Mr Tarun Gogoi, we were totally under illusion!

We had been certain that our government formed by Assamese people would always speak in our favor and protect our lives, land, culture and properties from the aliens or silent invasion of Bangladeshis. On this issues, this government should have been duty-bound to the State and the people. However, we are dismayed with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his party men for being up in arms against the Speaker of Assam Assembly Prab Gogoi. Reportedly, the Congress party is now mulling to replace the Speaker. The 'fault or crime' of Prab Gogoi was that he spoke out for the greater interest of the Assamese society. And it is the responsibility of every patriotic Assamese to protect the interests of Assam and the Assamese. The people at the seat of power must realize they are in power because of Assamese people only. If Tarun Gogoi and his party do not think for the Assamese people, then who else will? It would be a figment of imagition to expect Mr Ajmal, Sanjay Singh and their ilk would think for Assam and the Assamese people. Our first identity is Assamese and other follows later. We can't be Indian without being an Assamese. We appreciate the Bengalis in this respect, because they become one, irrespective of their political affiliations, whenever it comes to Bengali's interests. The same is true with the Maharashtrians, the Tamils etc. The Assamese are unique. Our Congress men are "big hearted" people. They don't see evil, they don't talk evil, and they don't hear evil. As such they have been giving red carpet welcome to invaders and crimils from Bangladesh/East Pakistan for last several decades.

The fact of the matter is that politicians in India, more often than not, keep on changing parties with the change of time, situation and opportunities. There is nothing new about it. One party forms a government for one term then another party follows suit for another term. This is the ongoing process in a democracy. So the party is not important. In contrast, our society, language, culture and land must remain intact forever. And nobody has the right to barter these away to meet the persol agenda of a select few. The tone and tenor of Tarun Gogoi and his party men have made us believe that they are not for us. The tragedy is that we were all along totally under the illusion that we have our own Assamese government in place, to protect our interests.

In the long last, my message to the Honorable Chief Minister of Assam would be: Sir, please remember that "you don't drown by falling into the water; you drown by staying there".

P Dowarah,

Guwahati.

More funds for Assam

Time and again, we have been sounding a word of caution to the present ruling dispensation of Assam that unless there is a check on the expenditure by most of the corrupt departments, the State exchequer is bound to be in the red. Often there are reports, that some of the departmental heads, without the knowledge of the competent authority, appointed some of their chosen ones. In other departments too, there are endless tales of corruption. Even a clerk can now build a palatial building worth several crores. Not to speak of 'Syndicate Raj', there are many other ways of earning extra money from under the table. If the State government means business, the attachment of properties is the only option left with it to ease the fincial crunch. But who will bell the cat? Hence, our CM has to approach the Fince minister for more funds. The contention that the CM was not aware about the direction of the tiol Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog makes one laugh in one's sleeve. The crux of the question is - the utilization of fund ethically for the good of the people. For running a government of the state, Central fund is a must. Moreover, we have noticed some injustice meted out to Assam depriving it of the exact royalty on oil. With barely few months left to end the term, we wish our state government should concentrate on good governce rooting out the debris of corruption, identifying the tainted ones, trying them, and attaching their properties if found guilty.

Ashok Bordoloi,

Dibrugarh.