even baby steps count (as Chris Gardner -the author of Pursuit of happyness
says) --so even if the petition is not 100% perfect -it would be a start - a
voice of the public at large.
Umesh
Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
WE are sorry to lose a supporter. Each individual's voice is a building
block of this effort. One less leaves us weaker. But we shall persevere.
Our mission was clear from day one. We opposed the State Govt's move for a
number of different reasons, which we enumerated and continue to do so, in
order to generate a public awareness and promote a discussion and/or debate of
the underlying issues.
It is unfortunate that we did not merit the support of some of our esteemed
friends, because of their disagreement with the length of the text or the
quality of the language of the petition, as if it is a grade-school exercise on
English language composition, association with a poorly drafted one of which
might tarnish one's own reputation as an English language scholar leading to
public ridicule from similar other English language scholars; in spite of their
agreement with the MAIN objective.
Or for that matter because of their disagreement with one or more of the
various reasons we cited, in spite of their agreement with the MAIN objective.
cm
At 10:34 AM -0800 1/1/07, Himendra Thakur wrote:
Dear Barua, My signature was conditional right from the beginning. The
purpose was to generate a short & strong "Petition" so that we do not become a
laughing stock in future. Since the prime movers have not agreed, I must
withdraw my signature, and I am very sad about this. I wish you all
success. I congratulate the prime movers for taking full responsibility to
achieve our goal which is to stop the GOA to proceed with the resolution to
change the name to Asom. I am very happy that the idea of "taking full
responsibility" has emerged out of this debate as a very welcome promise. I am
hoping that this will change the trend of future discussions at the assam-net
where writers will take responsibility for the consequences of their opinions
and signatures. With the best wishes, Himendra Barthakur
----- Original Message ----- From: Barua25 To: Himendra Thakur ; Rajib Das
Cc: Indrajit Barua ; Mohan R. Palleti ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; Chan Mahanta ;
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 9:59 AM Subject: The
Petition
>The Petition is not about the name change, but against the action of the
Assam Assembly who did not have the right to change the name >of the State.
This was pointed out by Rajen Barua as Again the purpose of the petition is
simply to stop the GOA to change the >name so that we have a discussion in a
democratic process if we want to change the name at all.
>However, in the current draft of the Petition, the kernel purpose stated
above got shrouded by tributes to Dutch sailors and promotion of >the X-sound
based on incomplete research. I signed the Petition on the condition that
these extraneous materials will be deleted, and the >Petition will be short &
strong.
Dear Himenda and Dilip Deka: We just saw your response to Rajib Das. I
thought we have clarified before that we are not changing the wording of the
petition substantially to 100% liking of yours as stated above. We the prime
movers of the petition discussed your comments on the specific wording and came
to a democratic resolution and have changed some wording. As a result, we need
to clarify again that we have not revised our petition substantially, except
that we removed the reference about 'congratulations' to Mirjumla. The
statement about X-sound has been revised somewhat to reflect that facts.
For the final draft and the whole process of submission to the CM, we the prime
movers take full responsibility to achieve our goal which is to stop the GOA to
proceed with the resolution to change the name to Asom. Now reading your
above comments, we are not sure if your signature is still conditional. Frankly
speaking we will be hesitant to put your name as a
signatory unless we receive your unconditional agreement. As such we are
requesting you to kindly confirm that you can still be a signatory . We need
to know ASAP, because the petition is going out later today. We are
addressing the same question to Dilip Deka also since he supported your views.
Please confirm urgently so that we can put your name as a signatory. If
we donot receive your unconditional acceptance by tonight, we will have to
release the petition without your names since we donot want to get into any
controversy on the issue. I hope you will say YES Thanks Rajen
----- Original Message ----- From: Himendra Thakur To: Rajib Das Cc:
Indrajit Barua ; Mohan R. Palleti ; Manoj Das ; Rajen & Ajanta Barua ;
[email protected] Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 10:28 AM Subject: Re:
[Assam] Rhino Charge stories !
Happy New Year, Rajib, and thank you for liking the Rhino Charge story! My
9-year old grand-daughter has spoiled me by turning me into a story-teller ! In
fact, I have more stories to tell, provided you guys like it and address me as
Himendra Uncle or Granduncle Himendra --- depending upon the age-group.
I completely agree with you that I personally don't see the name change (or
leaving the name alone) as a major theme. The Petition is not about the name
change, but against the action of the Assam Assembly who did not have the right
to change the name of the State. This was pointed out by Rajen Barua as Again
the purpose of the petition is simply to stop the GOA to change the name so
that we have a discussion in a democratic process if we want to change the name
at all.
