[Assam] Of Prejudices and Some Positivism (Letters to the Editor, The Sentinel, 14 SEPTEMBER 2008 )

[Buljit Buragohain]

Of Prejudices and Some Positivism

I was amused to read the letter titled “Prabhu Chawla’s Prejudice” (The Sentinel, September 9, 2008). The writer duo have done a great job in pointing out how even a veteran journalist, who should be always aware of what is happening around, like Prabhu Chawla, can be so ignorant and negligent towards Northeast and Assam in particular! And it is an unpleasant truth that people from other parts of India, even from neighbouring States like West Bengal, either do not know much about this region of ours or they simply have grossly distorted views about us. 
I have also seen, whenever I have been to our so-called mainland cities, that even highly educated people air comments about Assam, which are sometimes funny, sometimes deliciously illogical and sometimes simply horrendous! It clearly shows that people are just not aware that Northeast is also like any other region of India, Assam is just another State and Guwahati can actually be a growing city with all modern facilities or even hazards of development!
We can see how Assam is always ignored by all circles concerned when it comes to numerous woes affecting us — the mass infiltration from our neighbouring country and the yearly flood problem are just two examples of such disregard. Almost any forum, including our media, is discussing the “Marathi pride” and all, but nowhere is any mention about the threat to Assamese identity or culture! Likewise, everyone is joining hands in crying for the people of Bihar as flood has done tremendous damage to their life and property, but what about our villages, which are under water year after year? What can we comment about the fact that people living in metros still actually think that Assam is full of jungles where various rare animals can be seen in our streets almost all the time, and that the train journey from Delhi to Guwahati is a highly adventurous one as it passes through difficult hilly terrains? 
All these examples are not born out of my imagination, but I have actually heard people saying so to me — when I was out of Assam for a few years. That in fact gave me a peculiar feeling about my homeland, and maybe that was the reason why I left my job and am now trying to do something based in Guwahati itself. But now it is time to ask: Why such ignorance or disregard or a feeling of ridicule towards the northeastern region of our country, and particularly when we are living in an era of free-flowing information?
At the same time, when it comes to a globalized economy or knowledge-driven world like it is now, the initiative must first start within us. We, fellow Assamese and other northeastern citizens, can build such a base at home that no longer it will be possible for the world to remain unaware of this region. We can, and we need to, develop an independent, self-reliant, strong-from-within socio-economic condition so that people from all over the world can stare at us and get mesmerized at such a turnaround — as it has happened to Singapore, Malaysia or a few other previously little known Southeast Asian cities. 
We have, though we are not aware of, a lot of potential within us to make the Northeast a most happening and most sought-after location within India. And no one, except ourselves, can help us in doing so. I feel the day is not far when our ‘national’ media will no longer dare to ignore us, as it will be at their own peril in a truly business sense! But for that, we need to have a very refined sense of self-respect and the ability to work hard — and whatever we do in our chosen field, we need to look at the longer perspective of our regional identity and pride. 

Nazrul Haque,
Guwahati. 

 
 

 (Letters to the Editor,The Sentinel,14 SEPTEMBER 2008 )

--- On Sat, 13/9/08, Buljit Buragohain <buluassam at yahoo.co.in> wrote:

From: Buljit Buragohain <buluassam at yahoo.co.in>
Subject: Chawla Mindset (Letters to the Editor,The Sentinel,13 SEPTEMBER 2008 )
To: assam at assamnet.org
Date: Saturday, 13 September, 2008, 12:37 PM








Chawla Mindset 

This refers to the letter ''Prabhu Chawla's Prejudice'' (The Sentinel, September 9, 2008). 
What an excuse from Prabhu Chawla? Is it the laconic reply of a veteran journalist? It is a great injustice that India Today does not like to recruit a correspondent in the Northeast due to its business policy. Should the media select a location for news coverage on the basis of circulation? We feel here in Delhi, in every field, the Northeast is discriminated by the Centre. If discrimination is shown by one of the largest media groups in the country, what will happen to the ruling government and common people? If all the leading media groups can recruit correspondents for the Northeast, why not India Today? Even satellite news channels have their stingers in Assam. Still the people of northern India have a prejudiced notion that we in the Northeast live in trees, and we eat monkeys, snakes, etc! 
All leading 'national' media groups collect money in Delhi for the relief of Bihar flood victims. Even MPs have contributed to Bihar flood relief works from their MPLAD funds. But why not for Assam?
 
 
Prarthana Gogoi,
New Delhi.
 
 
(Letters to the editor,The Sentinel,13 SEPTEMBER 2008 )



--- On Tue, 9/9/08, Buljit Buragohain <buluassam at yahoo.co.in> wrote:

From: Buljit Buragohain <buluassam at yahoo.co.in>
Subject: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (The Sentinel,TUESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2008 )
To: assam at assamnet.org
Date: Tuesday, 9 September, 2008, 10:36 AM







Prabhu Chawla’s Prejudice 

On September 6, Prabhu Chawla, Editor of India Today, delivered a lecture on ‘‘The Pros and Cons of Coalition Politics’’ at IIT-Guwahati as part of Techniche-2008. During the interactive session, we pointed out to Mr Chawla that his lecture on coalition politics covered areas from Kashmir to Karnataka and from Goa to Kolkata, but that he did not mention the Northeast or Assam, which too is witness to coalition politics, even once. In response, Mr Chawla said that his subeditor had deleted/omitted it from the presentation, and he just skipped the point by saying “that is a different issue”!
Later on, we asked him to tell us the reason why India Today does not have a Northeast correspondent based in the region. He replied that due to ‘‘business policy’’, his magazine would not keep any correspondent in the Northeast! So, someone would come from Kolkata if needed. And later on, he also said that ‘‘Northeast is a separate part of the country’’!
The point is that if a veteran journalist like Prabhu Chawla can have such distorted views of the Northeast, think of what people in general, in the so-called mainland, would think us. In that case can development really be uniform? Will it not provoke the militants further? Mr Chawla should clarify. 

Buljit Buragohain,
Biraj Kr Kakati,
IIT-Guwahati.



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