C'da,
>*** That is theory Ram? That I just branded it propaganda? Why don't YOU tell us what it was, what the 'analyst was trying to tell >us?
For whatever my opinion is worth, I think the letter's author was serious in his beliefs, and was not trying to spin the story. The author really thinks thats what happened.
Is that plausible? Sure it is. Its not difficult to bring a crowd of deeply agitated people to a frenzy. The crowd size doesn't matter.
But lets get some things out of the way:
It is quite possible that Ajit Mahanta was linked to ULFA as the army maintains.
But what they( army/police) did afterwards was not something any civilized group of people would do. Mahanta should have gone thru the legal process. His wonton/unecessary killing has seriously tarnished the image and confidence of the people to have faith in the army and Crpf.
Now, this is NO LIP SERVICE. Looking at the pictures of the young/helpless wife and the innocent children, one wonders what age we live in. The Indian army, the GOA and GOI should be held culpable for this tradegy. Further, the fact that the army officials keep saying that 'he had definte links..' is really not material to the tradegy. Mahanta should have been afforded his full rights to due process.
Now to the other points: Did the ULFA capitalize on the situation? What do you think?
Did the others (political opp. to the GOA) capitalize? You tell us.
And were the people (the villagers of Kakopathar and other areas) upset/depressed/afraid of the army raids and the killing of Mahanta?
Of course they were. With the violence that followed and some more got killed, shows that this may have been orchestrated by some, and I don't believe that innocent villagers would resort to violence unless they were egged on.
Ten/twenty years from now, I hope somebody will enquire how the family of Mahanta are doing financially or otherwise. I sincerely hope the overwhelming support they seem to have gotten from anyone and everyone in the political arena is NOT just lip service. Time will tell, hopefully, it won't be Ajit Mahanta who?
>That Ajit Mahanta's killing was a tit for tat for Dhemaji? For Jan.06 bombings by ULFA? That it does not even come close to >getting EVEN?
Those were horendous killings as well. Inspite of the tradegy in Kokopathar, in all fairness, you don't expect people to forget/gloss over Dhemaji - specially those who lost children and loved ones. So, I think, the writer had every right to remind people that the ULFA is not the innocent bystander or at the reciving end (all the time) that some would like to portray them as.
--Ram
On 2/18/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Ooops! I did jump to conclusions again Ram :-)?
Maybe I was right the first time!
>Actually, I like this theory - if you don't like a particular view, just label it as propaganda, and it might just take a life of its own.
*** That is theory Ram? That I just branded it propaganda? Why don't YOU tell us what it was, what the 'analyst was trying to tell us?
That Ajit Mahanta's killing was a tit for tat for Dhemaji? For Jan.06 bombings by ULFA? That it does not even come close to getting EVEN?
That the people were fools to go do whatever Paresh Baruah tells them to?
That popular protest marches like this is EXPECTED to turn into a killing field in desi-demokrasy?
*** I would have hoped you would have seen it fit to explain your views Ram.
>Actually, I don't know what to version to agree with and what not to.
*** As I say, people who cannot see the blacks and whites in the fog of self-induced confusions and see everything as grey, are unable to see the difference between right and wrong, or cause and effect, are part of the problem, not of solutions :-).
At 11:31 AM -0600 2/18/06, Ram Sarangapani wrote:hehehe!>OK Ram, I take that bad! I jumped the gun in assuming that you agreed with the 'analytical' >piece ( with such analysis who needs propaganda?). My bad, my bad!C'da, I was just trying to point out that inspite of the groundswell of support for one side, it was refreshing to hear a view from the other side. Is it some propoganda? Could be, but that could be said of the the 'band wagon' too.Actually, I like this theory - if you don't like a particular view, just label it as propaganda, and it might just take a life of its own.>Glad to get the impression you did not. Hope I am not putting words in your mouth :-).Actually, I don't know what to version to agree with and what not to. But if you can assure me this letter to the AT is all hog-wash, then I too will buy - hook,line, and sinker. -:)--RamOn 2/18/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>OK - next time, I will keep opposing/differing opinions hidden from assamnet -:)
OK Ram, I take that bad! I jumped the gun in assuming that you agreed with the 'analytical' piece ( with such analysis who needs propaganda?). My bad, my bad!
Glad to get the impression you did not. Hope I am not putting words in your mouth :-).
c-da
At 8:57 AM -0600 2/18/06, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
Oh C'da,>*** What a piece of analysis!>Sorry Ram, it does not speak well of those who found it worthy >either :-)!All I said was the letter was a "different take". And what does thatsay about those who are trying to kill the messenger?
OK - next time, I will keep opposing/differing opinions hidden from assamnet -:)--Ram
On 2/18/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Read the letter. Surely a different take is always good to have. But let us take a look at this take:
> Quite understandably, the State machinery and the police have been>condemned and rebuked for their failure to control
*** The analyst here 'understands' the 'failure' of the State machinery for their 'failure' in 'controlling' the protesters.
But he FAILS to ask the more fundamental question: WHY did the crowd turn out, spontaneously, or at the behest of Paresh Baruah as the analyst charges? Did it just happen, fell from the sky, spontaneous combustion like enarolir-jui?
