Hi Prasenjit:
My observations were in response to what Mridul wrote:
unlike many 'thinking Indians', who deliberately express their disrespect for Indian Democracy by not casting their votes, enjoying election day as a holiday and thereby help the laloos etc. to win.
*** Do you therefore think Mridul's interpretation is the correct one?
If Nagaland can have that hope why not assam ?
*** This is a rather childish question. It is like Ram or Rajen or a number of other Assam Netter's bewilderment at why Assam can't be like Tamil Nadu or Gujarat or whoever else. It will be akin to me asking Prasenjit why India can't be like China, or Singapore, or the USA.
>The system can't corrupt the people, people themselves corrupt it.
*** This is one of the most specious arguments that we have heard in Assam net quite a few times. I know where you picked that up :-). There have been a number of very good explanations here in Assam Net, by a number of people. I myself posted it a number of times. But I am tired of explaining it, knowing full well that if someone has his mind made up not to understanding, then there is no way to explain.
However, if YOU missed them earlier and are really interested in understanding the fallacy of this argument, I will be pleased to explain it once again. Just let me know. I can assure you however, that just because I did not respond to one of my esteemed friends here last time when he made this rather childish argument, that there is not a good answer. Didn't you notice how the other Indians, who spare no effort to get on my arguments did not jump on this netter's bandwagon on that :-)? There is a good reason for that. They did id not want to look silly, that is why.
cm
At 8:36 PM -0500 3/25/05, Prasenjit Chetia wrote:
Hi CM; I don't agree when you said Quote "The 'thinking Indians who deliberately show disrespect to Indian democracy by abstaining from voting' that bothers you are probably demonstrating a surrender to the state of affairs. Elections come and go, new govts. come and go, but little changes to the state of affairs. People would put up with slogans only for so long. After rounds of the same, comes a time people would give up." Unquote.
Does a low voter turnout indicates surrender ? I don't think so. Take 2004 lok sabha, nagaland was torn apart by the kuki, nscn conflicts and so was manipur. But they registered 91% and 67% turnout while maharastra contributed to 54% valid votes casted. Assam had a not too bad 69% turnout. Does that indicate in maharastra people are fed up with democracy and coming and going of goverments ? Maharastra accounts for one of the largest percentage of GOI grants. The reason behind low turnout can be varied depending on the issues which come as a flash just before the D-Day of voting. The case of Nagaland was a depiction of hope for a change not to lose it and sit at home. If Nagaland can have that hope why not assam ? If the people of assam learn from previous betrayals and act judiciously, change can be possible within the present framework. The system can't corrupt the people, people themselves corrupt it.
Prasenjit
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