Inquisitiveness, curiosity n proudness filled me as I got ready to attend the 62nd Independence Day at Indian Embassy,Kuwait. As we drove to the Embassy at 6.30am to reach and be part of the flag hoisting at 7.10am ,my mind was filled with different thoughts…thoughts of the many Indenpence Day we celebrated in our motherland Assam under the shadow of Assam Bandh . My one year daughter too wake up early that day as if she understood the importance of this special day. As we approach’d the embassy my husband park’d our car atleast 1km from the embassy as there was no space as hundreds of cars were already parked. As we came near the embassy we were pleasantly surprised to see hundreds of Indians from different walks of life and some like me with infants. People had Indian Flags in their hands. I felt so happy and proud when my infant daughter too took a flag and was waving. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat, Mera Bharat Mahan echoed in the air. The “Borah Drummers”, the members are Guajarati Muslims exhibited their talent and skills. Small school children and Doctors community sang patriotic songs. The Indian Ambassador Ajai Malhotra hosted the national tri-colour flag as we all stood there with proudness. He read out the Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh’s message ,the speech which he gave to millions of Indians from the Red Fort .He also read out the various facilities and schemes that the embassy has taken for thousands of Indian workers. After the cultural programme was over ,the Ambassador met the common people and listen to their grievances if any. Deep feeling of proudness enveloped thousands who gathered there to be part of such a celebration. Mughal Mahal, a famous Indian restaurant gave free breakfast (paratha,chola,sweets) to thousands of people who gathered . Free supplements on Independence Day were distributed by The Times(Kuwait’s premier weekly newspaper) and Arab Times(Kuwait’s national daily).
In a foreign country that too in a Middle East Muslim country like Kuwait we celebrated it so much fun, proudness and most importantly without fear, then why not in our motherland Assam??Can’t we be like rest of India and foreign countries in observing our Independence Day???When will such a day come???These thoughts filled my mind as we drove back home.
I remembered Jawaharlal Nehru’s Independence Day speech…. "Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we will redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again."
Its time for us, all assamese people to defy the Bandh and celebrate it with love, fun and frolic.
PermalinkSubmitted by SKumar on Mon, 07/09/2009 - 06:37
The Ambassador infact read out the President of India's message and not the Prime Minister's. Anyhow thanks to Parimita for sharing her thoughts. We too feel proud like her to be part of the celebrations of our great nation.
PermalinkSubmitted by Chintu Nath on Mon, 07/09/2009 - 14:59
Pom-ba, it was a great coverage for us to know about how NRIs feel about their country and Independence. We Indians are actually, patriotic by birth; it is in our subconscious to feel great and own about our country. No matter where we live in heart we are always INDIANS, and the whole world today recognizes that.We must always endeavor to do better than before wherever we are, and mere that doing only will take our nation even higher and greater. Vande Mataram.
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Army would seize arms in BTAD areas which would help the violence-hit areas to build confidence among the fear-stricken people. The government has already made it clear that miscreants responsible violence would be identified and action will be taken against them.
Amid violent bandhs chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday said that these would only complicate the situation. Talking to reporters in Guwahati he said that the time was not proper to call bandhs. “Instead of bringing calm, bandhs only increase the temper and also affect the economy,” he said. Gogoi deplored that some parties have failed to keep his request made during the all-party meeting of August 17 to refrain from any provocative statements for two months.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday appeal to the political parties and organizations to refrain from calling bandhs saying that these wont help the matters. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Tuesday, he accused the BJP and AIUDF of making provocative statements which fuels the cycle of violence in the state. He said called upon leaders of the two parties to restrain their cadres.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday calls BTAD violence unacceptable and that no government can ignore such treacherous activities. Addressing a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party she said that strict action would be taken against those who are mongering trouble in the state. She said that every effort should be made to ensure that people still living in camps return to their homes as quickly as possible.
A police officer was injured and his vehicle was burnt down during a string of violence in Nagaon on Tuesday. The sporadic incident took place in Kampur where police and CRPF jawans clashed with a group of bandh supporters in the town before curfew was clamped to bring the situation under control. The police official managed to escape from the spot but his vehicle was burnt down. In Bongaigaon at least 15 people have been injured when police resorted to blank-firing to disperse a group of bandh supporters in Abhayapuri who blocked the national road. Indefinite curfew was clamped in Aambagan where a local Congressman was injured in attack.
Two persons were killed and 12 others have been a vehicle carrying them rammed into a rail line during the 12-hour Assam bandh on Tuesday. The incident took place when a section of bandh supporters pelted stones at the vehicle before it lost control on way to Tinsukia from Dibrugarh. The injured have been rushed to the hospital.
One person was killed and many others have sustained injury when a group of youths clashed with some businessman in Barpeta Road areas on Tuesday during the statewide Assam bandh. A section bandh supporters burnt down some shops in the area forcing the district administration to impose indefinite curfew in the area.
Army will rein in the situation. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Tuesday, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that police will help army bring the situation under control. Gogoi has appealed to both the sides to exercise maximum restrain. According to him, it would help the state restore normalcy in the violence-hit areas. He further appealed to the political parties and organizations to refrain from making any provocative statements.
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