By Shahnoor Rahman for TwoCircles.net,
Soon after decision of the Congress working committee for formation of telengana as new 29th state of India, in Assam situation is deterioting to the worst by mass violence, bandh, blocking of train lines in demand of Bodoland, Kamatapur, Gorkhaland and Karbiland.
Assam is home to more than 200 communities like Bodo, Rabha, Mising, Karbis, Ahoms, migrant Bengali speaking Muslims, Goriya, Deshi Goalpariyas etc living in harmony for centuries – recent communal/ethnic discords still abbrations. They speak more than 20 languages and dialects, giving different cultural identities that finds mention in Mahabharata as Kamrupa or and of Narkasur, ruled by Bhagadutta. It has been subject of famous tale of love between Usha and Anirudha, produced mighty heroes like Lachit Barphukan, Bagh Hazarika, Chilarai among others, enriched by spiritual touch of great saints like Shankardeva and Azan Fakir.
Cutting across Sadiya to Dhubri, there exists a bonding of oneness amongst all her inhabitants which binds all people together with common proud identity as ‘Assamese’. The tune of integrity in diversity of all her people living here with common name ‘Assamese’ has been contributing towards peace, progress and development of Assam since time immeorial.
So long as the people Assam will have common identity as ‘Assamese’ irrespective of their indegenous culture of origin, integrity of Assam as single geographical unity would be maintained, their identity as Assamese doesnot mean that neither they would leave their own culture nor they are made to accept and follow the culture of mainstream Assamese people as their own culture. It rather implies that they are united with common identity as Assamese although they are from diverse origin. It must therefore be duty of each person to ensure that no community interferes in the growth and development of culture of another community.
As Assamese we are thus duty bound to preserve the integirty of the state by promoting harmony, else we will have to face the eminent fiasco of fragmentation of Assam into many pieces of geographical states.
Cultural diversity of Assam can be compared to a garden with thousands varieties of flowers, herbs etc. We must learn from past and shun sepratism for it may help achieve short term goals, but leave long scarse of parition.
‘United we stand, divided we fall’ is age old phrase, must be remembered by every Assamese. We should refrain from anything which causes bloodsheds amongst people of Assam and retards peace progress and development of the state.
If Bodo’s gets Bodolands, Rajbongshis get Kamatapur, Gorkhas get Gorkhaland and Karbis get Karbiland, than about half of land area of Assam would go away from map of Assam forever. Moreover those groups would constantly fight over each other to gain superiority of one group over other and there can be no ‘harmonious’ division for they are not segregated. Moreover, it will fuel more future demands for seprate statehood and affect social secuirty schemes.
All Assamese should thus unite and stand together for development and peace rather than fighting amongst themselves.
(Writer is a final year medical student at the Gauhati Medical College and can be reached at [email protected].)