[Assam] lest I be misunderstood

Tue Apr 20 00:33:19 IST 2010

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Pragyan Tinsukia College <pragyan_tsc50 at yahoo.co.in>
Date: Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 12:20 AM
Subject: Re: lest I be misunderstood
To: "Dr.Rajib Kar" <drrajibkar at gmail.com>
Cc: Shantikam Hazarika <shntikamhaz at yahoo.co.uk>, Arunjana Das <
arunjana.das at gmail.com>, silchar at yahoogroups.com, North East <
NorthEastIndia at yahoogroups.com>, FriendsofAssamNE at yahoogroups.com,
mukto-mona at yahoogroups.com, RAJIB SARKAR <lotusyourfriend at yahoo.in>, Indira
Mukerjee <indira.mukerjee at gmail.com>, "Md. Khalid Umar" <
mku335 at googlemail.com>, মেঘ Megh <megh613 at gmail.com>, Abhra Pal <
abhra.pal at gmail.com>, malyaban sukno fuler gaan <malyaban.28 at gmail.com>

Dear
Rajeeb,
I was disconnected for a few days . It's nice to see that   you had an good
interacting experiences with  the friends to whom I have forwarded the
original massage on the topic above that  you sent to me.
I couldn't follow you immediately. After I got connected and read all these
mails I took a few more days to react only to think over the issue here.
You know my view.  You have read one of my write up on your organisation  a
year ago, which was published in Silchar Daily Samayik Prasaga. It is here
in my blog till today: :
http://sushantakar40.blogspot.com/2009/05/uttor-cacharere-jati-danga-o-19she-me.html
I had almost same questions those raised by Dr Shantikam Hazarika, Satyajit
Dey and other scholars  here.
You and your comrades have  read it and didn't liked at all.  I know. I know
that for my alternative views I'm not at all an well  accepted writer in my
home town or valley!
But, now You please don't mistook me thinking that here  I made my team only
to quarrel with you. I don't have  such destructive negative ideas,  neither
I want to widen the gap farther.
Rather, seeing that now at-least you are talking  about the real problem of
real people--on the BG issues I have forwarded your  mail to the hundreds of
my friends of Assam ( including Barak Valley) .
I know most of my Brahmaputra valley friends even Silcharite like Styajit
Dey know very little about the real politic of the valley. Most of them
have little interest either!
I don't know if you had any earlier interaction with any Assamese
Intellectual  of Brahmaputra valley  except that with AXX team who visited
Barak Valley a few months back. Possibly It is first such opportunity from
your side.
Let me introduce you with the 'brother' you addressed here.
 He is like our father figure .  Dr Shantikam Hazarika is director of Assam
Institute of Management, Guwahati and president of Friends of Assam and
Seven Sister <http://friendsofassam.org/>(FASS), Assam chapter. When he talk
for Barak Valley he means it. I would request you to have him in your side .
You will get a best friend. Only thing you need is to understand why he is
failing to understand you. Where is the gap.
I thank you for giving a few attempt to place your case  before him and
others with full patience and dignity. But, my friend, your last one lacks
it. It seems that  you got stacked with peculiar Barak valley mind set that
there is no use of continuing  with these Brahmaputra valley people.
  If I've correctly read you mind I would say that  here you are wrong my
friend. Even if the valley become a separate sate tomorrow it will remain a
part of NE India with which you will  need a friendly relation throughout
it's  future existence. So why not start it now!
I'm not saying Shantikam sir or others didn't have any wrong understandings
or lack of information. They have.  But they have shown their patience
either . Do you know why? Because they need you!
Shantikam da was wrong while he said: "What about reopening old wounds? I
feel after a very long period, the two valleys of Assam are now socially,
emotionally united. Is this the opportune moment to raise an issue like
this? Why people were dormant till Mamta Bannerjee became the railway
Minister? Was it raised during the time, Ghani Khan Choudhury was the
railway Minister? I" About Gani Khan and Mamata You have replied correctly.
What I want to inform that it might be an 'old wounds' , but not healed
wounds.   Rajeeb and his comrades are not 'reopening' it .  There might be
some initiative for unity, But  Dr Rajeeb's reaction, who is  old friend of
mine and a prominent cultural and social activist of Silchar , has shown
that we need miles to  walk ahead  to transform it in reality  yet!   A few
historical  incidents were being never forget by the Barak Valley people in
particular and Bengali of the state in general. The first one was division
of Sylhet. The second one was 19th May ,1961. Third one was Neli  1983.
Fourth one was  opposition of construction of Silchar University , and
naming it so , in line of Tezpur, Dibrugarh and Guwahati University . There
are many more. I've just cited a few! If one really want to win over the
people there he or she will have to understand the pain of people there.
Very few people of Brahma Putra valley know that Barak valley never forgot
the day 19th May. Every year people of the valley observe the day with full
zeal and honour and this year the valley will observe its fiftieth year in a
massive way. So, if any one want renaming of Silchar Station it cann't be
considered anything like 'Reopening of old wounds". You may try to heal or
not--- that is another issue.
If Barak Valley didn't want to share any pain with the Brahmaputra,
Brahmaputra also doing the same with Barak Valley. Barail is not only a
geographical divide, it's symbol of our mental divide as well.
In most of the cases no Barak valley Intellectuals think in terms of Assam
or NE India, In most of the cases Brahmaputra valley thinkers also exclude
Barak Valley whenever they claim that they are talking for the  whole state!

