SORRY ALL. I was away in jungle shooting my next docu. Last time Hollywood and the World, lapped up my docu on the unemployed elephants of Asom, so this time I had to become more careful. I returned back a week back and found out dozens of mail on the subject. I was busy in the Editing studio and took time to take on the criticism.
As expected you all have deviated from the main point. As expected you all have strayed from the main point. As expected you all proved yourself be true Asomiya allowing emotion to come before the rationale. Migration is as old as civilization. Even if we look our past, almost half of today\'s Asomiyas are actually immigrants. Sukhapha brought in Ahoms, Naranaryan brought in the Kochs, Brahmins and Upper caste came from Konouj, my own forefather came from Bengal as my surname clearly suggest. My father migrated to Guwahati in the early fifties from the village like most of your father did. I personally tried to migrate to New Delhi as a young college student in the early eighties, when I lost my father and had to take the family responsibility. Your parents migrated from village to Guwahati and you migrated from Guwahati to outside Assam. Difference is only the distance and mode of travel. So question of who could migrate who could not, does not arise. Migration is purely a personal subject and there can not be any debate on that. Making money is also a purely personal matter. Some are talking of investment by NRA. I feel pity. Frankly speaking I do think NRA are rich enough to be put in that bracket. They are first generation settlers and majority of them have gone there through sheer merit and doing only jobs earning handsome salary, nothing more than that. We should not talk of millions or even thousands and should not talk of investments by them. My intention was to tell you that rather than the criticizing and giving free lectures on everything, why not do something through your friends and family. No body is asking for your money. No body is asking about your millions. By spending 200 dollars you can improve the quality of a village. By spending 100 dollar you can sponsor the education of a child for the whole year. I know you can not trust the NGOs. I know you will ask me to show the way. The problem is the will and attitude. You all have to find out your own module. Maximum I can give you a suggestion only-- sponsor the education of the children of the domestic help that is helping your aging parents back home or sponsor a student or give a computer or laptop to the school from where you excelled. There are thousands of small small ways to pay back. Think small. Stop lecturing. Things will improve automatically. Do not expect a golden Assam in just a decade.. Lastly, I would like to make it clear that my intention was not to hurt someone, not to poke fun at people who has settled outside Assam. Intention was to shake the conscience. If you have love for your motherland, show it and do it. P.S. Thanks to the entire NRA(US) for contributing 300 dollars to help Purbajyoti Chutia\'s little daughter, who is fighting rare pancreatic disorder. She was operated. It was 80 per cent success. At present she is healthy but under medical supervision. Thanks again for the generous help. It was widely appreciated in Assam media. It was a BIG HELP for the medical expenses. Mrinal Talukdar Guwahati
