Where is the ‘messiah’?

Where is the ‘messiah’?

The self-styled leader of farmers of Assam, who has the habit of hitting the streets at the drop of a hat, is strangely nowhere to be seen when the State was reeling from the devastation wrought by floods. Assam has witnessed extensive floods this year, which has hit lakhs of people damaging their properties along with their cattle. Kaziranga national Park has been badly hit, losing precious fau and flora in the midst of surging waters. People across all walks of life have stood with the victims at their hour of distress by offering whatever possible aid from their side. The other day, while I was watching one of the news channels, I came across a piece of news where students from a government school, somewhere in North Lakhimpur, contributed their bit generously to flood victims. Now, where is the so-called messiah of the poor, mely Akhil Gogoi, who is always so ‘vocal and active’ when it comes to sufferings of the poor and downtrodden. But shockingly, he is nowhere to be seen near the victims nor is he offering any help from his side. In fact, he is maintaining a stoic silence. The KMSS president knows well that he is not going to derive any ‘persol benefit’ from any source at this moment, preferring to maintain a low key at this juncture. He will doubtless wake up again when a target of his interest and purpose presents itself!

Himadri Chekanidhara,

Bihpuria, North Lakhimpur.

OI status in NRC

update process

Apprehension has been expressed by the Nepalese/Gorkhas in so far as categorisation of citizen as OI (origil inhabitants) is concerned in the on-going NRC update process in Assam. A recent clarification, issued by the State co-orditor, NRC, on the subject says that in order to ensure that no origil inhabitant is excluded from NRC due to non-availability of document or any such reason, OI is being recorded against his me. But we fail to understand why those origil inhabitants, who have furnished all required documents in support of their citizenship, have also been marked ‘OI’ to the exclusion of the Nepalese/Gorkhas who have been living in Assam for generations and have submitted all essential documents in justification of their citizenship. We feel that such a discrimitory approach to a sensitive issue will bode ill for society as a whole. While the fil publication of NRC may not show anybody as origil inhabitant or otherwise, the fact remains that the data generated on OI, cannot be washed away or suppressed and will be put to their best use by those waiting in the wings for claiming ‘constitutiol safeguard’ to the exclusion of others. It is high time the Registrar General of India intervened in the matter without further delay.

Uday Chetri,

Vice-President, Akhil Assam Gorkha Sammelan,

Noonmati, Guwahati-20.