It’s about Self-inspiration

The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the government employees’ union of the State, Sadau Asam Karmachari Parishad (SAKP), have joined hands to inspire government employees against the nefarious designs allegedly underway in the update of the NRC as illegal Bangladeshis try to enrol themselves in the register by hook or by crook while on the other hand the BJP-led Centre has worked out a bill, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, so as to make it possible for illegal Bangladeshi Hindus to settle in the State as legitimate Indian citizens (apart from the religious minorities of Pakistan and Afghanistan in other parts of the country) due to their persecution at the hands of Islamist fundamentalists in the neighbouring country. The two organizations are going to organize preronaa din (inspiration day) tomorrow. This will be done at their respective regional units near martyrs’ tombs to inspire the 50,000 government employees engaged in the NRC update work so that they work with the desired sincerity and seriousness to foil the designs of illegal Bangladeshis and their patrons vis-à-vis the million-dollar question of the identity of the indigenous people of the State and their pristine culture and tradition facing the illegal East Pakistani/Bangladeshi onslaught since Partition. SAKP president Basab Kalita has said that when it comes jaati, maati and bheti, his organization is “bound to raise its voice” and “service (to the government) is not more important than the State’s cause”. These are inspiring and reassuring statements coming from the leader of an organization that consists of employees whose commitment it is to the government and who cannot go against official policies. But these are unusual circumstances. And in such circumstances, the cause of the homeland – where illegal Bangladeshis have had their field day all along – turns out to be the profoundest one.

Nevertheless, in such unusual circumstances, when the question is one of very survival of a people with dignity, with their culture and tradition remaining intact, it should not have taken any organization to formally announce an ‘inspiration day’. The disconcerting question is why there should be a day marked formally as a day for inspiration when it is common knowledge that the metamorphosis of ‘minorities’ into majority in district after district of the State has led to the sons of the soil being reduced to a minority in such areas, and when the indigenous people have been forced to hit the streets to protest a law endeavour (of a political party, ironically, that takes pride in it being the most nationalistic one in the country) out to flood the State with more aliens from Bangladesh, this time Hindus, so that a new vote bank could be built solidly, no matter where and how the sons of soil will live. Which means every day should be an inspiration day for those whose land of birth and karma is this State ragged by illegal Bangladeshis; every moment should be an inspiration moment to ensure that this land of ours is not, and never, handed over to any illegal Bangladeshis, Hindu or Muslim. This is what is called self-inspiration, and this is what should happen spontaneously without anyone, or any organization, having to chalk out a formal programme for such inspiration. And why, the SAKP president has already said that the cause of the State – the land of one’s own birth – rates a priority higher than service to the government. In that case, why cannot this very statement serve as inspiration right away if there is a deficit of self-inspiration? Ponder a while. Assam faces a demographic hurricane of sorts.