So factors those help to maintains the gap are alive in both sides.
One may ask , Why I'm raising such points while talk is going on renaming of
Silchar Station.
Because, it's very much related to that gap.
They feel they need  renaming only to make their own people proud for their
history and sacrifice  and make others to keep remembering that there exist
a land call Barak valley which in-spite of being part of Assam has a
distinct identity and history. It was here at Silchar station 11
agitationist  died for their Mother Tongue .So, it's a little different
character  with other renaming issues.
Now, one can raise the question, how important is the issue while BG line
can minimize that gap in  a more practical way!
I do agree!
 I would request all my friends here to go through my one year old write up
on the issue and the organization (Please,clik the link Above ) .
Renaming is a pure Middle class issue. Poor people's issue is  BG and I'm
for BG.
     There is a saying in left circle of  Barak Valley ( Dr Rajeeb is also
one of them) that 'religion divides, language unites'. Dr Topodhir
Bhattacharjee and late Sujit Chaury was two most prominent prescribers  of
that school of thought.   Do, I need any proof here that this type of
saying is  total utopia and wrong hypothesis ?
But, middle class People in entire capitalist world are after Nationality
movement.Assam is famous for it.
As long as  Assamese middle class will work for building bigger nation for
their own-selves  such attempts   to disassociate with it from other parts
will never die down .
So, If we want real unity we'll have to understand the real problem with
real objectivity.
 To be rigid on either side  will not serve any purpose. Renaming issue is
gaining ground is urban areas and most of the political parties with their
MPs and MLAs now stands beside them including the state Government.

All of us have that problem of not understanding others! It's more true
about the Silchar Urban  Middle class. Most of them have only recently
came from Neighboring districts and province  of undivided India. While the
local population of the valley  are actually  rural population , including
Bengali Hindu and Muslims  who do not have any control over the regional
voice there.

That's why  never any real movements on other socio-economical issues took
place  at per the language movement  in Barak Valley.
Dr Rajeeb May claim that 40 lacks people are with him. I can without any
hesitation challenge him to gather such mobilizations on the renaming issue
at Lakhipur, Sonai, Hailakandi or at Durlovechara , the small towns of the
valley.
Even after 50 years of that great tragedy of 1961 most of the local rural
people don't know why the day 19th May is famous for! Because their children
don't go to schools! Even if they go they need only certificate to get a
small but secured job. They need schools. They need jobs! They are getting
mobilised for job cards . They are getting mobilized against Tipai Mukh
River Dam
Till date BG issues that Sanskritik Oikyo Moncho has added in it's demand
chart is only look like a  face saving attempt. They have yet to earn
confidence of the entire population of the valley .

I wish , let us be serious on both  the issue and make it a movement for
entire NE India. That will create a real unity.
I know Tripura Government also raised the demand of renaming --not only of
Silchar Station but also of The Silchar Agartala Express train As Bhasha
Shohid Express. But, let's make that express BG first!
Let,s not ignore each others pain . Let's make a common ground and be
friends .
Sushanta Kar

On Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 11:53 PM, Dr.Rajib Kar <drrajibkar at gmail.com> wrote:

