In
the troubled socio political narrative of North East India Assam has always
held a prominent face. At the forefront during the national movement Assam has
acquired a trajectory that is very dissimilar to the trajectories other Indian
states have taken post Independence. And it is in this context that the recent
row in the Assam state assembly over the definition of an “Assamese” must be
seen.
The
state government while submitting itself in the Assembly declared that it has
been unable to arrive at the definition of an Assamese and since then there has
been a huge furore in the state regarding who is an Assamese. This question
holds a special place in the spatial minds of the people because it leads to
the larger question of who is not an Assamese. And finally the chimera of “Who
is a Bangladeshi”?
Modern
states in a post modern world are often heterogeneous projects. The concept of
a nation state primarily a European
project in the 18th and 19th centuries spoke of
homogenous existence where people with similar food culture and language were
linked to a particular territory, their nation state their homeland. One of the
earliest nations to defeat this very concept from its inception itself was
India .India was a multitude of culture with various languages, customs and
religions. An Indian was someone who shared a common history that had been
shaped by the sands of time. Far from being a homogenous project India
celebrated its heterogeneity.
And
it is in this context that the northeastern state of Assam had always been
celebrated as a mini India. It was indeed a completely functioning subnational
project. This subnationalism stemmed from a feeling of proud history to being
hoodwinked by the colonial masters in the Treaty of Yandaboo signed on Feb 24
1826. Assam, in the post independent India was a melting pots with different
tribes the Khasis, the Nagas the Bodos and the Karbis alongwith the non tribal
, the caste Hindus speaking in Assamese, the Bengali speaking Hindus in Barak
valley ,the Hindi speaking trading community all lived in peace and harmony.
And
it was here that the first break occurred. Often politics in frontier areas are
convoluted around building power centers focused on a few individuals .Politics
in these frontier areas often focused on a few regressive themes with the tool
in Assam being the language Assamese. Assamese was being forced down upon the
throats of those who spoke other languages. Naturally the tribes which had long
shared a proud history of their own along with an equal relationship with the
plains people resented such a move. It amounted to a colonial mindset and
subjugation of a different kind a certain kind of linguistic chauvinism. The
proud tribes protested and were able to carve their own homelands where the
territory was linked to their ethnicity. It was one of the most poignant
lessons histories gave to the people of Assam, that linking definition to a
particular language would seek to destroy the fabric of Assam.
In
the years that have followed Assam has seen a resurgence .A resurgence of
cultural proud histories of people that inhabit its land .A striking example in
this regard is the emergence of Bathow religion in the cultural space of the
Bodo people. And rightly so this has brought about a new sense of identity that
is linked to demands for a new state.
At
the same time the Bangladeshi question remains far from being resolved. Even
after repeated court hearings, the striking down of the IMDT Act and the
setting up of foreigner’s tribunals. Nothing has ever been achieved in terms of
eradicating the Bangladeshi problem. It is time that the administration as well
as the intelligentsia think of new ways of countering it .But at the same time
this new call for nomenclature should not become another round of hunting spree
of Bangladeshi rounding up .The Bangladeshi question should now move into
deeper realms of how to stop further migration if any and how do we shape the future.
Barak
valley is often missing in the intellectual mindscape of the people of Assam.
The Bengali speaking Hindus and Muslims of the Barak valley have never been
able to connect themselves with people of the Brahmaputra valley. The addition
of Barak valley to the political map of Assam seems to be an administrative
decision for ease rather than anything else.
Thus
at such a time when the socio political narrative of Assam is anything but in equilibrium
the question over an Assamese would undoubtedly create a new round of trouble
in its landscape. There is a need to move away from this definition which is
linked to a language even if unintended. Because this definition attached to a
language would create doubts in the minds of those who don’t speak the tongue.
A new exercise needs to be carried out. The definition has to move from
Assamese to “PEOPLE OF ASSAM” . This definition would make the context much
more wider .It would include everyone who live within the political boundaries
of the state irrespective of whatever tongue they speak. The real challenge in
this exercise would be the decide the cutoff date from which this would be in
vogue and that would be the domain of academics in time to come.
As
history has shown us chauvinistic projects however subtle have often felt flat
in the world .Man’s need for expression and the yearning of freedom have always
trumped the shackles of chauvinism of any kind. It is time that the socio
political landscape its academics and its intelligentsia realizes this and put
efforts into projecting Assam as a perfect example of heterogeneous identity
rather than trying to bind it within the shackles of homogeneity.
