[Assam] MC Mahanta's bamboo-reinforcement

Fri Sep 1 09:34:22 EDT 2006

Barua,

I will have to get back with you later (a longer response). For the moment,
I noticed an error in what I wrote earlier:

>>I thought that this independence movement was *not* based on cultural or
>>historical differences or events, but on the >aspirations of a few people
for >>power.

I wanted it to be:

>>I thought that this independence movement was based on cultural or
>>historical differences or events, but on the >aspirations of a few people
for >>power
That makes all the difference, doesn't it.

Later

--Ram

On 8/31/06, Barua25 <barua25 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>   >How can you be in the middle? I doubt, if one could find anyone
> (Assamese) who is neither here nor there :-)
>
>  Are you sure all the people of Assam either for or against independence?
> Many people may not support independence simply because at present they may
> not see anything to support.  It does not mean however that all those people
> are against independence of Assam.
>
> >I was not aware of this.
>
>  This is basic elementary history stuff which all people of Assam should
> know.
>
> >But if this the case, then the most important question  is:  Why this
> movement for independence? Are the pro->independence people just brushing
> aside history? Why are they now claiming otherwise?
>
> Well there can be movement for independence without the support of history
> based on the present state of affairs if the people are for independence for
> whatver reasons. But I don't see any movement on this basis.  I don't see
> any discussions or debates on this in a democratic process. Do you see any?
> Any independence movement based on Assam's past history since Yandabu Xondhi
> is rather weak now and will get weaker everyday, unlike that of the Nagas
> who has a stronger claim and who has been fighting for their independence
> since 1940s. (Please note that we Assamese never supported the independence
> movement of the Nagas and rather supported the GOI in supressing the Nagas,
> BTW).
>
> >I thought that this independence movement was not based on cultural or
> historical differences or events, but on the >aspirations of a few people
> for power.
>
> I think you are wrong again. There are cultural and historical
> differences. That is the crux of the problem. History, language, culture,
> dress, food, religion - Assamese are different than the rest of the
> Indians.  However, in Assam there is a conflict between the Aryan and
> Mongoloid culture. Since independence and before, caste Hindu Assamese
> intellectuals are pulling towards Pan Indian Hindu culture undermining much
> of the Mongoloid culture and diluting much of the Assamese original
> culture.   The attempt to abolish the name 'Assam' (which is an Assamese
> word derived from the word 'Shyam' which is based on original Tai-Ahom
> source) is a latest case in point angainst the supression of the Mongolid
> culture.  However, Assam is at present without any cultural or political
> leader to make things right, and nobody is protesting openly. However all
> these pent up anger will lead Assam into much darker future where all ethnic
> groups fighting against each other.
>
> RB
>
>
>
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Ram Sarangapani <assamrs at gmail.com>
> *To:* Barua25 <barua25 at hotmail.com>
> *Cc:* mc mahant <mikemahant at hotmail.com> ; cmahanta at charter.net ;
> assam at assamnet.org
>  *Sent:* Thursday, August 31, 2006 1:14 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [Assam] MC Mahanta's bamboo-reinforcement
>
>
> Dear Barua,
>
> >This should not be interpreted to mean that I support (or
> >object) Independence of Assam
>
> How can you be in the middle? I doubt, if one could find anyone (Assamese)
> who is neither here nor there :-)
>
> > If you read history, Assam was actually begging Gandhi and Nehru and the
> >Congress, before 1947, so that Assam can stay with India.  (Please! let us
> >stay with you guys, *ami apwnalwkor nkina golam hoi thakim*).
>
> This is some very interesting history. I was not aware of this. But if
> this the case, then the most important question  is:  Why this movement for
> indpendence? Are the pro-independence people just brushing aside history?
> Why are they now claiming otherwise?
> I wrote a post some days ago (forget the exact words), where I thought
> that this indepenence movement was not based on cultural or historial
> differences or events, but on the aspirations of a few people for power. All
> they did was to play up on the emotions of sections of the Assamese on
> issues like step-motherly treatment, economically being sidelined etc. to
> keep the movement alive.
>
> > (Is there any field where Assam is taking a leadership role?)
>
> How about bandhs? :-). No, no, its not so bad. Today, we see many Assamese
> in leading roles throughout India, both in Govt. and in the private sectors.
> But, unfortunately, very few poistive things are happening in Assam itself.
>
> --Ram
>
>
> On 8/31/06, Barua25 <barua25 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >  Ram:
> > Thanks.
> > Couple of clarifications lest people mis-interpret my statement.
> >
> >  >Assamese are suffering from an acute inferiority complex.