>Precious little has been reported about the reasons for the sudden change in attitude of >seemingly peaceful protestors turning into a mob baying for blood.
*** And even less has been asked about WHY Ajit Mahanta had to die at the hands of the military, how justice turned its eyes EVEN after his death.
>The cover -up is obvious, because among the thousands that formed the crowd, his cadres, >some of whom were seen carrying pistols, were whipping up frenzy and goading them to >violence. The instigators have already been identified by the government and the police >authorities
*** How impressive! But have the KILLERS of Ajit Mahanta been found yet? Did the state give a damn about attempting to take up THAt question, the absence of which enraged the people enough to take to the streets?
>It must be noted that a crowd does not form voluntarily on its own. Meticulous planning and >stage management must have been done for a 10,000 strong crowd to congregate for the >'event'.
*** Not just an ordinary analysis here, a social-scientist's one at that ---"crowd does not form voluntarily on its own--it requires meticulous planning"!
But WHAT was the CAUSE that brought them out? WHO caused that? And what WAS DONE about it or NOT DONE about it, causing the crowds to take to the streets?
>So while thousands of innocent people gathered, ostensibly to protest against government >forces, ULFA's sinister designed to offer these same innocent people as .sacrificial lambs , >was set in motion.
*** The most interesting part here is the highlighted above. So it was a foregone conclusion, widely anticipated by the keepers of desi-demokrasy and its social scientists/analysts that the protest-crowd was going to become 'sacrificial-lambs', that it is anticipated and accepted STATE POLICY, isn't it?Is there any other way to read it?
>Nevertheless, this single digression of the security forces cannot be flogged repeatedly to >divert the people's attention from the depredations of ULFA.
*** Ahhh! "--this single digression"! Spinning words to the rescue!!!
** Single? This is the FIRST TIME?An innocent man's life taken BY THE STATE a mere "DIGRESSION"that ought not to be 'flogged"?
What utter bull-s**t!
>Nobody is talking today of Dhemaji or even of those who were killed and maimed by the blasts >on the eve of the Republic Day in 2006.
*** How unfair this crowd! Didn't they even know that it is a zero-sum game? That Ajit Mahanta's life does not even begin to compensate for Dhemaji and Januray '06 ULFA blasts?
* Note the assumptions and convictions: That Ajit MahantaWAS an ULFA ( he must know), that it was merely a pay-backby the justice mechanisms of Indian military!
> In the meantime, the Kakopathar mob instigators, who have been identified, must be arrested >before ULFA orchestrates another showdown.
*** Indeed! Haati sur kori aage'-aage' jai, bengena-sworok dhore'! The state machinery perpetrates a heinous crime in keeping with its long traditions of the protector turning predator, and the 'mob-instigators' are the ones to be investigated and punished!
*** What a piece of analysis!
Sorry Ram, it does not speak well of those who found it worthy either :-)!
c-da
At 12:41 AM -0600 2/18/06, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
A different take of the Kakopathar incidentKakopathar incidentSir, - The incident at Kakopathar on February 10, which left nine dead including a CRPF jawan and many injured in its wake, requires analysis, for there in more to the mayhem that occurred than meets the eye. Quite understandably, the State machinery and the police have been condemned and rebuked for their failure to control the irate crowd which turned violent, hurling stones and bottles at government officials and security men, breaking through successive CRPF barricades at Lajimgaon which finally led to the CRPF firing.Precious little has been reported about the reasons for the sudden change in attitude of seemingly peaceful protestors turning into a mob baying for blood. Paresh Baruah has cleverly sidelined the issue, blaming lumpen elements for the anti/army protests. In an e-mail to newspaper houses, he warned 'other forces' for instigating peaceful protestors. The cover -up is obvious, because among the thousands that formed the crowd, his cadres, some of whom were seen carrying pistols, were whipping up frenzy and goading them to violence. The instigators have already been identified by the government and the police authorities.
At a time when elections are on the anvil, the dynamics of inter-party policies would surely be at play. The death of Ajit Mahanta in Army's custody provided just the right recipie for all interested parties, political or otherwise, to cook up anti-government sentiment.It must be noted that a crowd does not form voluntarily on its own. Meticulous planning and stage management must have been done for a 10,000 strong crowd to congregate for the 'event'. So while thousands of innocent people gathered, ostensibly to protest against government forces, ULFA's sinister designed to offer these same innocent people as sacrificial lambs, was set in motion.Nevertheless, this single digression of the security forces cannot be flogged repeatedly to divert the people's attention from the depredations of ULFA. Nobody is talking today of Dhemaji or even of those who were killed and maimed by the blasts on the eve of the Republic Day in 2006. But there is no need to revive the past. What we in Assam need to realise now is that ULFA has exploited the present situation to garner support for itself. Paresh Baruah has already called for 'peaceful protests' to continue. We will do well to avoid falling into this trap. In the meantime, the Kakopathar mob instigators, who have been identified, must be arrested before ULFA orchestrates another showdown. - Yours etc., ANUPAM BARUAH, Silpukhuri, Guwahati.
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