Dear Ram: I would say that is a fair assessment of the situation in Assam You have rightly assessed that GOI, Assam Govt, the people of Assam and the Insurgent Groups are all responsible to various degrees for the present situation in Assam. If we want to find a solution to the problems of Assam, we must understand the problems and try to realise this reality. Understanding this reality will also take us away from playing the 'blame game' and discussing in a open atmosphere what we can do about the situation. But unfortuanetly we could never got out of the 'blame game' which we are playing in the net for last so many years. Assam had been blaming the Center for all its ills since before India's independence. (Kendriyo Sorkare Oxomi Aik Mahi Air sokure saise). Because I think that is the easy way out. Blame everything on the lack of accountabiluty of the GOI (as if the GOI is one man like Sadam Hussain). We MUST STOP PLAYING THE BLAME GAME SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS WHAT WE CAN DO AFTER KNOWING THE PROBLEWMS AND REALITY OF THE SITUATION. As you know different people have different perceptions about Assam's problem. The insurgent group came to the conclusion that 'soveregnty' is the solution without even discussing the problems (No we don't know what are Assam's problems. I have my personal opinion and you have yours). That is why we must discuss the problems and understand the reality so that we can discuss solutions. I tried many times in the net suggesting that we discuss the problems of Assam. But could not get anywhere. It seems we are simply arguing because we Indians like to argue. (Another of my 'simplistic' theory!!!) RB/-
> > Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 16:39:14 -0800 (PST) > > From: ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: [Assam] Educational Institutions in > > India > > To: Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Rajib Das > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > > [email protected] > > > > Hi C'da, > > > > Now, where would we get this fair and neutral > > person? > > -:) > > > > But, seriously, the question you ask is whether the > > NE's problems are its own 'damn fault'? > > > > My attempt would be to answer it without attaching > > emotions. > > > > As usual, I will try my level best to spread the > > 'blame around' for the woes of the NE.-:) > > > > GOI: For not paying attention to the NE when it most > > needed it. > > People: Most in the NE are usually not > > business-minded. In fact, when we were there, the > > word > > 'business' was more related to Marwaris, and many > > felt > > being in business (specially "Theka") was akin to be > > unemployed. Businesses drive the economy and the > > well-being of the local population. Hopefully, the > > situation is a lot different now. > > > > Assam Govt.(and other NE Govts): Has normally never > > been there for its people. They usually bend over > > backwards for whatever Delhi-wallas wanted. > > > > Insurgent Groups: The unkindest cut of them all. If > > there was a fighting chance for growth/development, > > these groups made sure there was none left. > > > > The last couple of decades, while the world was fast > > adapting to the hi-tech age, some states in India > > (in > > the South) made sure that they also got into the > > bandwagon. The UP wallas, the Biharis slept thru > > most > > of the phase. > > > > In the NE, they did not sleep, but were fighting > > their > > own little wars in their backyards - there was no > > time > > for other mundane things like development & growth. > > > > Like Rajib touched on, the whole world today has > > heard > > of Hyderabad and B'lore. They haven't heard of > > Lucknow > > or Patna - both from the choice Hindi belt. > > > > We can keep blaming the Center, the GOI, the > > Hindi-wallas or maybe even B'lore, but the > > bottomline > > is the NE is still lagging, and our own folks aren't > > helping any. > > > > -- Ram > > > > --- Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Ram, Rajib and Rajen: > > > > > > Would it therefore be fair for a "fair" and > > > "neutral" person to > > > conclude that Assam's or the NE's problems are of > > > their own making, > > > their 'own damn fault', as might be said. Here, > > > "they" being all but > > > the apologists for India? > > > > > > And thus this whole shebang about the unrest in > > the > > > NE is all hooey > > > and what they have been getting serves them right? > > > > > > > > > :-) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > At 2:20 PM -0800 12/29/04, ram Sarangapani wrote: > > > >Great analysis, Rajib, and a great question > > Barua. > > > > > > > >> For apologists of separatism I can understand > > > why > > > >> they would not want to answer the question. > > > There > > > >>would not be an evil empire to blame for all our > > > >ills. > > > > > > > >Heh!Heh! That may be good reason not to > > participate > > > in > > > >any discussions. Why kill the golden goose? > > > > > > > >There is another aspect to all this. When you > > visit > > > >places in the South, one constantly feels the > > pride > > > >that the locals have for their community. The way > > > they > > > >translate this pride is usually in terms of some > > > >development and progress. That same pride also > > > exists > > > >in the Hindi belt. > > > >Further, I am not sure if this has anything to do > > > with > > > >it. The South