> >  >That is why they want to stay with India and are staying with India
> > and will stay with India forever.
> > >That is why they never raised their voice to stay as an independent
> > country at the time of India's independence.
> > >Even now hardly any Assamese are raising their voice for independence.
> >
> >  The above statement of mine is just a statement of the realty. This
> > should not be interpreted to mean that I support (or object) Independence of
> > Assam. I am simply saying that Assamese is not a warrior people with high
> > National spirit or unity like the Nagas or other people and donot have the
> > will, courage, spirit and love of freedom for independence. I agree that
> > 'independence' is definitely a 'pipe dream' now (specially since we donot
> > have any leader), but probably it was not a pipe dream when Assam was under
> > the British till 1947.  (I have my own analysis why Assam lost the freedom
> > spirit after 1857 when Maniram Dewan was hanged). Today, whether we NEED
> > independence or not is completely another subject.
> >
> > The second realty is that, Assamese is not even an equal partner in the
> > Indian Independence movement and in the Indian Democratic game today. If you
> > read history, Assam was actually begging Gandhi and Nehru and the Congress,
> > before 1947, so that Assam can stay with India.  (Please! let us stay with
> > you guys, *ami apwnalwkor nkina golam hoi thakim*). There was no
> > movement for an Independent Assam as an alternative to joining Pakistan.
> > Assam could have very well say it to the British, at that time: Please give
> > us back our Assam that you took from us in 1826. But Assam did not.  In fact
> > the Assamese were so happy to be a part of India that Assamese wanted to
> > forget the six hundred years of Ahom rule. Assamese novelist wrote novels
> > *'Kwnw Khed Nai*" (No Regret) ridiculing the six hundred years of Ahom
> > rule. Eminent man of literature took comfort and wrote auto-biography
> > titled : "Kongresor Kasioli Rodot". This is a realty.
> >
> > Now having joined India on its own choice (or its own begging) we are
> > complaining that India is treating Assam like a step child.  Today the
> > insurgency in Assam is happening as a negative outlet because of lack of
> > leadership in Assam. It is not a positive movement for independence by any
> > means.
> >
> > Your statement that
> >  "They very well know that their lot is in much better state staying
> > with India than being independent."
> >  Actually people of Assam donot have any choice, do they? Your
> > statement also goes to show that people of Assam lack even the confidence in
> > their own people. In other words it goes to prove my statement that they are
> > suffering from a acute inferiority complex.
> >
> > If one analyze the stream of events, one will come to the conclusion,
> > that Assamese is a follower, a litikai to the mainland Indians. (Is there
> > any field where Assam is taking a leadership role?) This is a realty.
> >
> > That is and will be Assam's lot till we can create new and competent
> > leaders. The earlier we realize this the better so that we can act.
> >
> > RB
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > *From:* Ram Sarangapani <assamrs at gmail.com>
> > *To:* Barua25 <barua25 at hotmail.com>
> > *Cc:* mc mahant <mikemahant at hotmail.com> ; cmahanta at charter.net ;
> > assam at assamnet.org
> > *Sent:* Tuesday, August 29, 2006 12:20 AM
> > *Subject:* Re: [Assam] MC Mahanta's bamboo-reinforcement
> >
> >
> > Dear Barua,
> >
> > >Even now hardly any Assamese are raising their voice for >independence.
> >
> > Very few actually raised the voice of independence, and fewer still do
> > so today. I think, in case for independence, most Assamese are actually
> > being savvy and and realize what a pipe dream this venture really is. They
> > very well know that their lot is in much better state staying with India
> > than being independent. That is why, you will find very few voices for
> > independence.
> >
> > I doubt they are being  'litikai' at all.
> >
> > Just my thoughts.
> >
> > --Ram
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 8/28/06, Barua25 <barua25 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >  I thought I never had to respond.
> > >
> > > Assamese are suffereing from an acute inferiority complex.
> > > That is why they want to stay with India and are staying with India
> > > and will stay with India forever.
> > > That is why they never raised their voice to stay as an independent
> > > country at the time of India's independence.
> > > Even now hardly any Assamese are raising their voice for independence.
> > >
> > > Today Assamese are not even complaining against the GOI. They are
> > > simply saying that GOI is treating Assam like a step child. All Assam wants,
> > > is GOI to treat them as a 'legitimate child.' They dream of the day when Mai
> > > Bap GOI would treat them as their own child. That is all they want. That
> > > is the highest dream of an Assamese. As a result they wait for GOI's
> > > command to say what Assam would do so that they follow GOI like a 'litikai'
> > > and can please GOI.
> > >
> > > Assamese could solve lot of their problems if simply they would stand