However, in the current draft of the Petition, the kernel purpose stated
above got shrouded by tributes to Dutch sailors and promotion of the X-sound
based on incomplete research. I signed the Petition on the condition that
these extraneous materials will be deleted, and the Petition will be short &
strong.
I am sorry if you are offended because I used the word despondent --- which
means feeling or expressing depression of spirit from loss of hope, confidence
or courage.
We are all suffering from despondency at this time --- myself, my friend
Indrajit Baruah, and many others.
Despondency is just human. In fact, there is a historical record that,
standing at the exterior foot of the huge Mughal Fort in Guwahati in 1669,
Lachit became despondent when he and a small group of his friends came to take
it by guerrilla attack at night, a technique that he perfected at Dikhowmukh
six years back during the Mirjumlas occupation of Gargaon in 1663.
However, Lachit got over the temporary spell of despondency, took the Mughal
Fort very skillfully, imprisoned and sent the Mughal Governor Sayed Channa to
Gargaon as a Prisoner of War. Later, King Chakradhwaj Singha appointed Lachit
as the Borphukan ---- you know the rest of the story --- he routed the Mughals
at the Battle of Saraighat in 1672.
Being despondent is nothing wrong, as long as it triggers our inner strength
to stand up and claim our rights. But, whatever we do must be done skillfully
--- yogah karmasu kaushalam --- apply the highest skill in your work. This is
from the emblem of IIT Kharagpur.
One of the first skill is to identify the problem. You are right to identify
the problem as need for the people on the ground which you elucidated by
comparing the economic condition & work condition between Assam & Karnataka.
However, if you scrutinize further, it may become clear that the disparity
of the economic/work condition is only an external symptom --- you have already
seen the bomb-blast by the insurgent groups: they got started as a protest to
the exploitations by politiicians clinging to power with dirty vote-bank
politics, encouraging illegal infiltration of foreigners who are endangering
the very existence of the Assamese people today. That is the real problem. Our
Land --- with our rivers and hills --- is our fundamental right. We dont want
money. We want our land back is the battle-cry of the Assamese today. Once we
can secure our land, economic growth will follow. We must not lose our land for
the sake of economic growth, which is as temporary as a rainbow or a mirage.
The short & strong Petition will be a reminder to the vote-bank
politicians about the rhino charge of the Assamese.
With love to everybody,
Himendra
PS to Mohan Pelleti:
Dear Mohan, For the success and effectiveness of the "Petition", it should
not have multiple goals. Research of the subject is a topic in the universities
& colleges, not in the "Petition." We must be prepared that the "Petition" will
be referred to the Parliament and Parliamentary Committees in future. The
"Petition" must be rewritten by deleting the extraneous materials like tributes
to Dutch sailors and the promotion of the X-sound based on incomplete research,
which will turn the "Petition" into a laughing stock. I signed the Petition
on that condition, so that the Petition will be short & strong.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Rajib Das" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To:
"Himendra Thakur" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "shantikam hazarika" <[EMAIL
PROTECTED]> Cc: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2006 6:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] Rhino Charge stories !
> Himenda,
>
> Thanks for the stories - I always like them.
>
> No - my mail wasn't about being despondent. Far from
> it.
>
> There were 2 themes I watched unfold in this visit to
> Assam in December - The cottage industry around bomb
> blasts - Rs. 500 fetches one - (I saw the Ghy railway
> station one at close quarters) and the rise of malls
> (not one actively managed beyond the Marwari
> community). It contrasted against what I saw elsewhere
> - in the small towns of South Karnataka and Pune
> (though Kerala maintains its Communist ennui).
>
> I personally don't see the name change (or leaving the
> name alone) as a major theme - a felt need for the
> people on the ground. Hence I posed the question to
> those that know better about how relevant it is either
> which way.
>
> Wish you a very happy new year!
>
> Thanks
>
> Rajib
>
>
> --- Himendra Thakur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> > Dear Shantikam,
> >
> > Happy New Year to you, your family and your friends
> > !
> >
> > I am glad you liked the true-story of the
> > rhino-charge imagery in Calcutta
> > Press in 1946. The rhino dominated some other areas
> > of literature for some
> > time. I remember just two more episodes which I'll
> > write if everybody wants
> > it. Until such time, Happy New Year to everybody !
