Defy the diktat call from Assam : Out of conviction or something else ?
- Sangai Express Editorial :: January 24, 2014 -

Very interesting and intriguing too, if one may add.

Is it out of sheer conviction or a reflection of the dwindling fire power of the rebel outfits which made the Journalists’ Forum, Assam to appeal to the people of the North East region to defy the diktats of numerous armed groups to boycott the upcoming Republic Day celebration ?

Would the Journalists’ Forum, Assam have had the gumption and conviction to issue such a call if the Rajkhowa led group of the United Liberation Front of Asom had not agreed to come to the negotiating table and instead continued with the bush war against the Government of India ?

To be sure diktats of any sort, whether from the underground outfits or the Government agencies run against the understanding of the freedom to exercise one’s individual choice, but the interesting point is why has the Journalists’ Forum, Assam come out openly to urge the people to take part in the Republic Day celebration, now ?

Part of the bigger psychological warfare that has become part and parcel of the Counter-Insurgency operations or a call made out of sheer conviction and beliefs, especially in the backdrop of the vertical split of the ULFA ?

These are all questions and answers to these posers will be hard to come by and if there are indeed any answers, most would fall within the realm of speculations.

Defying the call of the militants or issuing a call out of the undiluted beliefs that it is bounden duty of every citizens of the land to pay respect to the sacrifices and struggles taken up by the freedom fighters to drive back the British colonial rulers from the soil of India ?

Another interesting question is whether it falls within the professional demands of journalists to issue such a call or not.

Whatever the case, the Journalists’ Forum, Assam has already made a point and that is they are now no longer apprehensive of speaking out their minds.

This is a point which the media in Manipur should take note of.

A point that everyone should be free to air their opinion whether one agrees with them or not.

To be sure the call from the Journalists’ Forum, Assam will have little impact in Manipur but stretch this a little and herein arises an interesting question, which so far none has dared to raise.

Do people keep away from the Republic Day celebration out of conviction that it has nothing to do with the history of the land or out of sheer fright and apprehension of the likely repercussions ?

A question which all armed outfits ought to ask themselves sincerely too.

It is also important to keep in mind that the seeds of the armed movements in Assam and Manipur are as different as chalk and cheese.

This must be clear to all, especially to the policy framers of the land.

Broadly put, the genesis of the armed movement in Assam (ULFA) can be traced to the mass anti-foreigner movement, especially against the large scale influx from Bangladesh while the armed movement here in Manipur can be traced to the controversial merger agreement (the armed groups call it annexation).

Burden of history, one may call it, but it is important to keep in mind that the boycott call of Republic Day and Independence Day did not materialise out of thin air.

Those who grew up in the 70s and early 80s would still remember how the woollens were pulled out and people thronged the streets to watch smartly dressed boys from Sainik School, Imphal and other institutions such as the girls from Little Flower School, stage the march past to mark Republic Day.

The Journalists’ Forum, Assam has had its say but more importantly it is on a day like this that Delhi and the people who matter should seriously sit down and study the historical and political implications behind the boycott call.