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Dear Netters
This morning's bundle of e-mails categorically establishes a few of
the netters' views in respect of Assam's contemporary crucial political issues,
sovereignty, plebiscite, insurgency and so on. Complying with requests from a
couple of netters, I posted a lengthy essay covering all these issues but
unfortunately, it appears, it was ignored. I lost my notes as well. So from
memory I am trying below to recapture them.
Right of self-determination: Under the existing United Nation's
charters, it is not available to integral areas of independent countries having
a written Constitution.
India is a Union: The architects of of the Indian Constitution
were very much aware of the fact that the new India was essentially a loose
federation of unequal states of a diverse population linguistically, socially,
economically etc etc. They foresaw that some of the states would try to secede
in course of time. The measures they adopted were:
National Integrity: Promote Indian nationhood. Let the people of
India from Kashmir to Konyakumari feel that they are one. I cannot help adding
just one superfluous observation here: there were/are even Indians now who are
ashamed to call themselves Indians. This can never happen to a Briton or
Japanese. In fact the successive national leaders of India including the top
bureaucrats are guilty of failing to instill the sense of nationhood
in the Indian mind over the past fifty years or so.
It is not only the President, Governors, Ministers,MPs and MLAs but also
the bureaucrats down to the clerks are required to swear obedience to the
Constitution of India.In other words they have to accept that India is
indivisible and have to work for it.
All strategic posts both in the Union and States must be filled in by the
All India Services so as to ensure the unity and integrity of the nation and its
smooth running.
Special provisions were made for the upliftment of the backward people,
particularly by what is known as the Sixth Schedule. I hold the view that in the
long run this worked agains the country's interest.
Plebiscite: I think ULFA proposed it at some stage and they have
since retracted from it. In many countries the ruling powers used this to
their advantage as they could manipulate it. I am however sure
Government of India would conduct it properly It is very much
doubtful what would be its outcome in Assam as we all know very well that
Assamese are minority in their own State. Kashmir is different. I do not
think I need explain further.
Constitutional Amendment:Technically an amendment to the
Constitution of India is not difficult, though it would be repreherensible
in this case. Wanting to secede from the Union amounts to sedition and sedition
is the highest crime in all countries. I however hold that as some netters
suggested perhaps some amicable sort of compromise could be reached.
I actually submitted my blueprint before but as stated earlier, it was
perhaps lost in transit because of its unusual length.
Insurgency: Is Government of India incapable of controlling
insurgency? Far from it, it is a world power. I liked what late Bimala Prasad
Chaliha said to a group of foreign visitors in the context of the Naga uprising
when I was present.He said that the Naga rebels are Indian citizens, our own
brother and sisters. They have erred and it is our duty to give them the correct
lead.We don't want to achieve this by taking harsh measures (these are not the
exact words, I am reporting only the gist.)
Sovereignty: It was once thought that small States are not viable.
Time and again it has been found to be wrong.Why go far? Bangladesh, formerly
East Pakistan was a couple of districts only. By comparison with its giant
neighbour, it is doing very well. Do you think if either Gujarat or Andhra
Pradesh is declared Independent, they would not be able to maintain an
international personality?
Bhuban |
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