> >
> > With the best,
> > Himendra
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "shantikam hazarika" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
> > <[email protected]>
> > Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2006 3:19 AM
> > Subject: Rhino Charge stories !
> >
> >
> > >
> > > That was exciting. Can we have some enterprising
> > Assamese who can retrieve
> > > the cartoons? That may bolster Assamese morale and
> > the journey back from
> > the
> > > prevalent despondency?
> > > Bordoloi was really a lion, why could not the
> > others be like him?
> > > Shantikam
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > >From: "Himendra Thakur" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > >To: "Rajib Das" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > >CC: "shantikam hazarika"
> > <,"Manoj'>[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,"Manoj Das"
> > > ><,"Ankur'>[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,"Ankur Bora"
> > > ><,[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,<[email protected]>
> > > >Subject: Rhino Charge stories !
> > > >Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2006 10:38:49 -0800
> > > >
> > > >Dear Rajib,
> > > >Thank you for mentioning the "rhino charge" ! Let
> > us break away from
> > > >serious discussion for a while and get into
> > experience sharing !!
> > > > The first "rhino charge" cartoon that I saw as > > a schoolboy in
> > > > Tezpur
> > was
> > > >in 1946 (long before you were born, maybe before
> > your parents were born!)
> > > >when Assam blasted the "Grouping Proposal"
> > brought from London by a
> > > >high-powered Cabinet Mission from the British
> > Parliament. "Grouping" was
> > > >supported by Nehru as a quick alternative to his
> > power, who rebuked Assam
> > > >with his infamous statement: "Assam must
> > sacrifice for the greater cause
> > of
> > > >India."
> > > > The Calcutta Press wholeheartedly supported
> > Assam during our struggle
> > > >for survival from the "Grouping" trap in May
> > 1946. That was where I saw
> > the
> > > >cartoon of "rhino charge" for the first time ---
> > a rhino (marked Assam)
> > > >charging with its head down towards a bunch of
> > British Parliamentarians
> > > >who were running helter-skelter with "Grouping
> > Proposal" papers flying
> > all
> > > >over --- will one of our young artists redraw
> > that cartoon just for fun
> > > >today? That will be very exciting !
> > > > Gaining international and national admiration
> > for stubbornness, Assam
> > > >was very soon promoted to the image of a lion: In
> > the terrible "Direct
> > > >Action" in Calcutta by Pakistan-supporters on
> > August 16, 17 & 18, 1946,
> > an
> > > >Assamese student, Poet Amulya Barua was killed by
> > the Muslim rioters. In
> > a
> > > >prompt telegraph to Surhawardy, the
> > Pakistan-supporter Prime Minister of
> > > >Bengal (a Chief Minister was called "Prime
> > Minister" in those days),
> > > >Gopinath Bardoloi, the Prime Minister of Assam
> > asked whether he should
> > > >dispatch a few battalions of Assam Rifles to
> > Calcutta if Surhawardy did
> > not
> > > >have enough policemen to control the rioters.
> > > > This was headlined in the Calcutta newspapers
> > as "Assam Lion Roars ."
> > > >We must revive our self-confidence that we
> > inherited from the historical
> > > >days of Chakradhwaj Singha, Atan Buragohain,
> > Lachit Barphukan, to mention
> > > >just a few. Your opinion "Does anyone on the
> > ground really care ? "
> > > >carries an undercurrent note of despondency. We
> > must wake up from
> > despair,
> > > >stand on our own feet and claim our rights: Assam
> > Assembly does not have
> > > >the rights to change the name of the State
> > without public
> > endorsement ----
> > > >that is the crux of the "Petition" which should
> > be rewritten in a brief
> > > >format without the Dutch connection and without
> > the controversial issues
> > > >like X sound, etc.
> > > >With love to everybody,
> > > >Himendra
> > >
> > >
> >
> _________________________________________________________________
> > > Spice up your IM conversations. New, colorful and
> > animated emoticons. Get
> > > chatting! http://server1.msn.co.in/SP05/emoticons/
> > >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > assam mailing list
> > [email protected]
> >
> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> >
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
_______________________________________________
assam mailing list
[email protected]
http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
_______________________________________________
assam mailing list
[email protected]
http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Umesh Sharma
5121 Lackawanna ST
College Park,
(Washington D.C. Metro Region)
MD 20740
1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]
Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005
weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/
website: www.gse.harvard.edu/iep
Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com _______________________________________________
assam mailing list
[email protected]
http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
