Skip to content Skip to navigation

CM plays with people’s ‘emotion’

Despite many differences with the sayings and doings of the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, I share at least one of his views on an occasion that the people of Assam are ‘emotional’. He is right, I agree since watching the various affairs through which the state has passed and the CM has succeeded in having the reign of state administration successfully for about one and a half decades. Since the beginning of last phase of 20th century, I recall the memories of Assam agitation against the foreigners issue in the state right from  the year 1979. The students and the general public under the banner of All Assam Students Union (AASU) and Asom Gana Sangram Samiti (AGSS) brought the entire state to a halt. They succeeded in bringing the entire state on turmoil. The fire of agitation began with the ‘rumors’ that more than 79,000 foreign nationals participated in an earlier franchise in the district of Darang alone. They demanded that the names of such foreigners be deleted from the voter lists. If it was a fact it could be imagined what was the situation in the entire state

The leaders propelling the movement demanded that the foreigners be detected and deported from the state and then the state government would be allowed to function. Entire Assam state was burning ’emotionally’ and the administration was deadlocked. For the long six years there was a tough time for state government to maintain law and order. Schools, colleges and government offices did not function properly. The erstwhile Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was tough against the ongoing agitation and failed to understand people’s ‘emotion’. She did not bow down before the ‘emotional’ agitation of the people of the  state. On the other hand, under the Chief Minister ship of Hiteswar Saikia in1983 Assam Assembly elections were declared by the Election Commission. The people of the state opposed and boycotted the polls. Ignoring the people’s demand a government was formed for ‘name-shake’, which could not function even a single day.

After the assassination of Indira Gandhi, her son Rajiv Gandhi succeeded as the PM of the country and the situation changed a bit. Propelling agitation for long six years, the movement leaders also ‘emotionally’ decided to cool down. Rajiv Gandhi invited the agitation leaders to find out a solution to the problems. The Assam Accord was signed on 15th August 1985, the Independence Day.  According to agreement the agitation leaders agreed to stop agitation, form a political party and contest the polls. The polls of1983 was declared ‘null and void’.  Interestingly, within a short period of four months, a new regional political party, namely, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) was formed and fresh Assembly elections were declared without deleting the names of ‘so-called’ foreign nationals. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) came to power with absolute majority. It can be said that the so-called foreign nationals also ‘emotionally’ supported the AGP. Under the ambiguity of the Accord the people in general accepted every clause of the Accord ‘emotionally’ impressed by the feelings of movement leaders

Another instance of the people’s emotion was reflected when Dr.Bhupen Hazarika filed nomination for contesting parliamentary election on a BJP ticket from Tezpur. A lot of ‘filthy’ remarks were passed on against him by the people out of craze, who after his death came forward ‘emotionally’ demanding ‘Bharat Ratna’ for him. CM Tarun Gogoi is experienced well with the emotions of the people. It is because of that he has succeeded in running the government thrice at a stretch and still has made his mind to continue.

 

Add new comment

Random Stories

AASU leader to join BJP!

29 May 2014 - 10:12pm | AT News
After Sarbananda Sonowal, yet another top AASU leader is set to join BJP. He is none other than Tapan Kumar Gogoi who is preparing to join the saffron party very soon. The AASU general secretary,...

Release Akhil demand echoes in Delhi

28 Sep 2017 - 4:06pm | AT New Delhi
An escalating protest against the arrest of Akhil Gogoi under the National Security Act has reached New Delhi when hundreds of people from the north eastern civil society staged dharma in the...

Sal logs seized

17 Jun 2015 - 7:12pm | Hantigiri Narzary
ecurity firces belonging to Police and CRPF Cobra team seized a truck carrying illegal Sal logs from Alangi area under Kokrajgar police ststion of  Kokrajhar district today.The truck bearing...

BPF-BJP-AGP to continue alliance

13 Sep 2019 - 7:53am | AT Kokrajhar Bureau
KOKRAJHAR: Chief of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Hagrama Mohilary said the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) will continue its alliance with BJP and AGP in the upcoming BTC election due next year...

