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Assam Election 2011: The rise of AIUDF, “who is Tarun Gogoi?


The Congress under the leadership of Tarun Gogoi, may have created history in the 2011 election but alongside more negative history have been written too. The marginalization of the AGP and the rise of AIUDF, which is perhaps of more serious concern in nature for the state of Assam.


The fact that Tarun Gogoi had once said “Who is Baddaruddin” might have yielded good results for the congress but nevertheless it had demoralized the AIUDF, instead the AIUDF had hit congress harder than any one had expected. No doubt that the AIUDF is a sister party of the Congress and the sentiments of the scrapping of the IMDT had paved its way for revolting against the congress. Thus Tarun Gogoi saying "Who is Baddaruddin" is not a high voltage shock, but Baddaruddin's reply in this election, asking openly in a public meeting “Who is Tarun Gogoi” is indeed a high voltage shock for the Assamese people in general.


As a politician Tarun Gogoi might have overlooked the gesture of the AIUDF president because he knows for a right political equation there is no untouchability with the AIUDF. After all the Chief Minister, have been saying doors are open for any political party including the AIUDF, to join the congress. Thus the saying “Who is Baddarrudin” can just be considered as a shallow “Dialogue” brought out of political context, sentimentally or whatsoever and not practically. But Baddaruddin's answer to Tarun Gogoi, was not undetermined or said out of context. The homework was well done and was said in the proper time in a proper place. This was a real avenge. Had it been an emotional reply Baddaruddin could have easily replied Tarun Gogoi, long before. But one thing in this political drama is sure that both the parties have no ideological Clash, in fact it was all personal. After all the congress was never against the IMDT and it was doom’s day for the congress party in the state when Sarbanda Sonwal was given a hero’s welcome after the scarping of the IMDT act. It had definitely given same pain both to the congress leaders and Baddaruddin too. The big brother was helpless at that time, and had things were in the hands of the congress a barrier between the Congress and the AIUDF was unthinkable. Believing that politics is a game of Uncertainty precaution is the best medicine. Yet politics should not be put over emotions and expectations of the masses and social values of a society, but this is what is happening and people are losing faith is democratically elected politicians.


The real taste of “Who is Tarun Gogoi” begins with the formation of the new government. Tarun Gogoi will have to answer not to Baddaruddinn but to the people of Assam and thus not in a shallow sense. The real answer comes with updating the NRC as soon as possible, deporting foreigners, disposing Cases in the foreigners tribunals, sealing the Bangladesh Border (taking up it with the center) and then comes the ULFA issue, employment issue and others.


One important thing, Tarun Gogoi, should not take long time to realize ground reality, or devaluing serious issues like cheaply comparing his status with some fallen hero’s of the opposition every now and then. It is known to all how earlier Tarun Gogoi had always said that Hindu Bangladeshi’s are foreigners and not refugees but this time he admitted at a press conference before the election that it took him 10 years to understand that Hindu Bangladeshis are in fact refugees and not to be treated like illegal Bangladeshis, thus echoing what the BJP have been saying for so long long time. Once Gogoi had criticised the BJP for giving refugee tags to the Bangladeshi Hindus, but now things have changed for Gogoi and his new stand has perhaps helped him to gain voted in the Barak Valley. Hope it doesn’t another 10 years for Tarun Gogoi, to understand that there are foreigners in the state and thus have to stop pretending to appease the minorities. Finally let Tarun Gogoi, give no second chance to Baddarruddin Ajmal to dare to ask him “WHO IS TARUN GOGOI.” , and if Tarun Gogoi fails to update the NRC and solve other related issues, I am afraid.


Author info

Peter Alex Todd's picture

Journalist, musician.

