Rajen:
>I tried to discuss about a more autonomus Assam, but could (NOT?) get anywhere.
*** It is not about you.
If your attempts at discussing autonomy fell on deaf years, then
perhaps your approach to the issue was wrong. Perhaps netters did not
care for the way you were attempting to frame the discussions.
Or it could be that Assam Netters are not interested in
discussing about autonomy.
I remember things slightly differently however. Ram, Dilip,
yourself all chimed in in favor of autonomy when we were discussing
Mamoni Goswami's efforts to bring the Center to a dialog with the
ULFA. I was curious about why you all were ready to settle for
autonomy, while defending the Indian governmental system with claims
that nothing is the matter with it. It was self-contradictory. I
remember quizzing you all about what you folks would do with autonomy
that you cannot do with the system in place as is. I asked what is
wrong with the current system that you would want to change when Assam
gets autonomy?
I remember the autonomy supporters either all of a sudden went
silent or got offended. Of course the implication was that they were
trapped by their own contradictory arguments, and thus had to go
quiet.
But it is never too late. If you have some ideas in mind, why
don't you just share them? If netters find it worth their while to
participate, they might. There is no rule here that one cannot go on a
monologue. Go ahead and make case for autonomy for Assam: Why it is
good, how it might help change things for the better, what is wrong
with what is in place now that calls for autonomous action in the part
of Assam, how such autonomy could be achieved by Assam, why there is
no such move on any other states' part ( except some segments of
Kashmiris) and if they ought to demand it too, what the ideal kind of
autonomy for Assam might be and what it must contain, so on and so
forth. Gosh, I almost made up a whole framework for you to elaborate
on.
I also remember responding to anti-Assam-sovereignty-demand
netters asserting that the public face of the movement, ULFA, has not
made a case for independence, and that autonomy could do the job. When
I presented some attributes of autonomy that would be essential to
Assam to quell the sovereignty demands, as I saw them, and wondered
aloud if those will be yielded by the Center, and asked what good it
might do if it did not, the silence from autonomy proponents was
deafening. If I remember correctly, you went silent too.
Or did miss it?
I realize I have this habit of dropping embarrassing questions.
But the believers ought not to be intimidated by obstructionists like
myself. Their courage of convictions ought to help them rise to the
task, unless such convictions are lacking , don't you think?
>During the last so many
years, have you seen in Assam or anywhere any discussion for
>such autonomy by any section of the people?
*** Just because you or I or Kamal have not seen or heard any
such thing on the papers or from the Assam establishment, it does not
necessarily mean none such exist, unless we are in the delusion that
we know all that one needs to know that goes on in Assam, wouldn't you
agree? Or should we interpret your assertiveness as your
unquestionable command over what goes on in Assam, that if you had not
seen or heard it, it is in fact non-existent?
> for and against
NGO
*** Citing half truths like the above is where one of the
problems lie with your propositions Rajen. You think you can get-away
with half-truths or attempts at having both ways, for and
against a subject of debate or discussion depending on the
situation.
The criticism of your proposals for NGOs as the savior of the
dysfunctional Indian governmental systems is not a stance
against the institution of NGOs. The criticism is of how you and
others framed or proposed NGOs: As a substitute for the dysfunctional
governmental institutions.
If your proposals for NGOs were NOT meant as supplants for
functioning GOs
you could have clarified that. I challenged you to just that even
as late as yesterday. All you said was that nobody asserted that. But
when I offered the proofs, could you rebut them? Did you?
>That is why I was
questiong, what Assam really wants other than crying.
*** Comments like these come off as boastful and bombastic
blather of the self-impressed. Perhaps you need to refine your
style along with the substance of your proposals or arguments to make
it attractive for serious participation, instead of whining about how
the Assamese world is against all your visionary proposals for
it.
c
At 9:48 PM -0500 5/4/05, Rajen Barua wrote:
>In the US,there is a far higher degree of ownership and accountability of the local Govt to local communities.By contrast,in >Indian system,power is centralized to a much higher degree at the level of national and state Government.
I think the all the netters will agree on your above point if not already they have not done so. What is surprising though is that I have not seen any action from any quarter towards such a goal. I tried to discuss about a more autonomus Assam, but could get anywhere.
During the last so many years, have you seen in Assam or anywhere any discussion for such autonomy by any section of the people? Any public awareness, any newspaper article, any book, any meeting, any debate, discussion, either by any political party or NGOs?. I have seen many arguments in the net for and against ULFA, for and against NGO, for and against riverlink, but not any debate or discussion about Autonomy of the staes.
That is why I was questiong, what Assam really wants other than crying.
Rajen Barua
----- Original Message -----From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: [email protected]Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 8:55 PMSubject: [Assam] something about corruptionIt cannot be denied that the average citizen encounters more petty corruption in India than in the USA.I argue that the phenomena of what is seen as widespread corruption is a failure of the systems of governance rather than simply of individual and it is in the transformation of the system that we must seek primary remedies.Why is the actual experience of the common man in India in getting basic Govt. services significantly different than the experience in America? The major difference between US and India is in the " SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE".In the US,there is a far higher degree of ownership and accountability of the local Govt to local communities.By contrast,in Indian system,power is centralized to a much higher degree at the level of national and state Government.
Have you all read the editorial that appeared in today's Sentinel----something to do with the police in relation to public?
KJD
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