Editor,
Apropos the various letters I read in The Shillong Times on the rising concerns regarding infiltrators in West Bengal, I would also like to share the experiences shared by my hostel-mates at college. They hail from Baduria and Asansol in West Bengal and belong to the Bengali community. According to them, infiltration and communal violence has become a part of West Bengal’s political culture and is increasing exponentially. If it continues this way then it would be beyond the control of the Bengal government to maintain peace and harmony in the state. I personally do sympathize with these hostel friends whose relatives’ shops in Bashirhat were set ablaze by a particular community and no action was ever initiated against the perpetrators by the administration. As a student, I clearly noticed their constant worries over their parents back home. At any point of time the people from the majority community are likely to be attacked by the minority. This is the continuous fear they live with.
Regarding Kajal Chatterjee’s response to Salil Gewali’s letter titled, ‘Dangerous agenda and propaganda’ (ST Dec 28, 2019) wherein Gewali had showcased the real problem of foreign infiltration and how it has affected the social and cultural structure of our nation which is completely true, the fact is that incidents of communal violence are on the rise. The violent incidents of Murshidabad, Uluberia, Malda, Dhulagarh, Baduria, Howrah and Asansol and many more cannot be ignored at all. When we make a deeper analysis of each riot, we find its roots in massive inflow of infiltrators which was facilitated by the TMC government. Are the original people of West Bengal intolerant? No, instead, taking advantage of the non-aggressive nature of the natives, the infiltrators are trying to impose their dominance in the state. The State Government’s silence over these extremely sensitive issues is a serious concern for the entire nation. As rightly pointed by Gewali, all states in the Northeast should take a lesson from West Bengal. It is very important for each state to be extra alert about the issue of infiltrators since we share extensive borders with Bangladesh.
Yours etc.,
Hemanta Upadhaya,
Shillong-2
CAA and protests in Northeast India
Editor,
The continued massive democratic protests that turned violent in some pockets over the most entangled and controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) now Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 across India speak against the arrogant stand of National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-led government at the centre on the citizenship issue. The passage of this bill in both houses of the Parliament thereby making it an act is against the sanctity of the Constitution of India as it threatens the secular content enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution. Political scientists say that government has turned into a majoritarian tyranny. The act that grants citizenship on the basis of religion is discriminatory and biased which is against the secular fabric of the country.
The people of Northeast India have been in deep anguish and shock over this Act since it was introduced as a Bill in 2016. The implementation of this Act is now in progress despite opposition. So the possibility of rolling it back is certainly not going to happen in the near future. There have been serious apprehensions that language, culture, identity, demographic profile and economic occupations would be adversely affected which would endanger the very existence of the entire indigenous people and hence the democratic protests against it is due to these perceived fears of existential crisis. The states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland which come under the inner line permit (ILP) regime would be excluded from the purview of the CAA. Also, it has been stated that areas administered under the provision of Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India in the states of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura would be excluded while applying CAA. There have been massive protests against this new Act with the demand to either to roll it back or exclude entire Northeast India while implementing it. Manipur has been granted ILP while protesting against the CAA. The divide and rule policy has weakened the united stand against the Act.
The massive democratic protests have been going on in Assam, which a section of politicians say is emotionally motivated or inclined. Jatiya nayaks (local or community leaders) sought people’s mandate during assembly election of 2016 where BJP-AGP-BPF combined defeated the Congress and formed the government in Assam. These jatiya nayaks promised the jati, mati, bheti (community, land and foundation) of the khilongia (indigenous) people of Assam. We even got to hear a melodious song ‘sobore ananda Sarbananda’ (Sarbananda – pleasure and welfare for all) as present chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal led the electioneering process that time. Today we see complete opposite of what had been promised.
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) – an ally of the present BJP government in Assam couldn’t do anything but has done a meaningless drama. This party got multiple scope to serve the people of Assam even in the past too. Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) – another ally of the same government has been adamant or thinks this Act is largely immaterial and hence remained opportunist as the party’s supremo often says so himself. Again, none of the BJP’s MLAs and MPs are today standing with the public -their electorate. Since government is turning a deaf ear, the political scenario might be changing in days to come including the possibility of floating a new regional political party targeting 2021 and 2024 elections. However, to appease the public the state government has already announced a few welfare measures including creation of the autonomous councils targeting different groups which would definitely weaken the united protests against CAA. Hence the moot question is: how many of us would remember the current ‘anti-incumbency syndrome’ up to the next elections?
Yours etc.
Gendra Galla Narzinary,
Barpeta, Assam