> *Your Q was "*Why people were dormant till Mamta Bannerjee became the
> railway Minister*?"*
> *My brother, for your kind information, we have started this movement in
> 1995. Just see our documents attached in your previous mails.*
> *In fact in that period, Railway Minister was Lalu Prasad ji.*
> *Anyway thank you for your opinion.*
> *We are the forty lacks people of Barak Valley , we know, what is our
> responsibility about our Martyrs. According to we will do it.*
> *Thank you again & good night.*
> *Regards*
> *Sammilita Sanskritik mancha, Silchar*.
>
> On Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 8:45 AM, Shantikam Hazarika <
> shntikamhaz at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>  No one denies the sacrifice of the martyrs. In fact what India is today
>> is because of its martyrs. And in India most things are achieved through the
>> sacrifice of a few. Hence, there is no doubt about the cause.
>> I am worried about the fall out. There has been language movements in
>> almost all parts of the country and people have lost lives. Would there not
>> be an agitation in all those parts for renaming the local stations? And
>> language is not the only cause for which people make sacrifices, what about
>> the martyrs, say for the nation as a whole?
>> Also what would be achieved by renaming the station. people will still
>> continue to call the station Silchar Station.
>> What about reopening old wounds? I feel after a very long period, the two
>> valleys of Assam are nor socially, emotionally united. Is this the opportune
>> moment to raise an issue like this? Why people were dormant till Mamta
>> Bannerjee became the railway Minister? Was it raise during the time, Ghani
>> Khan Choudhury was the railway Minister? I agree, I am seeing ghosts where
>> there are none, but I can surely raise many issues in this regard.
>> there are so many issues in Barak that needs attention to. Broad Gauge is
>> one. When I went to the Valley last year, I was quite perturbed at the
>> overall underdevelopment, except for a few pockets of prosperity. there is
>> so much need to apply our minds as to how to convert the geographical
>> disadvantages into opportunities, in depth analysis and a long term vision.
>> We must think what we are going to leave to the people twenty years hence.
>> I feel very disturbed when we take up issues that does nothing towards the
>> betterment of the aam aadmi, those who have been left behind.
>> Shantikam Hazarika
>>
>>  ------------------------------
>> *From:* Dr.Rajib Kar <drrajibkar at gmail.com>
>> *To:* Arunjana Das <arunjana.das at gmail.com>
>> *Cc:* Shantikam Hazarika <shntikamhaz at yahoo.co.uk>; Sushanta Kar <
>> pragyan_tsc50 at yahoo.co.in>; silchar at yahoogroups.com; North East <
>> NorthEastIndia at yahoogroups.com>; FriendsofAssamNE at yahoogroups.com;
>> mukto-mona at yahoogroups.com; RAJIB SARKAR <lotusyourfriend at yahoo.in>;
>> Indira Mukerjee <indira.mukerjee at gmail.com>; Md. Khalid Umar <
>> mku335 at googlemail.com>; মেঘ Megh <megh613 at gmail.com>; Abhra Pal <
>> abhra.pal at gmail.com>; malyaban sukno fuler gaan <malyaban.28 at gmail.com>
>> *Sent:* Sun, 11 April, 2010 23:59:19
>> *Subject:* Re: [NorthEastIndia] Join in 'Humen Chain'
>>
>> *'LET US CREATE HISTORY,*
>> *LET SOMEBODY ELSE WRITE IT.'*
>> ....This is the echo of the whole *BARAK*.
>> *S*o....definitely we will achieve our demand to tribute
>> our *Language Sattagrahis*.
>> *Due to their supreme sacrifice*, *our Mother Tongue *
>> *Bengali* *is one of the official language of Assam.*
>> *S*o friends please read our thinking & support us.
>>
>> Regards
>> *Sammilita Sanskritik Mancha,Silchar*.
>> 2010/4/11 Arunjana Das <arunjana.das at gmail.com>
>>
>>> With due respect, I echo Shantikam's thoughts. I don't understand what's
>>> wrong with the name Silchar, and why the well-meaning denizens of the region
>>> are expending so much of resources in re-christening the same.
>>>
>>> Best regards,
>>> Arunjana
>>>
>>> 2010/4/10 Shantikam Hazarika <shntikamhaz at yahoo.co.uk>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>  Why should Silchar Station name be changed? What is wrong with the
>>>> name Silchar?
>>>> Shantikam Hazarika
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>  ------------------------------
>>>> *From:* Sushanta Kar <pragyan_tsc50 at yahoo.co.in>
>>>> *To:* silchar at yahoogroups.com; North East <
>>>> NorthEastIndia at yahoogroups.com>; FriendsofAssamNE at yahoogroups.com;
>>>> mukto-mona at yahoogroups.com
>>>> *Cc:* # ডঃ রাজীব কর # Dr.Rajib Kar <drrajibkar at gmail.com>; RAJIB SARKAR
>>>> <lotusyourfriend at yahoo.in>; Indira Mukerjee <indira.mukerjee at gmail.com>;
>>>> Md. Khalid Umar <mku335 at googlemail.com>; মেঘ Megh <megh613 at gmail.com>;
>>>> Abhra Pal <abhra.pal at gmail.com>; malyaban sukno fuler gaan <
>>>> malyaban.28 at gmail.com>
>>>> *Sent:* Fri, 9 April, 2010 15:46:22
>>>> *Subject:* [NorthEastIndia] Join in 'Humen Chain' [5 Attachments]
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *Join in 'Humen Chain'*
>>>>  *On *
>>>> *10th of April'10*
>>>> * at 3.30pm *
>>>> *In Premtola,Silchar *
>>>> *For the cause of  renaming *
>>>> *Silchar Railway Station *
>>>> as
>>>> *'VASHA SAHID STATION,SILCHAR'*
>>>> &
>>>> Speedy implementation of
>>>> *Silchar-Lamding 'BROAD GAUGE'*
>>>> **
>>>> **
>>>> **
>>>> *REGARDS*
>>>> *SAMMILITA SANSKRITIK MANCHA,SILCHAR*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>

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Read and Write in  PRAGYAN
Web: http://sites.google.com/site/pragyan06now
,
Blog: http://pragyan06now.blogspot.com/
A Quarterly Journal of Academic, Intellectual and Career Pursuit from
Tinsukia College.
We believe not on the Bondage of knowledge, But in Its Freedom.

-- 
Read and Write in  PRAGYAN
Web: http://sites.google.com/site/pragyan06now
,
Blog: http://pragyan06now.blogspot.com/
A Quarterly Journal of Academic, Intellectual and Career Pursuit from
Tinsukia College.
We believe not on the Bondage of knowledge, But in Its Freedom.