From: rajdas@hood.tandem.com (das_raj@tandem.com)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: Re: Assam and RJB - strange connections !
Date: 25 Jan 93 20:56:52 GMT
Article-I.D.: tandem.1993Jan25.205652.955
Reply-To: das_raj@tandem.com (Raj Das)
Organization: Tandem Computers, Inc.

In article <1993Jan24.005416.46680@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>, dchatterjee@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes:
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|>   (2) Assamese have a serious hangup against Bengalis. They want separation
|>       and ULFA has been active on this. Bhrigu Phukan and etc. and etc. and
|>       all the Assamese militants have propagated "Bongal Kheda" - which is
|>       to be retaliated. Much as one rational person might sympathise with
|>       a bunch of harrassed minority, it is in the same vein that total
|>       condemnation can be heaped upon people who simply whine. The world just
|>       abhorrs whiners ! 
|> 

Your sentiment of Assamese being a "bunch of harrassed minority" is exactly what
we have been trying to get the GOI to acknowledge - Assamese have become a
minority in their own state. Political situations must be viewed in a historical
perspective, specifically Assam has been part of India since the time of the
British only.  The rest of the states that comprise India might have developed
familial feelings towards each other due to unification under the Moghuls, however,
Assam was not a part of it historically.   The fact that the native population of
Assam view themselves as a minority in their own home state has given legitimacy to
the notion of Assam for Assamese.  Whether such feelings are valid, depends on your
perspective.  If I remember correctly, there was a very similar movement towards use
of Bengali exclusively in Bengal sometime in the 80s.  At least with the AASU and
Brigu Phukan's ascent to the political spotlight, you cannot complain that we
are only "whiners", but rather are taking actions to reverse our plight.  Whether
someone agrees with the actions is of course colored by each of our internal
biases.

|>       On a more lighter (?) tone, I have heard from my ONGC friends that
|>       Assamese girls find the Assamese males sexually unattractive, and, thus
|>       mating/ dating with Assamese women by the cultured Bengali folk in the
|>       plains of Assam is a nightmare and a symbol of hatred for Assamese males.
|>       (Too bad I did not go for Chemical Engg. at JU - otherwise I would have
|>       had my share too 8-)). Therefore this sexual rejection from the Assamese
|>       women, who favor Bengali males, acts a historic insult for Assamese 
|>       men, and, they vent their anger and frustration by supporting the stupid
|>       fanatic and mindlessly violent ULFA and other sub-terrorist group(s).
|> 

Anal retentive arguments that can be understood in lieu of the fact that this comes
out of a ".edu" node where the level of real world experience tends to be limited.
Actually, based on the other Assamese I know, if Assamese females and males do go
out of their community for marriages, it tends to be with foreigners from different
parts of the world.  In fact, we do not restrict ourselves to "culture Bengali"
folk, but rather seek out the best the world has to offer.  As for your misfortune
at not having had your "share", I can only sympathize and hope that once you get into
the ".com" world you will have more than your fair share.

As always, I speak only for myself and do not claim to represent any body of people
other than my sole self.  In fact, I would not even speak for my wife.

-- Raj

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