EXISTENCE vs. PROSPERITYAn article by
Himendra Thakur [EMAIL PROTECTED]
(January 3, 2006)
I am sure the real cause of Assam's slow economic development is its political uncertainty. With the infiltration from Bangladesh dangling like a Damocles' Sword, the Assamese have developed an utterly defeatist "upai nai" "hobo diyak" attitude … they are anxious about their mere existence … economic development is a veritable 'MacGuffin' for them.
The most significant symptom of defeatism is the development of a negative attitude, full of suspicion, skepticism, doubt, ambiguity, insecurity, indecision, hesitation …
But, we don't have to give up hope … Once the Damocles' Sword is removed and people regain their sense of security, Assam will be in the fast track of economic prosperity. To talk about economic development before stopping the Bangladeshi infiltration is like putting a cart before the horse.
However, Bangladeshi infiltration cannot be stopped because the political party elected to govern Assam supports the infiltrators who are their vote bank. It is very disturbing to see that many intellectuals condone and rationalize the Bangladeshi infiltration by citing a series of very intelligent and clever arguments, and by applying "Statute of Limitation" every time they drop a pencil. But, in spite of all these arguments, the solid rock sitting on our chest is the anxiety about our mere existence. Advice about economic development does not enter the ear at this time. These arguments cannot remove that rock.
When Mirjumla drove away King Jayadhwaja Singha and occupied Gargaon in 1662, Assam faced a similar quandary … mere "existence" became the top priority. Politicians like Baduli Phukan, Sayal Phukan and their likeness supported Mirjumla and each one of them wanted to become a Mughal "nabab" to rule Assam. However, under a terrible harassment of guerilla attacks (daga-juddha), Mirjumla played the political coin very skillfully to extract a subservience agreement before he left Assam in 1663. Swargadev Chakradhwaja Singha inherited the throne from bhogaraja (the defeated king) Jayadhwaja Singha who died heartbroken in 1663 (or 1664.) Within 4 years, without any foreign aid, Swargadev Chakradhwaja Singha and Prime Minister Atan Buragohain readied a defeated land for its next major battle.
The present quandary of "existence vs. prosperity" is tough, but we can solve it. We must first achieve security. Then go for economic growth. We will need help from India because Bangladesh is not going to help us achieve security.
It is important to draw inspiration from history. I wrote an article ATAN BURAGOHAIN SAKO as a source of inspiration, but I got smacked by comments that "History is bunk". I know some well-meaning Assamese intellectuals who say that "Assam's problem is both Bangladesh and India. Just like Bangladesh can fill up the place with immigrants, India is doing so with its own immigrants of Biharis, Bengalis, Marwaris, etc." I request them to introspect and talk to their internal "instinct of security." In fact, animals and non-intellectuals like me have a greater sense of security than intellectuals who float in a fool's paradise.
Symbols help revive spirit. I urged my countrymen to build a statue of Swargadev Chakradhwaj Singha who will remind us the spirit of intelligent organization, pure sincerity, an indomitable urge for freedom and a hard resolve to end the seizure of our land by foreign invaders. I also argued that "Atan Buragohain Sako" is not for crossing a river. It will take us across three centuries of Time to fill our heart with hope, glory, self-confidence, self-sacrifice and a strong determination. I beg the NRA intellectuals not to kill the idea with their intelligent and clever arguments ranging from the suspicion that this must be snake-oil, skepticism that the statue will be ugly, doubt that this will not pass the "American Statute of Limitation", ambiguity that the bridge will be an ugly, highly over-designed, squat and disproportionate structure, a wild train of thought that shortly thereafter some foreign businessman will pay some politician handsomely enough to allow building yet another UGLY north Indian style TEMPLE there with the ever accompanying trash and more human excreta to destroy it for good … so on and on ….
In my article, I urged the artists and architects and bridge engineers of Assam to imagine a graceful bridge with "poetry in its geometry" as a permanent and constant reminder of what we achieved in the past . Once again, the purpose was to rebuild our self-confidence. The NRA intellectual response cited above is a symptom of the state of our disturbed mind which has turned negative under the prolonged pressure of an utterly defeatist "upai nai" attitude.
At this juncture, we must find out a way to restore a positive approach with trust, confidence, faith, self-assurance, resolution and decisiveness. I have a dream that the "Atan Buragohain Sako" will take us back to the future.
[ End]
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