Jugal, But you seem to be missing one important ingredient. All the people you listed below had mass followings and more importantly they did not have large sections of the people they wanted to 'liberate' NOT wanting them to do so on their behalf.
Does ULFA have those qualities, ie. a large section of the Assamese population following their core ideals? Gandhi, Bose, Mandela were not elected memebrs, but they did command huge followings. Perhaps even Jinnah. And so did Mao and Hitler. Sometimes they were wrong (like Hitler) while at other times it paid off, like Mandela. Another important point is a 'populist leader or group' can get public support in two ways: By making people want such freedoms from their hearts. Or By using guns, threats, kidnappings, and 'or else' methods to 'win' people's hearts. IHMO, the former option is what the world looks up to and would at least give tacit support. What do you think the Assamese people will be more comfortable with? --Ram da On 8/3/05, J. Kalita <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > In the same logic, how did Mohandas Gandhi or Subhash Bose or Jinnah in > pre-1947 British India represent the people of India? Was Mohandas Gandhi > elected to be President/Prime Minister/king/emperor or whatever of > pre-1947 India? Was he a demagogue? Did Nelson Mandela represent the > people of South Africa when he was languishing in jail? Was he elected to > represent the people of South Africa? Was Simon Bolivar elected by the > countries of South America before he led the war for independence from > Spain? Were the framers of the US constitution in Philadelphia elected by > the people of America? > > Jugal Kalita > > > > >> >Of course, we are all well-wishers of Assam. But what has that go to > >>do with ULFA's 'interest' in an election conducted by Indian > >>authorities. > > > > > > > > *** Unlike me or you, ULFA is made up of people, who, rightly or > > wrongly, claim to represent the wishes of the people of Assam. Their > > constituency, their supporters, also believe that Indian political > > machinations have hurt Assam's interests. > > > > You may not accept that. But that is different. > > > > > >> >Who is the ULFA to tell the Assamese whom they should or shouldn't > >>invite from Delhi? > > > > > > Same explanation here. > > > > > >> >Why do you assume that just because some minister comes down from > >>Delhi to lecture, it is necessarily bad or polarizing for Assam. > > > > > > Come on Ram, you keep missing the obvious: ULFA does not recognize > > Indian controls over Assam. That is why they are telling Indians to > > keep out. It is not about whether it might be good or bad for Assam. > > > > > > But let me ask you this: Is it good for Assam, for its elections to > > be INFLUENCED by remote interests from elsewhere in India? > > > > > >> >Assuming ONLY regional parties participate in the elections, how will > >>that benefit ULFA? > > > > > > I cannot speak for ULFA. But I am of the belief that Assam's > > interests are best served by political parties who are rooted in > > Assam, and whose elections are not interfered with by outside > > interests. That is what local self-government is all about. > > > > > >> >All of this just pure humbug. What the ULFA is probably trying to do > >>is to draw some attention to themselves. They have been left out to > >>dry for a while, so passing a Dikat here and a Dikat there might > >>actually bring the spotlight on them. > > > > > > You may be right, or you may be wrong. Neither has anything to do > > with the premise of the original argument and conclusions, that > > started this debate. > > > > > > > >>As for polarization problems, sitting cozily in Bangladesh, passing > >>dikats, and encouraging illegal immigration does more to polarize than > >>anything else. > > > > > > You can spin it anyway you wish. But can you show how ULFA is either > > encouraging illegal migration, or causing polarizations in Assam? > > > > > > > > > > > > At 11:03 AM -0500 8/3/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote: > >>C'da > >> > >>> If you were to be an independent > >>>observer and well-wisher of Assam, would that seem unreasonable or > >>>bad for Assam ? > >> > >>Of course, we are all well-wishers of Assam. But what has that go to > >>do with ULFA's 'interest' in an election conducted by Indian > >>authorities. They are the ones passing out dikats left and right, and > >>basically infringing upon the free will of the Assamese people (not > >>you and I). > >> > >>Who is the ULFA to tell the Assamese whom they should or shouldn't > >>invite from Delhi? Don't the Assamese in Assam know what is or what is > >>not polarizing, instead of having the ULFA intelligensia forcing them > >>to think otherwise and dictating behavior? > >> > >>Why do you assume that just because some minister comes down from > >>Delhi to lecture, it is necessarily bad or polarizing for Assam. When > >>Assam had no regional parties, was Assam more (or less) polarized than > >>it is now? > >> > >>Assuming ONLY regional parties participate in the elections, how will > >>that benefit ULFA? > >> > >>All of this just pure humbug. What the ULFA is probably trying to do > >>is to draw some attention to themselves. They have been left out to > >>dry for a while, so passing a Dikat here and a Dikat there might > >>actually bring the spotlight on them. > >> > >>As for polarization problems, sitting cozily in Bangladesh, passing > >>dikats, and encouraging illegal immigration does more to polarize than > >>anything else. > >> > >>--Ram > >> > >> > >> > >>On 8/3/05, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>> > >Huh! So, it now seems that inspite of ULFA NOT recognizing Indian > >>> >rule, they are still interested in an election conducted and > >>> >participated by the Indians. