I AND MY WORDS

Srimanta Sankaradeva, a Beacon of Assamese Culture (Courtesy: Wikipedia) As the year 2020 starts, Assam continues to debate issues that have refused to die for decades now. This is not to undermine the seriousness of the issues – illegal immigration is certainly a big problem and a national security concern for us. However, the paradigm of the discussion often takes into itself the discussion of Assamese identity, the native vs outsider narrative, and the demographic sensitivities all wrapped in one. This has hampered a fair dialogue and introspection in general on the issues that Assam faces, and the state has certainly lost out in the face of fresh ideas, with a sense of stagnation setting in the state and its people’s discourse. Given this situation, perhaps it is important that one looks into the complex issues of identity, origin and clashes on the subject at large. One important reason for me writing this multi part piece is my belief that sometimes an outsider’s pe

The Buck Stops With the Duo (Courtesy: Bloombergquint) The fracas in Maharashtra notwithstanding, things are at a critical juncture with respect to the economic scenario. Not undertaking critical labour and land reforms in the previous terms of course have contributed; however, the lack of steps is not really the problem right now. The real problem at this stage is a dampened sentiment about the state of the Indian economy. This sentiment has essentially been harmed by a handful of reasons that are not being addressed suitably: GST – yes, it is proving to be a dampener. While I had back then too stated that its benefits were being overstated, the GST mechanism per se needs fixation. While tax collection is immediate and even before payments are received by the suppliers of goods and services, the input credit necessary to keep many businesses afloat and flush with working capital is taking unduly long. Steps have been announced to attempt tax reform; however, this step is y

It is still clear in front of me. Daytime had started to make way for evening on a December day. I and my family stood in front of BrajRaj Swami ji in Nurpur in Himachal Pradesh Legend goes that the idol, worshipped by no less than Mirabai herself, was brought to this land from Chittorgarh. Mirabai herself was the consort to this idol, perhaps the only place in the world of its kind. Even as we stood there to partake of the caranAmrita, thoughts of all that I had read and learnt about my ancestors came rushing back. This very idol was nearly a victim of iconoclasm, and my ancestors were among those who fought to save it, to protect it till their last breaths. Was it just another idol anymore? Something that invoked reverent love among one and all could not just be another museum piece - it was rather a living being for us, whose protection and upkeep was our responsibility.  Even as I had gone there after visiting my ancestral village, where we had prostrated before our clan d

Results Have Thrown Up Some Trends (Courtesy Indian Express) 1. People are really upset on the issue of jobs. They won't vote for others, but they sat out on BJP. Hence the reduction in the vote share also can be seen compared to even last Vidhan Sabha elections. Many people have tried to cash upon it, but with limited success. 2. Caste factor wasn't entirely a problem, since voteshares haven't swung as much compared to the previous assembly elections. Sena and NCP don't get any more or less than each other. Clearly the vote shares haven't entirely changed for the smaller ones. BJP won more seats frankly last time because Sena caused four way fights. Similarly in Haryana, while Congress did gain compare to 2014, the real loss was for OP Chautala's INLD, which bled votes to everyone else. 3. Miracle leader Mr. Fadnavis should be credited to have managed three digit seats in Maharashtra despite two way fight this time. However, some of his wife's s

As the arguments come to a close and a judgment is given, I cannot but marvel how defeatist I feel about the entire subject of the Rama Janmabhoomi dispute. That the word dispute is attached to something that archaeological and historical references prove beyond doubt is beyond my comprehension. Even with mountains of evidence, I have to prove that my deity, my Bhagavana was born there, at that very spot, where a building was repurposed to use the liberal and Marxist historian lexicography, to become a symbol of power, of slavery, which continued to rankle people even after coming down. I do not have anything new to say, I guess, to add to the importance of the Rama Mandir. It is NOT (emphasis added) a political issue for the likes of me. It is a civilizational issue, one that literally goes to define who I am. Whatever may be the geography internally, that temple is a mark of my identity as a Hindu, whose ethos has long been lost somewhere. Fightbacks and heroics of the battl