Rajen-da,
If you define what you mean by autonomy and how it is going to be different from the present system - in terms of actual working- I can't put the term ..... then I think we could start a discussion.
To me it is not clear how autonomy is different from the present center-state system. Are you proposing something like Tibet-Autonomous region in China or Hong Kong autonomous region of China. I can't think of other examples -- maybe like North Ireland. Though I do not know the details of any of the above. Or do you want to have like US system where states have a lot more independence.
Maybe you mean that the tax collections from the state and the minerla revenue from oil etc should be kept within the state. If that is so then Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh and even Rajasthan would want a similar status -since they provide most of the mineral wealth to the country.
Umesh
Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
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 GOsyou 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.cAt 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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