[Assam] Invaders

[Himendra Thakur]

Re: [Assam] A new politics of race: India and its NortheasDear Chandan,

As for your question:
    How would you characterize someone's stereotyping Indian Muslims as invaders:-)?

  My answer is: 
    Anybody who stereotypes Indian Muslims as invaders will be characterized as someone committing gross stupidity.

With the best wishes,
Himendra


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Chan Mahanta 
  To: assam at assamnet.org 
  Cc: Himendra Thakur 
  Sent: Saturday, March 04, 2006 11:04 AM
  Subject: Re: [Assam] A new politics of race: India and its Northeast


  Hi Himen-da:


  First off, you don't need to refer to me as Mr. Chandan Mahanta. You can continue to refer to me as Chandan, and even Sondon --in a truly Oxomiya fashion. I understand why you have turned so formal, but I am still cool with the older more personalized one, should you wish to revert back to it. My disagreements with your views, irreconcilable as they may be, does not effect my respect of you as an elder of our small probaxi Oxomiya community.


  Another thing: I don't think that personal anecdotes or even biographical accounts are in the prohibited list of assam net topics. But I am glad I could open that door for you. I too enjoyed reading about you as a Naga. And can't wait to hear about how the story of the young couple ended.


  Having gotten those issues out of the way, allow me to help you deal with something that obviously  continues to haunt you, but for entirely wrong reasons:


          My comment "-- "the anecdote you cite here --- merely points to
          your importance, as demonstrated by the courtesy you received
          from him . with the hour long interview"--" was not about your
          citing a personal experience with J M Lyngdoh. It was about your
          high opinion of Lyngdoh,and how you developed that,  but which
          had NOTHING to do with the subject under discussion: That DEMOCRACY
          was bad for India, a comment that demonstrated Lyngdoh's inability
          to separate DEMOCRACY from what passes for democracy in India.
          
  And I stand by my observation that it did prove your own importance. Why else would Lyngdoh, the then principal secretary to the President, a powerful position I am sure, who not only gave you an hour-long interview, but convened a meeting of one of the country's most elite of bureaucrats for you to give your spiel on banning dowry? Would he have given such an interview and accord the privilege of pleading to this coterie of top IAS cadres to the poor father of a burnt bride of Haryana,  for banning the practice?




  Finally, and most importantly, a question: How would you characterize someone's stereotyping Indian Muslims as invaders  :-)?


  Regards,


  Chandan
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