃâÃÂÃâÂÃÂ
To: Roy, Santanu
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [Assam] Car Rally from Guwahati Is Not for Fun Alone
Santanu,
Thank you for your kind words on my intellectual ability and
professional experience. Coming from an academician, it is an honor for me.
Your statement below had a (hidden) message that did not come out
completely. What ship are you talking about and who is abandoning that ship?
I agree with you that the whole is not always the sum of the
components, it can be more or it can be less. Your note implies that the whole is less
than the sum in this case.
My earlier emails in this thread were not meant to spin anything, nor
was there any hidden agenda. I was simply trying to point out that there is no evil
design against Assam in New Delhi, in fact there have been political leaders who
worked for Assam's development. Yes, there are countless other factors including parts
of the Indian constitution that work contrary to Assam's interests.
Using your analogy to marriage, should Assam work at improving the
marital relations by re-establishing the conditions for a better marriage or should
Assam abandon the marriage? What is your opinion?
Dilipda
"Roy, Santanu" wrote:
Dilip-da:
I am astonished that someone with your intellectual ability and
professional experience in large organizations should say this. It is a fundamental
fact of social institutions that extremely well meaning people can, as a collectivity,
function in the most disastrous manner. A system is much more than the sum of best
intentions of the people it is composed of. Even a marriage of two great persons or a
family of affectionate parents and children attain states of intolerable suffocation
and mutual hurt - not because of the lack of best intentions - but because of the way
in which their interaction has taken place over time - the role of chance events, the
role of external factors - small, little things that don't amount to anything in
themselves, but that together acquire a monstrosity over time - so that nothing but
abandoning ship and starting on a fresh slate appears to be the way to go.
Santanu.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of Dilip/Dil Deka
Sent: Fri 10/1/2004 12:23 PM
To: Chan Mahanta; Anjan K. Nath; ASSAMNETCOLORADO
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Assam] Car Rally from Guwahati Is Not for Fun Alone
I am surprised at this talk that is delirious and single track minded.
If as a person ABV meant well, Dr. Singh means well, and so many other
leaders in Delhi mean well, then who is left who does not mean well? You will say it
is the system, but the system is made up of people like these.
If you don't respect others, others don't respect you- it is as simple
as that. Do you think ABV had some ethnic hatred towards the Assamese people when he
used the term "disloyal", if he used that term at all? There were twenty odd other
states about whom he could use the term but he didn't have to. When will you start
looking at the world without the bias and hatred towards other Indians? Whether Assam
is independent, autonomous, or stays as a state in India, Assam will have to learn to
live with India.
Dilip
Chan Mahanta wrote:
Anjan:
I know about Saikia, even though I don't know him or what he is all
about.
At any event that is beside the point.
It is not WHAT an individual politician thinks of Assam or views the
NE's angst as. I won't have any trouble believing that ABV means well. But that means
NOTHING. It has nothing to do with individual Indians' view of Assam or Nagaland or
Mizoram, or the Bodos or the Karbis.
What DOES matter however, is what, as a nation that is known as
India,has COLLECTIVELY done to our peoples, and will CONTINUE to do.
It is about positive change. It is about believing in democracy in all
its many
uncomfortable 'avatars', it is in believing in the need for making the
institutions of democracy WORK, it is about devolution of powers to the people, it is
about learning to accept dissent, it is about RESPECTING everyone, regardless of their
economic status, it is about RESPECTING people and their cultures, even if they are
NOT something you grew up with, it is about LETTING PEOPLEs BE as agreed to in a
FEDERAL democratic state as promised, at time of independence, It is ALL about all of
the above and more, that the Indian state has failed to live up to.
So I find the anecdotes of individuals' goodwill towards the people of
Assam or the other contiguous states, as PROOF of Indian goodness and the NE's
"disloyalty" ( as ABV told Bhuban Barooah kokaideu in London) patently ridiculous.
c
c
----- Original Message -----
From: Chan Mahanta
To: Dilip/Dil Deka ; ASSAMNETCOLORADO
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 6:54 AM
Subject: Re: [Assam] Car Rally from Guwahati Is Not for Fun Alone
>It looks like Guwahati and Assam were on Vajpayee's mind even when he
was >travelling abroad and NDA govt. was serious about opening the land route to the
>east through Assam.
Tonight I am going to rejoice at Assam's being in the forefront of
Vajpayee's mind, EVEN while traveling abroad. And lecture all those who complain of
being in the receiving end of 'step-motherly' treatment by the Center and their
'khai-paat-folaa' attitudes.
Come on Dilip :-) :-) :-) :-)!
At 3:31 PM -0700 9/30/04, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
From TOI.
It looks like Guwahati and Assam were on Vajpayee's mind even when he
was travelling abroad and NDA govt. was serious about opening the land route to the
east through Assam.
Dilip
===========================================================
ASEAN for Guwahati to Indonesia car rally
timesofindia.indi/49F7D071.gif
ANI [ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2004 01:48:53 PM ]
GUWAHATI/ NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the ASEAN Secretariat (Indonesia) are
jointly organising a car rally from November 22 to December 11 to promote trade
between the ten ASEAN nations.
The car rally is being held to demonstrate that there exists a land
route between the member countries to enable free flow of trade. This would be first
car rally of its kind.
Titled "Chalo ASEAN", the car rally would be flagged from Guwahati and
pass through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos PDR, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore,
before concluding in Indonesia.
The beginning of the rally from Guwahati would be actually a
culmination of mini car rallies from across the north-eastern states to be flagged off
by the chief ministers of the 'seven sisters'.
The ral! ly would also fulfil former prime minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee's wish for such an event to take place to foster regional unity.
On October 8 last year, Vajpayee, while attending ASEAN Summit in Bali
had said, "To draw dramatic attention to our geographical proximity we could consider
the idea of an India-ASEAN Car Rally. A possible routing could be from Guwahati in
North-east India, through Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia to Hanoi in Vietnam."
"Such a rally would draw in commercial interest in infrastructure
along the route. It can promote tourism and development. There could be a long term
impact on the economic co-operation in the region," Vajpayee had said.
Giving details of the rally in New Delhi, Resident Commissioner at the
Assam Bhawan, Rajiv Yadav, said, "One of the purposes of the car rally is to let the
public know that there exists a land route between the ASEAN nations. Till now it was
a hidden fact from the general p! ublic's knowledge."
_______________________________________________
Assam mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
Mailing list FAQ:
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html
To unsubscribe or change options:
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
_____
_______________________________________________
Assam mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
Mailing list FAQ:
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html
To unsubscribe or change options:
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
_______________________________________________
Assam mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
Mailing list FAQ:
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html
To unsubscribe or change options:
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
_______________________________________________
Assam mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
Mailing list FAQ:
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html
To unsubscribe or change options:
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
_______________________________________________
Assam mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam
Mailing list FAQ:
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html
To unsubscribe or change options:
http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