Other Contents by Author

The Society for Socio-Economic-Development in the Region (SSEDR), a city based NGO, has raised a question mark on the initiative taken by the Assam Government with Pollution Control Board (PCB), Assam for conservation of Bharalu and Kalang rivers. It said that the State holder consultation workshop held on December 18, 2013, was mainly attended by the officers of various level of State and Central governments and representatives of Louis Berger Group (LBG) and DHI (India). The draft minutes of meeting has shown very unsatisfactory presence of non-biased technical expert and public representatives. This has raised a question regarding the sincerity and transparency of the whole process.The...
Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati established first ever Arya Samaj Mandir in Mumbai in the year 1875. Arya Samaj Guwahati chapter is one among such institutions spread all over India in 1932-35, when two Vedic scholars, Late Parmeswar Kakati and Late Robindra Nobis, first attempted to promote Vedic philosophy among the people of Northeast region. Finally, in 1964-65, the Guwahati Arya Samaj was established at Dr B Baruah Road, with active participation of various persons of the society like Late Sushil Das, Late RR Taneja, Late NR Taneja, Late Dr Narain Das, Late Om Prakash Anand, Shri B L Saboo, HR Arya, SC Arya and others took great efforts to build and help in growth of this institution....
With an idea to get rapid development of the Northeastern region, the Union government constituted a separate directorate, namely, the Directorate of North Eastern Region (DoNER), which has now turned to ‘do nothing in entire region’. This can be judged by the activities going on in the two major paper mills in the state of Assam, which are facing a threat of closure at any time. These paper mills, the units of Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd, the Nagaon Paper Mills, Jagiroad in Morigaon district and the Cachar Paper Mill, in Panchgram of Barak valley, are suffering from acute shortage of raw materials for several years. The production in both mills have been badly affected and workers have...
Industrial development in India has ever been dependent on the political will of leadership since independence. It was because of the fact that no ‘fair policy’ could be framed by the Union Government for ‘equal development’ of all the regions of the country simultaneously. That is why some of the areas remained completely neglected and others developed beyond limit. Besides the metropolis and a few industrial cities, where opportunities were ample for industrial growth, there have been vast disparity in the growth of industries. The industrialization of a particular area depends fully on the degree of political influence in its favor.A few industries in the country have been setup on the...
Emergency imposed by former prime minister,  Indira Gandhi in the year 1975, was no doubt a bad thing for democracy, but in no way it was harmful to make the nation disciplined. That is the reason even some of her staunch critics had appreciated the steps taken by her at that crucial juncture.Democracy is for the disciplined people and unless the people are disciplined, the democracy has no meaning. A wrong notion is prevailing in our country about democracy now-a-days. The simple interpretation of democracy i.e. equal rights in society, is taken as freedom of speech, freedom of work, freedom to abuse or commit nuisance, freedom to live as per one’s life-style. It is because of this...
The Govt of Assam along with GVK EMRI launched 102 National Ambulance Service (NAS) on September1,2013 by Union health  and family welfare minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad in presence of Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi and state health and family welfare minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma and distinguished guests from state government; NRHM and GVK EMRI, Assam. It has now completed 120 days of operation, according to a press release issued by the organization. 102 NAS is the first of its kind in the country to serve Inter Facility Transfer (IFT). The service is for referred patient from a lower hospital to higher hospital. NAS in its 120 days journey has got a fleet strength of 279 vehicles out...
Snehalaya, a social service programme of Don Bosco Society for the care, protection and ultimate social reintegration of children in distress completed thirteen years of its existence. To mark the completion of thirteen years of relentless Services to children in need of special care and protection ‘Snehalaya Day’ was observed on January 4, 2014, at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School auditorium in Guwahati, where a number of dignitary participated in the function. Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi inaugurated the function.Snehalaya became operational on January 1, 2001. it was a millennium gift for the homeless and destitute children. On that day Fr Lukose Cheruvalel, the founder director of...
It was a turning point in my life at the end of year 1981, when I decided to go for a change after a successful 20 years of marketing experience. The reason behind the idea was the fatigue of the long travelling experiences, the growing age and stable family life.A small piece of advertisement in the English daily 'The Assam Tribune' on November 14, 1981, requiring sub editors for an upcoming English daily news paper attracted my attention and I did not make a second thought and applied for the same. Within a month the entire formalities were completed and out of 42 candidates, who appeared for the written test and interviews, six were selected for the job including myself.On 16th December...
India’s partition in the year 1947 on the basis of religion was a great mistake. It was a part of conspiracy planted by the British rulers, who succeeded in managing Muslim League leader, Mohammad Ali Jinnah to be rigid on his stand for a homeland and independent nation for the followers of Islam dividing India between the Muslim majority and other communities dominated areas. Despite all efforts made by Mahatma Gandhi to keep the country united, the result was not conducive due to sticky stand of both the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Muslim League (ML) leaders, which led to the danger of chaotic situation in the country. The situation could have resulted in long stay of the...
It’s true there are no permanent friends and foes in the politics. Onetime foes are sometimes very much helpful to keep one’s interest fulfilled, of course on their own terms. For a long time in Assam, there were speculations about ruling Congress Party joining hands with All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). The AIUDF chief, Badaruddin Ajmal had approached Congress Party chairperson, Sonia Gandhi and other party leaders to have an alliance in the mutual interest. But having champion’s position in the Assembly polls by making win thrice, the Assam chief minister, Tarun Gogoi was not in favor of having any link as he was not in good terms with AIUDF chief, Ajmal.Now, since the Bharatiya...