[Assam] Response to Rajib's Attempt at Rebuttal

[Chan Mahanta]

That was a valiant effort by Rajib.  Only problem is that he did not 
tell us anything about how things have changed, and how it is helping 
people, as in Assam "-- pursue their individual opportunities."

	From today's Sentinel:

	" According to the third National Family Health Survey (NFHS) report
  	released recently, 45.9 per cent of Indian children under three years
	of age are underweight, 38.4 per cent are stunted and 19.1 per cent
	are wasted. Take the figure of 45.9 per cent."

	It is worse than sub-Sharan Africas'


	The other day mm forwarded Shankar Ray's litany of Permit Raj 
that still
	rules.

	A few days back I forwarded ToI account of Indian business friendliness
	"Overall, India ranks 134th in ease of doing business, 88th in
	starting	a business, 112th in (ease of) employing workers,
	110th in registering property, 65th in getting credit, 33rd in
	protecting investors, 139th in trading across borders, 133rd
	in closing businesses.

  	India's most miserable numbers are in dealing with licenses
	(155th), paying taxes (158th), and most crucially, enforcing
	contracts (173rd).
	( Only problem in this report was that it failed to tell us what the
	number of countries were, amongst which the rankings were given--that
	is desi-journalism!)

	From Waterwatch I posted " Indian Budget on card Year 2006 but
	 distressed vidarbha farmers  having no hope of relief from the
	this budget continue to kill themselves as five more farmers
	suicides in vidarbha  reported in last 24 hours taking toll to
	 72 in this month and 70 more farm suicides reported in JAN,07
	taking total tally 142 in this year whereas as per govt.

I would have hoped Rajib, the IIT and IIM alum. would have used his 
cutting-edge technical and management skills before he asserted on 
how things are getting better, but failed to substantiate his claim.


>C-da's hue and cry - India's stability is not in question today.

*** That is MY hue and cry?  That desi-propensity for living in 
denial just does not go away, does it?


>On the other hand, the idea of Assamese nationalism as a distinct 
>independent >nation has very few takers.

*** That may be true -- I don't know that. Perhaps Rajib does. But 
what is Rajib's credibility for us to take that as the Gospel truth? 
Why is he opposed to having it proven 'democratically'? Too scared 
perhaps?


>  >Many will aver that the main concern of the people of
>Assam is that if only they were left in peace by the
>ULFA (and all those others), they could pursue those
>opportunities that exist in India and others seem to be pursuing.

*** Another feeble little fable. IF ULFA is the roadblock to Assam's 
prosperity, then why does not India seek peace? Or perhaps buy them 
out, as
the claim goes, for letting Assam Govt. hold the National Games? 
Wouldn't that be the simplest way to resolve it, using the 
quintessentially Indian secret weapon for resolving all issues?


>As a tool for liberation, given what we see of the 
>"independentistas" it will >be a disaster.

*** As compared to? Desi-demokrasy perhaps? The LOng March? Us War of 
Independence? Malyasias and Singapores'? South Africa's?


>  >It is evident some states are getting ahead of
>others from both a development and economic growth perspective.

*** Yes, and they are the ones pre-ordained by the Indian state's 
dysfunction to see the prosperity, while Vidarbha farmers commit 
suicides, Naxals continue to spread, Assam remains in the hole it has 
always been in, Kashmir burns, and
Nagas, continue to register increased per-capita income PRODUCING 
WHAT? I know I should not ask -- but how about BRIBERY ?


>  >If folks were not to put their blinkers
>on, they would realize where and how growth happens in
>some states despite the central government.



>  >And that
>it happens because that particular state is a part of
>India as a whole. A non Congress ruled state delivers
>15% growth year after year. We have gone through this
>argument before but have yet to see a counterpoint
>from C-da. I assume he would say it is eyewash.


***I don't know the answer. So why don't you  Mr. MBA,  explain that 
to the ranks of us ignoramus :-)? Then we will examine how that 
applies to Assam


>  >Actually, I would like to believe if the Assam
>government were to be left free to do their business
>of governance in peace in the last 10 years (not the
>last 50), they might perhaps have yielded better
>results even in their haphazard ways.