Comments

Terrified Assamese's picture

Truely said.Its shame to hear from an illegal bangladeshi immigrant turned party leader to a native,citizen of Assam.And it is also shameful,AGP was formed to drive out these mias and happening opposite,litteraly driving out AGP,in other sense assamese.Recent result says that. In the same way,Tarun is telling there is no bangladeshis,one day Ajmal will tell there is no assamese. (Hope moderator will publish this comment or else i will think Assam got sold out to Bangladeshi) In the same way,
Amitabh Chakraborty's picture

Very much true and perfect, I am agree with u!
mukul, bangalore's picture

the well analysis about the future prospects of ASSAM. What vote bank Cong had been using from last few yrs to be in Power, that vote bank will sink him as well as Assam(virtually already happens with assam). If they(cong, Tarun gogoi)don't take the moral responsibility for assamese origin people early, then lots of immigrants will come and ask who is "Assamese"? 'where from they come' etc etc. just we can wish Cong & Tarun gogoi get some well brain and moral responsibility to be an assamese and borned in Assam. else we will be coming under bangladeshis very soon.
Pallavi Barua's picture

2006 assembly elections. The party of Bangladeshi migrants AIUDF bags 10 seats in its very debut. 2011 assembly elections. Badruddin's AIUDF bags 18 seats. In the next 10 years, there will be a new secessionist group which will chalk out a new country from the map of India. Indira Gandhi couldn't foresee this Frankenstein when dumping illegal migrants from Bangladesh in Assam in 1971. May be, founders of Indian Union like Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel could have had they been in later times. Mass Deportation and Disenfranchisement are the only solutions left for India if Assam has to be saved and north-east India has to be safeguarded.
Anju's picture

Tarun Gogoi alone cannot save the Assamese. politics is a different arena where there is no permanent foe or friend. There should be some genuine intention in the minds of the assamese people on the issue of illegal migrants. it wont take much effort to find out how many are staying in assam illegally. it is not a difficult job. as every illegal migrant will definitely need some land to make home and stay whether govt land or private land. No one will donate their private land voluntarily to the illegal migrants. so we need to look into how much govt land has been grabed. why no assamese is doing that? Why no assamese is talking about the exploitation of labour of the so called illegal migrants? No developed country in this world is free from illegal migration. labour is a cheap commodity that has been used to build cities. Instead of shouting against illegal migrants, assamese people need to work more on 'assameseness'. how many assamese can read wrtie assamese? on the other hand 'mias' have declared their mother tongue as assamese and they are the one who is learning and practicing assamese now. after fifty years, there will be only 'mia' writers in assamese, mind it. and also one shouldnot discriminate muslims in the state. today muslims are forced to vote for the muslim party as they have no representation of their issues in other parties. this is a dangerous trend and every concious assamese should think before speaking out.
R. Pegu's picture

Anju writes that, no developed country is free from illegal migration. The difference with Assam and India is that here they allow illegal migrants to settle down in lands and give voting rights. In developed countries illegal migrants work for a period of time, and then have to leave the country and go back home.
Rothin Kachari's picture

Through your writings Alex, you can mobilise the public of our state, be it the alert, or the indifferent (leaving out the sleepy). One thing which is also a matter of concern is the exodus of assamese students and professionals from assam. it is not that the most intelligent r studying n working in delhi, pune, bangalore. that was in 1970s or 80s. now most of the assamese chaps in indian metros r the good-for-nothings, just loittering in the metros in pvt colleges n large number working in call centres to say to folks back home, "moi delhi/bangalore/pune-t thaku". as if it is a great achievement!! The problem lies in the attitude n thinking of assamese people. a person may earn Rs. 30,000 from an average farm, fishery, agriculture in a month by applying modern methods, but folks from our place r happy wid Rs. 7000-14000 salary jobs in metros. In Bangalore, u wil find assamese boys n girls from villages n towns doing all types of petty jobs, but they just don't want to do that back home. Outstanding achievers r not only about 2 percent of the exodus, rest all just for the sake of 'being outside' or 'bahirot thaku' trend. It is funny that parents n relatives feel proud of their wards when 'bahirot thakae'. What these chaps do or study is secondary, the fad or fashion among the assamese is 'bahirot thakae/ bahirot thaku'. The Assamese donot find job avenues in Assam. But foreigners and outsiders like Marwaris, Bengalis, Nepalis and Biharis do a roaring business in Assam and all over north-east.

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