Salute Mahanta da One thing at a time! First can we go back to my original post (as a reply to Mr. Dilip Deka)?
CP (that is me) said A second rung of demands other than the unachievable one which can be used for benefit of the people! CM said That is very curious. Are we suggesting that the 'first-rung' is DESIRABLE, but unattainable, because WE DON"T WANT it and WON"T support the efforts to attain them? My response-Did I say that first rung is DESIRABLE? If you read that post and my earlier ones, I have always been saying the first rung is not only undesirable but it impractical (my belief-same as the way you think otherwise) and many would agree with me. So there is no circular reasoning as you might have imagined. CM said And if what is DESIRABLE, but we won't support it, then WHAT are those 'second tier' , 'pragmatic' possibilities that ought to be tried? Can we hear about them? My response-If it would have been desirable-people would have supported it-the guy from Galeki as well as me. Regarding 2nd tier-yes they will make interesting discussion. CP said And that too now when the outfit still has got some bargaining position! CM said Then where are those voices giving them that support to encourage that? My response-There wont be any. They have lost it. Residual bargaining power lying with outfit is because of peoples desire to see them come back to mainstream without disrupting peace and tranquility any longer. The nonchalant people just want to get over the irritant-they are not bothered what they get in the bargain. CP said And I believe harping on "independence" is the easier way out-it is not a >higher ambition. CM said satirically That must be high philosophy my kind cannot comprehend. My comment-No there is no rocket science involved. As we have seen if we harp on the independence, nothing moves, status quo remains and then it is business as usual for ULFA top bosses in Sonali Bank of Bangladesh. The proponents (excluding you) realize that it is so impractical and unachievable that they can remain content even not spelling out basic things like what is the geographical entity of the proposed independent piece of land. Thats why I said it is the easier way out-just harp on independence of an Abstract Assam and no body bothers you with any uncomfortable question. Is that clear Mahanta da? CP said You dont have to do anything-the stalemate continues!. CM said And when they do, we will be there to demonize and discredit them, in the most infantile ways that people who care about having any credibility will never do. Isn't that what it is? My comment No they will not if the proponents remove the abstractness around the concept of Swadhin Asom keeping in touch with realities of todays Assam and come out with a road make. CM said Come on let us use our reasoning a bit more believably. At least hear of those 'second-tier' goals, shall we? Let us examine what resides in the fertile and imaginations of the 'pragmatic' ones. My comment At the very outset let me clarify some points-by second tier demand I did not mean any lesser degree of autonomy falling short of full independence. I did not say that and I wont give you the opportunity to ask me why partial autonomy and why not independence. If autonomy is a fall out of the negotiations then it should be for all the 25 states of India. After all what is this autonomy in Indian context? It is just a tool to make people fool in states like Assam and Kashmir. It does not bring peace. Because those who are not on the winning side of this partial autonomy will always make a demand for fuller autonomy-and it will go on.. In case of Kashmir, they already have certain degree of autonomy inform of article 370 which could be maximum Assam might get. But has that autonomy brought peace to Kashmir? NO. On a smaller scale how this autonomy game is played in Assam? BLT/ABSU fought and got this Quasi-autonomous district council Bodoland in Assam. NDFB claims it is no good and independent Bodo nation is the way to go. And recently in public the chief administrator of Bodoland said it is a step to separate state (full autonomy from Assam-from Bodoland supporter perspective). Karbis already have this Quasi-autonomous district council for half a century and their politicians have discovered it is not convenient and have started demanding an autonomous state (an interim provision till full fledged statehood) within Assam as the way to go. So autonomy (17% 29% or 78%) is not the way to go-because path along this line will bring no gratification. I believe either your become technically 100% autonomous independent from India or be with India enjoying the same status as other states (whether you call it being subservient or equally independent is a state of mind). So my thought on second tier of demand was NOT around Autonomy. What I meant was to make the hay while the sun shines. Get the maximum possible out of India till ULFA has some bargaining power. If we let this opportunity pass, only thing that will come out of ULFAs 30 years independence struggle is fat rehabilitation package for the remaining cadres. So here lies my thoughts on the second tier demands-what it contains-may be we will discuss some other time. But at least now you know what it does not contain. Chittaranjan Pathak ____________________________________________________________________________________ It's here! Your new message! Get new email alerts with the free Yahoo! Toolbar. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/toolbar/features/mail/ _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