*** And I would submit, had Assam been able to take charge of its own 
affairs, reform its governance, control and develop its resources, it 
would be booming today.

So it is Rajib's words against mine. Question is which is credible. 
Rajib puts his bet on the dysfunctional-desi system to lead Assam to 
salvation. But those of us who can see, have seen it otherwise.


>  >You will find pretty much the same
>list of reforms in some file in the PM's secretariat.


*** Indeed. Except that they are incapable executing them.  That is 
the difference.


>  >C-da's plan obviously skirts around issues that will
>crop up during execution.

*** One doesn't have to skirt the issue at all. It is about as 
visible as one can imagine. India is a fractured, disparate behemoth, 
unmanageable, stuck in the doldrums. Assam will be an agile, 
entrepreneurial start-up. An MBA should see the difference.


>A village or a city could declare its independence with these intentions?

*** Really? With the hope that someone will bring them the good life 
on a silver platter as 'dokkhina' ? Aren't we missing the issue of 
resources and survivability? Only India can indulge in building ever 
smaller states for political expediency, but having to pay the price 
to  keep propping them up for ever.


>Assam must not only worry about controlling its own
>resources but leveraging other resources awarded it as
>a part of India in an era of immense opportunity.

LEVERAGING? Is it MBA speak for begging? Or is it getting its fair 
share? WHO decides what is fair? And if it is MORE than a fair share 
the likes of Chitta are hoping for, is it sustainable? Why would 
India continue to bankroll Assam at the cost of its other 
territories? Because it loves them kharkhowas so?







>This remote control thing is hogwash and feels stale these days.

*** Well! Pardon me for spreading such vile untruths. Why don't you 
then tell us WHY MMS' much hyped plan to take up a few districts in 
Assam to bring them up to par? That is just one example.

And if that is true why don't you all ask Tarun Gogoi to amend the 
constitution to change the Civil Service rules he was crying about 
the other day?

>Why in the world would India be an equal sovereign partner with an 
>independent >Assam?

*** They don't have to, like they are not with B'desh for example, 
and thus paying the price on Assam's back for not being able to use 
the Brahmaputra as a
highly efficient transportation lifeline. Assam can always make deals 
with China. Or the USA, who will be only too willing to have a 
foothold next to Chinese territory. India, always the frst to cut off 
its nose to spite its face can have it exactly its way. But it would 
be stupid. That is why.


>  >- anyone's
>guess as to how many countries would be wringing
>independent Assam's neck to bring it to heed.


*** How  many are  wringing Nepal's, Bhutan's, B'desh's, SriLanka's, 
Pakistan's Myanmar's? I mean other than India's bullying?


>purposes is whether the liberation armies have done a great job of liberating?

*** That would be asking us to Join in Rajib's self-fulfilling 
prophecies. But thinking people don't that.

My point was to address those offering unsolicited advice to ULFA 
who has been fighting the battle, sacrificing thousand of their 
lives,  to renounce violence and instead start a Gandhian campaign, 
while never giving them any support at all. That is 'xaap-hoi khwta 
and bez hoi zoraa'. Not something mature people engaging in a serious 
discussion would indulge in.








