[Assam] Demands for Separate states in India

[BBaruah at aol.com]

In a message dated 25/08/2006 17:01:36 GMT Standard Time, BBaruah  writes:

 
Ram 
Statehood confers a lot of benefits especially to the politically aware  and 
literate sections of the people. Without beating about the bush, let us  say 
that an MLA/MP earns an adequate salary. There are lots of people these  days 
who are either unemployed or not fully occupied and would like to be paid  
politicians. Then there are those who failed to be elected for one reason or  the 
other. A new State Legislature will definitely absorb some such people.  And 
some of them will become Ministers. Let me again assert that a Minister is  
adequately paid.  
As soon a new government comes to being, there is an entirely new set  up 
with Secretaries to Government, Heads of Departments etc etc. There was a  Fourth 
Grade Naga employee in the State Legislature where I worked. When  Nagaland 
became a State he got a job there as a clerk and I am told in course  of time 
he became a deputy secretary in the new set up at Kohima. 
The All Party Hill Leaders of former Assam made a very successful bid  for 
separation from Assam. They had cent per cent support from the hill  people. The 
Khasi peoples’ demonstration at Shillong was spectacular. I have a  feeling 
that that it  was not  precisely statehood they had in mind but because of the 
impossibility of  seceding from India through peaceful means made them to be  
wiser. 
The question remained open as to the plains tribals of Assam, say for  
example the Bodos, Mising and many others. Their grievances were not a whit  
different from those of the hill tribals.  
Now sovereignty. This is the most attractive alternative. Punjab,  Bengal, 
Tamil, Andhra, Maharashtra and most other States of India have full  legitimacy, 
I believe, to declare themselves sovereign.   They have territory, a  
homogenous population, resources, and capable of generating a national will.  
However, none of them has yet produced an Ian Smith. It has been proved  without room 
for any doubt that a small state is viable; these days it is not  essential 
to have a sizable army to defend itself. International law prohibits  forced 
capitulation of an independent country. 
Assam is a state endowed with natural resources, much of it is depleted  
though. Once Assam is sovereign, you Ram can become the President of the  country, 
Chandan the Prime Minister and I an ambassador of Assam accredited to  the 
Court of St James,   United Kingdom. Nalbari, Jorhat,  Dibrugarh will have 
Governors of our choice. Now a popular and powerful Chief  Minister has to kowtow 
to Central Government to go abroad on invitation as an  honoured  guest; in an 
independent  sovereign country such a situation is  unthinkable.  
I now do not remember where I read but political scientists predict  that 
India will be divided into many independent states in course of time.   
Who are to blame for the possible disintegration of India in course of  time? 
Its people, the political thinkers, the so-called leaders of today. The  
members of the Constituent Assembly envisaged a divided India and advised to  take 
timely steps to integrate India. This did not happen. In England it has  now 
been accepted that   multiculturalism is anathema to nationhood(in India we 
prided with the  slogan ‘Unity in Diversity’). The Sixth Schedule to the Indian 
Constitution  did bring benefits to the downtrodden people of India but at 
the same time it  disintegrated the country. 
This is a very rough and ready blueprint to do away  with your doubts.    
Regards Bhuban



 
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