> > > up and voice in confidence.
> > > They are suffering so much in inferiority complex, they even shy away
> > > to pronounce Oxom and are trying to say Asom so that their big brothers
> > > would not laugh. There is hardly any Assamese intellectual left in Assam.
> > > They even donot know their own history and culture.
> > >
> > > Poor, pathetic 'litikai' Assamese with their 'tilika' minds.
> > >
> > > RB
> > >
> > >  ----- Original Message -----
> > > *From:* Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
> > >  *To:* Barua25 <barua25 at hotmail.com> ; mc mahant<mikemahant at hotmail.com>;
> > > cmahanta at charter.net
> > > *Cc:* assam at assamnet.org
> > >  *Sent:* Tuesday, August 22, 2006 11:19 PM
> > > *Subject:* Re: [Assam] MC Mahanta's bamboo-reinforcement
> > >
> > >
> > > Rajen:
> > >
> > >
> > > >It is an Assamese problem of inferiority complex. Nobody will save
> > > the Assamese. We should stop blamimg the GOI.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > *** Can you explain how or why it is an Assamese problem only, free of
> > > any connection or responsibility of GoI?
> > >
> > >
> > > It is important to understand that, if your advice to 'stop blaming
> > > GoI' is to be taken seriously.
> > >
> > >
> > > c
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > At 11:12 PM -0500 8/22/06, Barua25 wrote:
> > >
> > > >Not just no- drinking/washing water-
> > >
> > > >No solid waste management/garbage collection/disposal fit for a* city
> > > *
> > >
> > > >No sewer/sewage treatment/ storm-water disposal
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Why we don't hear any of these news in Kharkhowa News Papers? Why the
> > > news papers in are interested in news from mainland India instead?
> > >
> > > It is an Assamese problem of inferiority complex. Nobody will save the
> > > Assamese. We should stop blamimg the GOI.
> > >
> > > RB
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > >
> > > *From:* mc mahant <mikemahant at hotmail.com>
> > >
> > > *To:* cmahanta at charter.net
> > >
> > > *Cc:* assam at assamnet.org
> > >
> > > *Sent:* Tuesday, August 22, 2006 11:21 AM
> > >
> > > *Subject:* Re: [Assam] MC Mahanta's bamboo-reinforcement
> > >
> > >
> > > Not just no- drinking/washing water-
> > >
> > > No solid waste management/garbage collection/disposal fit for a* city*
> > >
> > > No sewer/sewage treatment/ storm-water disposal
> > >
> > > Raw sewage from so-called* Septic tanks of 2 million people* just
> > > dumped into the pure river.What happens to the health of
> > > Kamrup/Goalpara/Dhubri--and the whole nation -Bangladesh?
> > >
> > > And Delhi's very own Refinery dumps daily 100 tons of Oil waste direct
> > > to river or through Guahati drain system/Bharalu and no Pollution Control
> > > Board dares to touch them.
> > >
> > > Indian Science does not know/cares to know  that 1 drop of oil spreads
> > > to a film of 100 sq mtr opaque for Oxygen.
> > >
> > > No Oxygen-> no planktons->no fish->no Xihoo (River Porpoise).
> > >
> > > Who Cares!
> > >
> > >  P.S.Thanks for the free publicity {MC Mahanta's bamboo-reinforcement}
> > >
> > > Let ignorance/bigotry/mediocrity thrive!!!
> > >
> > > mm
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > > From:  *Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>*
> > > To:  * assam at assamnet.org*
> > > Subject:  *Re: [Assam] MC Mahanta's bamboo-reinforcement*
> > > Date:  *Tue, 22 Aug 2006 08:55:48 -0500*
> > > >This whole notion of a city, with as large a population as Guahati,
> > > >not having a municipal water supply system is absolutely atrocious,
> > > >and that while sitting on the bank of the Brahmaputra.
> > > >
> > > >It is entirely a result of the dysfunctional desi-system of
> > > governance; which
> > > >is unaccountable to anyone, made up of thoroughly incompetent people,
> > > and who
> > > >do not have a clue as to how to tap into the abilities and skills of
> > > >its own people.
> > > >
> > > >Nothing could change for the better under this system. Only option is
> > >
> > > >to dump it and build a new society from its ashes.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >At 6:48 AM -0700 8/22/06, Rajib Das wrote:
> > > > >The big problem is there is no water under your land
> > > > >in Guwahati. As there are areas, including my house,
> > > > >where city water supply does not reach. Not that it
> > > > >would help greatly. At least 3 to 4 months of a year,
> > > > >it is the same problem.
> > > > >
> > > > >So the problem exists. The solution is not under your
> > > > >plot of land. If Brahmaputra water can be
> > > > >appropriately filtered and sold, that is a different
> > > > >animal all together.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >_______________________________________________
> > > >assam mailing list
> > > >assam at assamnet.org
> > > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> > >
> > >  ------------------------------
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > assam mailing list
> > > assam at assamnet.org
> > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > assam mailing list
> > > assam at assamnet.org
> > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
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