[Assam] mainland vs northeast in delhi

Chan Mahanta cmahanta at charter.net
Sat Jul 14 06:03:29 PDT 2007 

I don't see anything wrong in discussing the 
issue. In fact it should be discussed.

But I agree with most of the points made here. Very well said!


>. If it is true, then a Gujarati considers a 
>Bihari mainstream and a Bihari considers a Tamil 
>mainstream; >but they all consider us as not of 
>the mainstream.


*** And what that means is that we are different. 
It is a fact. We ought to be secure about it, and 
not seek to be like them :-).


>  >If this basis is correct, why should we beg to 
>be included in that mainstream? In that case, we 
>are distinct from them as a class, because, we 
>have a different/ vibrant/ rich identity, if not 
>politically, then definitely culturally. And we 
>are, and should be, proud of that.


*** Exactly!


>  >The only thing that remains is 'discrimnation' 
>by Delhi authorities towards our boys and girls 
>studying there. When the entire country pride 
>itself in baring itself to the western 
>influence, why our guys should be singled out 
>for special treatment on the plea that certain 
>rape or other untoward things happened to a few 
>of them. Such things happen to lots of Delhi 
>students, western or domestic tourists.


*** There is a major MYTH here, however. The 
so-called 'westernization' of Indians cannot be 
further from the truth. Even a very large 
percentage of the so-called NRIs living in the 
west  are NOT  really westernized and live 
sheltered lives, divorced from the life of the 
communities where they do, hopelessly attempting 
to hold on to what they consider "Indian"--which, 
incidentally, varies widely from one group to the 
other, while each ethnic group remain largely 
divorced from others from the same 'India' they 
came from .   The parochialism is brutal. 
Perhaps worse than what it might be in some more 
pluralistic of Indian metropolitan environments.

Westernization in India is, at best, a mindless 
copy of the most superficial of traits of what is 
considered 'western', usually as created by 
Bollywood or as registered from fleeting images 
on the internet today.


>The only thing that remains is 'discrimnation' 
>by Delhi authorities towards our boys and girls 
>studying >there.


*** It really is a manifestation of the attitude 
that pervades the general Indian outlook: That 
numbers rule. My way or the highway.  While it 
argued that it is an universal human trait, the 
difference lies in  to recognize the rights of 
the numerical minorities, protecting them with 
FUNCTIONING  institutions of state: 
Constitutional safeguards backed up with law 
enforcement, and effective conflict resolution 
mechanisms, like courts of law.


>The entire question thus boils down to one 
>point: whether Delhi authorities should 
>presecribe dress >code or should gear 
>themselves up to provide safeguard 
>to the people---dressed, undressed or >scantily 
>dressed, without discrimination?

*** Exactly!

>I believe, we should tell them to mind their 
>business and not waste our own time and 
>energy on this >issue.

*** Here I differ. Unless it is discussed, people 
will remain uneducated about its, and so will 
its ramifications.  Indian intelligentsia's 
absence from dealing with these issues is the 
reason they remain operative.





