[Assam] From the Sentinel -Letters to the Editor 17/05/2010

[Chan Mahanta]

Very well said Uttam!

BTW, what is this DNA testing supposed to prove or disprove? This
sounds to me like a case of "olpo-bidya bhoyonkori".

 >Second proposition is that a Bangladeshi can be identified from
> mannerisms and dress

*** This is EXACTLY what one of the proponents of the recently enacted  
Arizona law
against illegal Mexican immigrants said as an explanation that it is not
racial profiling, and is about as despicable and mindless.





On May 18, 2010, at 10:04 PM, UTTAM BORTHAKUR wrote:

>>>>>>> Their mannerisms, dress and language would obviously be  
>>>>>>> different from
> a genuine Assamese Muslim.
>
>
> **** The first proposition is that whoever is not "Assamese Muslim" is
> a Bangladeshi, non- Indian. Even Mr. Togadia would blush to make such
> a public statement, though the religious bigots harbor such views and
> propagate such ideas through whisper campaigns in the safety of their
> houses.
>
> Second proposition is that a Bangladeshi can be identified from
> mannerisms and dress. Some zealots at Titabor rounded up some youths
> on such presumptions based on assumptions. Finally, they were found to
> be Kamrupi Muslims from Mukalmua and even AASU had to denounce such
> action. If mannerism/ dress could help identify the Bangladeshis, the
> law has not prescribed such identification mark. Moreover, even AASU
> is pressing for DNA testing. Why one needs DNA testing if the 'Lungi'
> is enough identification? Such a proposition is infantile; such
> zealotry on the part of the Assamese caste Hindu psyche from
> emanating from ivory towers has contributed in a great extent towards
> impeding the growth of Assamese as a nation. It is the 'char' dwelling
> Muslims of Assam, who go to Assamese schools, write in Assamese, speak
> the language better than many of us and contribute in great way
> towards its culture. It is the likes of Ismail Hussain who are doing
> great works in the field of Assamese Vaishnavite culture. Yes, one has
> to be blind not to see these things and come up with puerile
> suggestions bred by bigotry and ignorance about Assam. I dare many"
> Assamese" schooled in English Medium Schools who cannot even complete
> a sentence without soiling it with English or Hindi, and many of these
> children are ashamed to speak Assamese at home. Recently, I have met a
> young girl, who migrated to Canada with parents at the age of 3 or 4.
> She studies in a Canadian University: speaks fluent Assamese sans
> English words and writes it too. She was surprised that her Guwahati
> cousins were conversing in English with her and between them when she
> talked with them in Assamese.
>
>
>>>>>>>> Most would not even speak a few words of
> Assamese.
>
> **** In fact, many Assamese in Assam would not complete a correct
> Assamese sentence without throwing in a word or two of English and
> Hindi. So, we cannot tell a Bangladeshi from Assamese on the basis of
> one's pouting.
>
>
>>>>>>> One would have to be blind to not accept the reality.
>
> Blind persons are capable of accepting their reality; the one who puts
> on blinkers for own vested interests and inherent sense of guilt, may
> not.
>
>
>
> *Jyotirmoy Sharma* jyotirmoy.sharma at gmail.com
> <assam%40assamnet.org?Subject=Re%3A%20%5BAssam%5D%20From%20the 
> %20Sentinel%20-Letters%20to%20the%20Editor%2017/05/2010&In-Reply-To= 
> %3CAANLkTilD1MeYyGYMzQbxqr6nc8UnUg4WV2ARqd_go4zU%40mail.gmail.com%3E>
> *Wed May 19 05:35:54 IST 2010*
>
>
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>
> ------------------------------
>
> Their mannerisms, dress and language would obviously be different from
> a genuine Assamese Muslim. Most would not even speak a few words of
> Assamese.
> One would have to be blind to not accept the reality.  No wonder Assam
> is a breeding ground. Most people are blind, others chose to be blind.
> JS
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