Ram
Statehood confers a lot of benefits especially to the politically aware
and literate sections of the people. Without beating about the bush, let us
say that an MLA/MP earns an adequate salary. There are lots of people these
days who are either unemployed or not fully occupied and would like to be paid
politicians. Then there are those who failed to be elected for one reason or
the other. A new State Legislature will definitely absorb some such people.
And some of them will become Ministers. Let me again assert that a Minister is
adequately paid.
As soon a new government comes to being, there is an entirely new set
up with Secretaries to Government, Heads of Departments etc etc. There was a
Fourth Grade Naga employee in the State Legislature where I worked. When
Nagaland became a State he got a job there as a clerk and I am told in course
of time he became a deputy secretary in the new set up at Kohima.
The All Party Hill Leaders of former Assam made a very successful bid
for separation from Assam. They had cent per cent support from the hill
people. The Khasi peoples’ demonstration at Shillong was spectacular. I have a
feeling that that it was not
precisely statehood they had in mind but because of the impossibility of
seceding from India through peaceful means made them to be
wiser.
The question remained open as to the plains tribals of Assam, say for
example the Bodos, Mising and many others. Their grievances were not a whit
different from those of the hill tribals.
Now sovereignty. This is the most attractive alternative. Punjab,
Bengal, Tamil, Andhra, Maharashtra and most other States of India have full
legitimacy, I believe, to declare themselves sovereign. They have territory, a
homogenous population, resources, and capable of generating a national will.
However, none of them has yet produced an Ian Smith. It has been proved
without room for any doubt that a small state is viable; these days it is not
essential to have a sizable army to defend itself. International law prohibits
forced capitulation of an independent country.
Assam is a state endowed with natural resources, much of it is depleted
though. Once Assam is sovereign, you Ram can become the President of the
country, Chandan the Prime Minister and I an ambassador of Assam accredited to
the Court of St James, United Kingdom. Nalbari, Jorhat,
Dibrugarh will have Governors of our choice. Now a popular and powerful Chief
Minister has to kowtow to Central Government to go abroad on invitation as an
honoured guest; in an independent sovereign country such a situation is
unthinkable.
I now do not remember where I read but political scientists predict
that India will be divided into many independent states in course of time.
Who are to blame for the possible disintegration of India in course of
time? Its people, the political thinkers, the so-called leaders of today. The
members of the Constituent Assembly envisaged a divided India and advised to
take timely steps to integrate India. This did not happen. In England it has
now been accepted that
multiculturalism is anathema to nationhood(in India we prided with the
slogan ‘Unity in Diversity’). The Sixth Schedule to the Indian Constitution
did bring benefits to the downtrodden people of India but at the same time it
disintegrated the country.
This is a very rough and ready blueprint to do away
with your doubts.
Regards
Bhuban 