At 1:21 PM +0100 7/14/07, uttam borthakur wrote:
>Is there any point in pursuing this discussion?
>
>There is an assumption here that INDIANS, other 
>than NORTH EASTERNERS, consider other Indians 
>mainstream, but do not have the same attitude 
>towards the North Easterners. If it is true, 
>then a Gujarati considers a Bihari mainstream 
>and a Bihari considers a Tamil mainstream; but 
>they all consider us as not of the mainstream.
>
>Why is that so?
>
>If this basis is correct, why should we beg to 
>be included in that mainstream? In that case, we 
>are distinct from them as a class, because, we 
>have a different/ vibrant/ rich identity, if not 
>politically, then definitely culturally. And we 
>are, and should be, proud of that.
>
>In so far as 'assimilation' is concerned, it 
>cannot be done conciously or forcefully. A 
>Marwari in Assam now a days can earn his living 
>without having to learn Assamese like their 
>forefathers did. Now a days, even many Assamese 
>do without their language and some of them feel 
>proud about that!
>
>The only thing that remains is 'discrimnation' 
>by Delhi authorities towards our boys and girls 
>studying there. When the entire country pride 
>itself in baring itself to the western 
>influence, why our guys should be singled out 
>for special treatment on the plea that certain 
>rape or other untoward things happened to a few 
>of them. Such things happen to lots of Delhi 
>students, western or domestic tourists.
>
>The entire question thus boils down to one 
>point: whether Delhi authorities should 
>presecribe dress code or should gear 
>themselves up to provide safeguard 
>to the people---dressed, undressed or scantily 
>dressed, without discrimination?
>
>I believe, we should tell them to mind their 
>business and not waste our own time and 
>energy on this issue.
>
>
>Malabika Brahma <malabikabrahma at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>What do you think is a better choice :
>
>1.  Ask the NE people to be more "mainstream 
>like" in their food or dress habits. May be even 
>suggest they undergo  plastic surgery to look 
>more "mainstream" like .
>
>2. Educate the "mainstream" Indians that India 
>is a diverse country and not all look like 
>Harayanvi and "honorable practises" like dowry 
>and female infanticide.
>
>
>Looks like Delhi  police will choose option 1.
>
>
>Priyankoo <priyankoos at yahoo.co.in> wrote:
>
>and why  people from the NE region MUST 
>assimilate to the mainstream culture? In case of 
>Assam haven't we seen more than 90% of the 
>non-Assamese population never trying to 
>"assimilate" with the local culture?
>
>If there is a failure on part of the NE 
>population in "assimilating" to the mainstream 
>culture, may be the reason is the same as why 
>the non- Assamese population in Assam never 
>"assimilated" to the local culture/s.
>
>best
>Priyankoo
>
>Priyankoo <priyankoos at yahoo.co.in> wrote:
>
>"Assimilation" is not the aim of the booklet. It 
>just forces some dos and don'ts to people from a 
>particular region.
>
>In any case, a booklet is never helpful for any kind of "assimilation".
>
>best
>Priyankoo
>
>SANDIP DUTTA <pseude at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>There is no problem with "assimilation" for 
>students or citizens from Assam. This advisory 
>should be better worded and directed at our bros 
>from Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur who stay 
>apart not just in Delhi but in other parts of 
>India too.
>
>Rgds,
>Sandip
>
>----- Original Message ----
>From: Malabika Brahma <malabikabrahma at yahoo.co.uk>
>To: xourov pathok <xourov at yahoo.com>; assam at assamnet.org
>Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 7:33:28 AM
>Subject: Re: [Assam] mainland vs northeast in delhi
>
>I wonder if similar "circular" was issued to 
>Indians in the US ( regarding the spices we 
>use), how would the Indians react ?
>
>
>xourov pathok <xourov at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>having been in delhi for sometime as a student, i see
>it is getting worse.
>
>x
>
>http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070712/asp/frontpage/story_8048182.asp
>
>Right intentions, wrong message
>- Delhi police accused of dividing India into
>‘mainland’ & ‘Northeast’
>NISHIT DHOLABHAI
>
>New Delhi, July 11: Delhi police’s advisory to youths
>from the Northeast studying in the capital is being
>seen by most as segregating the region from the
>so-called mainland.
>
>The minister for development of the northeastern
>region (DoNER), Mani Shankar Aiyar, had only recently
>discouraged the use of this syntax. “There is no
>mainland, you are the mainland,” he had told a
>reporter in Shillong.
>
>Aiyar was unavailable for comment on the booklet
>released by Delhi police, but those who responded
>seemed to cringe at the thought of someone advising
>students from the region to change their food habits,
>customs and manner of dressing to assimilate into the
>“mainstream”.
>
>Dipankar Gupta, professor of sociology at Jawaharlal
>Nehru University, said the police’s advice not to
>create a “ruckus in the neighbourhood” by cooking
>“smelly dishes” and dress decently was gratuitous, to
>say the least.
>
>“The police come up with these advisories, but there
>is no implementation. There should be a departmental
>memo of some sort that if a person from the Northeast
>is harmed, punishment will be stringent,” Gupta said.
>
>Moses Kharbithi, who is doing his MPhil at JNU, said
>the advisory was tantamount to undermining the ability
>of Northeast students in New Delhi to assimilate. “I
>wonder if they have given such booklets to students
>from the South,” he said.
>
>Kharbithi said the fact that the booklet was
>well-intentioned could not mask the sense of
>discrimination.
>
>Asom Gana Parishad MP Arun Kumar Sarma and his
>Congress colleague Kirip Chaliha said there was no
>denying the need to spruce up security for students
>from the region in view of some incidents in the
>recent past. But commenting on food habits and
>clothing was unfair, the duo said.
>
>“How can one tell somebody what to eat and how to
>dress?” Sarma asked.
>
>Chaliha said he would take up the issue with the authorities.
>
>
>
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