is also very religious. But unlike > > > the > > > >North, for most South Indians religion is very > > > >personal, and they are not concerned about > > someone > > > >else's affiliation. > > > > > > > >Take Indore for example, bang in the middle of > > the > > > >Hindi belt, talking to the locals, the > > > conversations > > > >are usually about some of the great muscians > > > >(Indorekar) or actor/actress in Bollywood hailing > > > from > > > >Indore. They also talk about growth & > > development, > > > but > > > >strangely, they often seem proud of the fact of > > the > > > >level of corruption (and how smart they about all > > > the > > > >connections to get things done). Indore is a > > great > > > >business center, but is filthy, lousy roads, and > > no > > > >traffic rules. To get to Indore from anywhere is > > a > > > >nightmare (planes included). > > > > > > > >--Ram > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >--- Rajib Das <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > >> Here's my attempt at answering the questions: > > > >> > > > >> The South is better disciplined not just in > > > Medical > > > >> or > > > >> engineering education, it is better > > disciplined > > > >> overall. Incidentally, Manipal is not a > > > government > > > >> institution - it is private, developed by > > > private > > > >> initiative and that too by members of a > > > community > > > >> (the > > > >> GSBs of Karnataka) that do not have too much > > > >> political > > > >> power in the state. > > > >> > > > >> The South took the stability in their > > > communities, > > > >> harnessed it for progress and took advantage > > of > > > the > > > >> opportunities that India has thrown up in the > > > last > > > >> decade and a half. They were doing it and > > > >> progressing > > > >> despite the disadvantages in the federal power > > > >> structure. Their LOCAL politicians and rest of > > > the > > > >> LOCAL leadership were rising above the morass > > > and > > > >> doing constructive work. The north or the > > Hindi > > > >> wallas > > > >> were still wallowing in their feudal structure > > > and > > > >> the > > > >> shibboleths of a few decades back. > > > >> > > > >> So despite the supposed imperialistic outlook > > of > > > >> "Hastinapur" and despite the disadvantages of > > > being > > > >> in > > > >> the wrong side of power structure, communities > > > in > > > >> the > > > >> South have done well. The Indian system works > > > for > > > >> them. And despite the power structure being > > with > > > the > > > >> Hindi wallas, the Indian system does not work > > > for > > > >> them. > > > >> > > > >> What it means is that the Indian system works > > > just > > > >> fine. If it is made to work. It has been > > > >> demonstrated > > > >> in the last 15 years. > > > >> > > > >> Which begets the question that has been asked > > > > > repeatedly and never answered: Why is it the > > > South > > > >> can > > > >> do it with the current system and the north > > east > > > has > > > >> not been able to? > > > >> > > > >> For apologists of separatism I can understand > > > why > > > >> they > > > >> would not want to answer the question. There > > > would > > > >> not > > > >> be an evil empire to blame for all our ills. > > > >> > > > >> After 40 years of independence, a certain > > > dynamism > > > >> has > > > >> pervaded India (or parts of it) - never mind > > > some > > > >> rants on this board about how India just needs > > a > > > >> whiff > > > >> of thin air to break apart and crumble. For 50 > > > years > > > >> before independence and a few decades > > > thereafter, > > > > > the > > > >> dynamism was in the north primarily based > > around > > > the > > > >> fight for independence and the resultant > > > euphoria > > > >> amongst the masses. The south was > > disconnected. > > > >> Which > > > >> is why in the federal structure the north has > > > had a > > > >> stronger voice. Given that dynamism (and > > > prosperity) > > > >> in this day and age is centered around the > > > South, > > > >> the > > > >> power structure will shift. We will probably > > see > > > >> more > > > >> PMs from the south. And if you go by what > > > >> Chandrababu > > > >> Naidu demanded when he was CM - he asked why > > > Bihar > > > >> should get federal funds (much of which came > > > from > > > >> states like his) when they continue to misuse > > it > > > >> year > > > >> after year after year - it portends a future > > > where > > > >> the > > > >> South would seek and get its leadership role > > in > > > the > > > >> federal structure that it has earned or it > > would > > > >> seek > > > >> and get a change in the federal structure > > > because > > > >> they > > > >> have proven they can do better with their own > > > funds. > > > >> > > > >> Much of such changes in the federal polity > > will > > > >> happen > > > >> on a constructive agenda fueled by a public's > > > demand > > > >> for progress. Very little will come about with > > a > > > > > === message truncated === > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ > > Do you Yahoo!? > > The all-new My Yahoo! - What will yours do? > > http://my.yahoo.com > > > > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Send holiday email and support a worthy cause. Do good. > http://celebrity.mail.yahoo.com > _______________________________________________ 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