At 8:05 PM -0800 2/28/07, Rajib Das wrote:
>Response to C-da's takes:
>
>1. ULFA's emergence is a very old story. Conditions
>which have dramatically changed. India was a
>doddering, economically failing state at that point.
>India did not inspire allegiance. And ULFA in the
>enthusiasm of its youth did those Robinhood acts (not
>connected with its movement for independence) that
>earned it some temporary popularity.
>
>Things have changed. The Indian economy performs
>better. And Indians (including Assamese) - see a
>chance to "liberate" themselves. All liberation armies
>in Assam are more known to be extortionists than
>armies fighting for freedom. Anyone believes these
>guys truly inspire freedom?
>
>The relevant question for most people now is not about
>independence but about how these warring sides would
>leave the people alone to pursue their individual
>opportunities.
>
>2. Never mind C-da's hue and cry - India's stability
>is not in question today. India's nationhood is real
>and it finds reflection in enough thinking people
>around the world voicing so in their opinions, in
>enough money moving in the right direction and enough
>positive activity across different human endeavors.
>
>On the other hand, the idea of Assamese nationalism as
>a distinct independent nation has very few takers.
>Precisely the reason why we have a caravan load of
>different liberation armies in the region.
>
>Maybe - just may be - India might have gone down the
>same path without any hope in the last 27 years. And
>just may be ULFA behaved. But neither of those
>happened - did it?
>
>Many will aver that the main concern of the people of
>Assam is that if only they were left in peace by the
>ULFA (and all those others), they could pursue those
>opportunities that exist in India and others seem to
>be pursuing.
>
>3. Both as a trophy and tool an independent Assam - at
>least in the way I see it could possibly come about -
>makes no sense.
>
>As a trophy, it would come about, if at all, at a
>great cost given the world views of major existing
>nations (not just India) surrounding what could
>possibly be the geography of an Independent Assam. As
>a tool for liberation, given what we see of the
>"independentistas" it will be a disaster.
>
>4. It is evident some states are getting ahead of
>others from both a development and economic growth
>perspective. If folks were not to put their blinkers
>on, they would realize where and how growth happens in
>some states despite the central government. And that
>it happens because that particular state is a part of
>India as a whole. A non Congress ruled state delivers
>15% growth year after year. We have gone through this
>argument before but have yet to see a counterpoint
>from C-da. I assume he would say it is eyewash.
>
>Actually, I would like to believe if the Assam
>government were to be left free to do their business
>of governance in peace in the last 10 years (not the
>last 50), they might perhaps have yielded better
>results even in their haphazard ways.
>
>This remote control thing is hogwash and feels stale
>these days.
>
>Assam must not only worry about controlling its own
>resources but leveraging other resources awarded it as
>a part of India in an era of immense opportunity. It
>is done best as a part of India, not as a runt state
>in the middle of nowhere.
>
>5. C-da's prescription for the independent state of
>Assam  is nothing new. I guess if one were to read the
>constitution of India (or some mix of India and US),
>one would pretty much arrive at a vision of a great,
>noble country too. You will find pretty much the same
>list of reforms in some file in the PM's secretariat.
>
>It is in the execution that one will see issues.
>C-da's plan obviously skirts around issues that will
>crop up during execution. It might as well be a n
>point agenda to reform the Indian or Assam government
>under the current dispensation.
>
>It is when you start addressing issues of execution is
>where you have to bring in the players. From an
>execution perspective, the big question is - do we
>expect all this execution to come from the ULFA or its
>supporters?
>
>Finally if it is a question of having one's own
>control - why not take it down to an even more
>granular level of governing? A village or a city could
>declare its independence with these intentions?
>Obviously governance would be better at that level.
>
>Wanting to have India as an equal sovereign partner is
>a good statement of intent but is somewhat up there.
>Why in the world would India be an equal sovereign
>partner with an independent Assam? Heck, why in the
>world would Bangladesh want to be an equal sovereign
>partner with independent Assam?
>
>We cannot even get the hypothetical boundaries of
>Bodoland, independent Assam, soon to be not
>independent Nagalim, Manipur and Arunachal etc. (I am
>sure I have not even named 15% of the competing
>nationalities in our region) right between us - and we
>expect to become co-equal partners?
>
>With respect to international trading access to the
>sea can happen through multiple countries - anyone's
>guess as to how many countries would be wringing
>independent Assam's neck to bring it to heed.
>
>To the final point about having a violent struggle,
>the question that perhaps needs to debated even if for
>academic purposes is whether the liberation armies
>have done a great job of liberating? And even if a
>sovereign Assam were to be worth the fight, are the
>current liberation armies up to the job? Have they
>ever been?
>
>
>
>
>
>
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