Alienating Assam

1992 – Babri Masjid Demolition Riots. 2002 – Godhra Riots. 2012 – Assam riots. The pattern is almost sickening, isn’t it? We almost religiously (might be the wrong word to use) have riots every 10 years, but there is still something about the Assam violence that makes it different from any other violence. The fact that people care more about instances of sporadic violence in other parts of India rather than the main issue that is burning Assam and most of the North East. We once jokingly referred to the Seven sister states as ‘The Other India’ in reference to their varied culture and customs. Ironically today, the same name can be used to describe how India has alienated the whole region.

A 100 people, according to official records, have been killed in the state of Assam due to violence relating to illegal immigration and yet newspapers carry headlines about the 4 odd people killed in Mumbai, about 2 people beaten up in Hyderabad and 10 people in Uttar Pradesh. What has Assam done to deserve this cold shoulder? Nobody knows. The media has disconnected itself from the issue, focusing on debates relating to banning Twitter and bulk SMSes and panel discussions about the Mumbai Police. The Mumbai Police Chief was shifted a few days ago but the Assam CM remains in power, watching on as his state burns before his eyes.  We celebrate Kasab’s death sentence and yet people are unfairly sentenced to death in Assam everyday by a trigger happy Army that would rather shoot the protestors than find out why they are protesting. Young Indians, jubilant after a World Cup win are welcomed as heroes, just as tens of thousands of North Eastern youth are stuck between getting beaten up in their homeland and getting beaten up in their colleges.

So what is the issue that troubles these otherwise peaceful people? The fact that Bangladeshis, Muslims or not, have been illegally entering Assam, usurping resources and jobs while changing the political position of the State completely. The issue is not a new one. The 1983 Assam Agitation led to the death of over 5000 people in the state because the Government did not listen and called for State Elections when the constituencies had suddenly become predominantly Muslim. In 1985, Rajiv Gandhi finally looked into the matter and found the same problem – illegal immigration had led to heavily skewed constituencies. He signed what is known as the Assam Accord, expelling all Bangladeshis who had entered Assam post 1971 back to Bangladesh and building a fence along the previously unprotected border that the state shared with the country. That was in 1985. Today, in 2012, 27 years later, 42 km of that border remains freely accessible – a shocking 17 percent. Yet, the media has not questioned why this border has not been fenced, leave alone whether all illegal immigrants have been sent back to their native land.

The Assamese raised their voices again, and it seems that their plea has fallen on deaf ears again. While Parliament remains deadlocked over an issue potentially worth crores, many people die in Assam everyday. 6 Governments have not taken this issue seriously and made a genuine effort to try and curb Bangaladeshi influence in Assam and yet the media remains strangely silent. The total toll amounts now to over 5200 people. Is this issue not as important as a woman being raped and murdered in Delhi or is it simply not as entertaining? It is time we took a hard long look at our media’s role as the Fourth Estate and admitted to ourselves that in this matter, they have grossly failed. Pray that there does not come a day when our North East willingly attaches itself to the Republic of China, which looks like it would take better care of them than we are.