From Abhijit Deb
Guwahati: During election time politicians tries every trick in the book to connect to voters and now it’s the turn of fish. If the Assamese love their fish, politicians will serve ‘fishy’metaphors for their voters to relish.
Gaurav Gogoi, son of Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, created a flutter recently by saying that an ideal fish farmer is the one who can distinguish between a male and a female fish.
Since fish is a staple of the Assamese like those in Bengal, politicians campaigning in the heartland do not forget to include it in their speeches to prove a point.
“If I wish to become an ideal fish farmer, I shall have to go deep into the water and be able to distinguish between a ‘mota’ (male) and a ‘mahila’ (female) fish,” Gaurav had said addressing voters at an election rally.
Few will, perhaps, dispute that his logic has little basis if it was not said in a lighter vein. Some farmers, engaged in the production and sale of fish, said the ability to distinguish between a male and a female fish could not be a pre-requisite to be an idea fish farmer.
“We’re not bothered if the fish we catch and sell is male or female. How can this be a skill to be an ideal fish farmer?” argued one of them.
Gaurav, who pursued his higher studies in the US, is contesting from Koliabor, currently held by his uncle Deep Gogoi.
The latter gave way to Gaurav by not contesting.
Within days of Gaurav’s comments, his father on Saturday raked up ‘fish’ but in a different way while taking pot shots at his political opponent Maulana Badruddin Ajmal of the All India United Democratic Front.
“Chalani (imported) fish is all that you have tried and tasted in last five years. Most of you present here are fishermen; will you eat imported fish when you are involved in the production of local fish? Gogoi asked voters at Dhubri in western Assam.
He was campaigning for party candidate WA Chowdhury who hails from the constituency.
Ajmal, the sitting MP, is from Hojai in central Assam. He is contesting the parliamentary election from Dhubri for the second time.
Gogoi and his son’s comments are viewed as attempts to ride on the popularity of kitchen delicacy to connect with voters.
‘Fish’ hogged the limelight in the 2011 assembly election in Assam when Jiten Gogoi, a candidate, equated himself with the aquatic animal.
“I am a fish and not a hen. A hen will create ruckus by screaming once she lays an egg. But a fish remains silent even after laying thousands of eggs,” Gogoi, a former militant, had said to suggest how performing he was as an MLA.