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> **** I can't answer that. I was merely examining the logic of the > >>> original post, and the conclusions drawn. > >>> > >>> > >>> But one thing can be surmised: That the ULFA is attempting to prevent > >>> interference of Indian political parties and injection of regressive > >> > Indian attitudes and polarizing influences into Assam society. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >So, the more important question would be, how does it matter who > >>> wins > >>> >the elections in Assam to ULFA? > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> **** ULFA could very well be interested in that. Even I could be :-). > >>> I certainly would not want to see communal polarizations grow in > >>> Assam, fanned on by Indian Hindu supremacist bigots.Would you ? It > >>> could also bee to discourage political corruption spurred on by > >>> Indian black-money and vote-banking > >>> and other nefarious activities. If you were to be an independent > >>> observer and well-wisher of Assam, would that seem unreasonable or > >>> bad for Assam ? > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> At 9:00 AM -0500 8/3/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote: > >>> > >Considering that ULFA does not recognize India's rule over Assam, > >>> it > >>> >>makes all the sense in the world to them to not allow an occupying > >>> >>power to interfere in the elections of its state. > >>> > > >>> >Huh! So, it now seems that inspite of ULFA NOT recognizing Indian > >>> >rule, they are still interested in an election conducted and > >>> >participated by the Indians. > >>> > > >>> >So, the more important question would be, how does it matter who wins > >>> >the elections in Assam to ULFA? Is the ULFA fielding some candidates > >>> >too, and that too an election managed and mandated by the Chief > >>> >Election Commissioner of India. > >>> >In the end, the ULFA seems to want to behave like another 'political > >>> >party' in India (albeit an extreme one). > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> >On 8/3/05, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>> >> Considering that ULFA does not recognize India's rule over Assam, > >>> it > >>> >> makes all the sense in the world to them to not allow an occupying > >>> >> power to interfere in the elections of its state. Would India > >>> allow > >>> >> Pakistanis or BDeshis or Americans to come canvass for elections > >>> in > >>> >> it's territory? > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> The question,at best, demonstrates an absence of ordinary > >>> inferential > >>> >> skills, no doubt resulting in absurd questions like: > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >Or else, guess what will happen? I wonder what kind of > >>> >> >a democracy will be there in independent Assam. > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> --- one having little or no connection with the other. > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> At 10:14 PM -0700 8/1/05, Rajib Das wrote: > >>> >> > >>>>http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=front%5Fpage&file_name=story3%2Etxt&counter_img=3?headline=ULFA~diktat:~No~entry~for~'outside'~vote-seekers > >>> >> > > >>> >> >Another tactic this time. Not allowing central leaders > >>> >> >of national parties to campaign in Assam. > >>> >> > > >>> >> >Or else, guess what will happen? I wonder what kind of > >>> >> >a democracy will be there in independent Assam. > >>> >> > > >>> >> > > >>> >> > > >>> >> > > >>> >> > > >>> >> >__________________________________ > >>> >> >Yahoo! Mail for Mobile > >>> >> >Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone. > >>> >> >http://mobile.yahoo.com/learn/mail > >>> >> >_______________________________________________ > >>> >> >Assam mailing list > >>> >> >Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > >>> >> >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 > >>> >> Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > >>> >> 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 > >>> Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > >>> 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 > > Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > > 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 Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu 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
