OPEN MEMORANDUM TO PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA
To
The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister’s Office
New Delhi.
MEMORANDUM FOR SEPARATE BARAKLAND STATE
Respected Sir,
While welcoming the decision to create the new state of Telangana by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh, the BARAK GANA PARISHAD (BGP) vehemently expresseses its discontentment with the discrimination of the Centre towards demands for other smaller states in India like Barakland by bifurcating Assam. The demand for a separate state of Barakland dates back to 1960 when the people of undivided Cachar demanded a separate administrative set up on grounds of a distinctive language, culture, tradition, way of life, mindset and off course residence in a completely different topography. Separation from Assam has been the political aspiration of the then undivided Cachar (now compising Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts) for more than 50 years. Rather, this is one of the oldest demand for a separate homeland under the Indian Union. However, demands of separate states in other parts of India are of recent origin.
Immediately before partition, in July 1947, the Sylhet referendum was held. It was virtually a vote on the twin issues of the reorganisation of India on a communal and of the province of Assam on a linguistic basis. Sylheti Hindus who had for decades agitated for a re-union with Bengal now clung to Assam. On the Sylheti question, the Assamese public opinion, too, remained understandably cold, but consistent with its hatred stand. "The only alternative to the state of things is", wrote Gopinath Bardoloi to Sardar Ballabbhai Patel in February 1946, "to separate the Bengali district of Sylhet and a portion of Cachar from Assam and join these with Bengal - a consummation to which the Assamese people are looking forward for the last 70 years". Bordoloi let the Cabinet Mission to understand in April that Assam would be quite prepared to hand over Sylhet to Eastern Bengal (East Pakistan). A year later, under the changed circumstances, it was no longer possible for the APCC to say this so openly. However, the Congress control of the Assam administration was so 'correctly' exercised that it hardly provided any advantage to the local Congress during its campaign in Sylhet to win the referendum. In fact the Congress party did not at all campaign in Sylhet. It was indeed a lifetime's opportunity for the Assamese leadership to get rid of Sylhet and carve out a linguistically more homogenous province. When the results of the referendum were declared, there was a feeling of relief in the Brahmaputra Valley. It was widely suggested there that the Bengali-speaking plains portion of Cachar district, at the least its Hailakandi subdivision, and also four Bengali speaking thanas of the Dhubri subdivision - the stronghold of Bhasani, should have been transferred to Pakistan. The Sylhet leaders were discouraged when they tried to salvage a portion of the district through an effective representation to the Boundary Commission.
Why is there a demand for a separate state of Barakland?
Ans: The demand for a separate state of Barakland is for a number of reasons. The main reasons are:
1. The Assam government was not at all interested to have Barak Valley with the state as Gopinath Bordoloi, father of the Assamese cult who was Assam’s first Chief Minister, was hell bent on getting rid of Cachar to have a Assamese majority province.
2. The Barak Valley people are a distinct race compared to the majority population of the state of Assam and have an entirely distinctive history, language, culture, tradition, way of life, and of course live in a different topographical region with an entirely different mindset. As a result of this, there is a natural divide between the BV people and the majority community in Assam. It is because of this natural divide that tensions rise high.
3. As neighbouring Bangladesh has people of similar race who share similar history, language, culture, tradition, way of life and mindset, the people of Barak Valley are labelled as ‘foreigners’ and face a severe ‘Identity Crisis’ though they are Indian citizens like any other Indian.
4. Ever since, Cachar (lately districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi) have become a part of Assam state, there have been deprivation, neglect and exploitation of it’s people in the hands of successive state governments.
5. The people no longer trust the Assam State Government with regards to its sincerity and commitment towards the welfare of Barak Valley people.
The ACKHSA hereby urge upon the Government of India to bring about a permanent solution to the long pending demand for Barakland on the pattern of Telangana and to preserve national integrity of the country. We have the right to ask as to why articles 2 and 3 of the Indian Constitution are not applicable in case of Barakland. Creation of Barakland neither violates any provision of the Indian Constitution nor contravenes the spirit of national integrity. On the contrary, it resembles the socio–cultural diversity of the country. This movement for separate state of Barakland was initiated quite some time back and was the result of continuous socio–cultural, economic and political discriminations of the region by the Government of India as well as the Government of Assam.
We request the state and central governments to grant our demand which is just and genuine. The mass movement of Barak Gana Parishad (BGP) for the separate state of Barakland would continue in different vigorous but democratic forms until and unless there was a permanent solution to the problem which is a separate Barakland state, and a society free from exploitation, suppression, oppression and hegemony is established.
Thanking you
Members of Barak Gana Parishad
To
The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister’s Office
New Delhi.
MEMORANDUM FOR SEPARATE BARAKLAND STATE
Respected Sir,
While welcoming the decision to create the new state of Telangana by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh, the BARAK GANA PARISHAD (BGP) vehemently expresseses its discontentment with the discrimination of the Centre towards demands for other smaller states in India like Barakland by bifurcating Assam. The demand for a separate state of Barakland dates back to 1960 when the people of undivided Cachar demanded a separate administrative set up on grounds of a distinctive language, culture, tradition, way of life, mindset and off course residence in a completely different topography. Separation from Assam has been the political aspiration of the then undivided Cachar (now compising Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts) for more than 50 years. Rather, this is one of the oldest demand for a separate homeland under the Indian Union. However, demands of separate states in other parts of India are of recent origin.
Immediately before partition, in July 1947, the Sylhet referendum was held. It was virtually a vote on the twin issues of the reorganisation of India on a communal and of the province of Assam on a linguistic basis. Sylheti Hindus who had for decades agitated for a re-union with Bengal now clung to Assam. On the Sylheti question, the Assamese public opinion, too, remained understandably cold, but consistent with its hatred stand. "The only alternative to the state of things is", wrote Gopinath Bardoloi to Sardar Ballabbhai Patel in February 1946, "to separate the Bengali district of Sylhet and a portion of Cachar from Assam and join these with Bengal - a consummation to which the Assamese people are looking forward for the last 70 years". Bordoloi let the Cabinet Mission to understand in April that Assam would be quite prepared to hand over Sylhet to Eastern Bengal (East Pakistan). A year later, under the changed circumstances, it was no longer possible for the APCC to say this so openly. However, the Congress control of the Assam administration was so 'correctly' exercised that it hardly provided any advantage to the local Congress during its campaign in Sylhet to win the referendum. In fact the Congress party did not at all campaign in Sylhet. It was indeed a lifetime's opportunity for the Assamese leadership to get rid of Sylhet and carve out a linguistically more homogenous province. When the results of the referendum were declared, there was a feeling of relief in the Brahmaputra Valley. It was widely suggested there that the Bengali-speaking plains portion of Cachar district, at the least its Hailakandi subdivision, and also four Bengali speaking thanas of the Dhubri subdivision - the stronghold of Bhasani, should have been transferred to Pakistan. The Sylhet leaders were discouraged when they tried to salvage a portion of the district through an effective representation to the Boundary Commission.
Why is there a demand for a separate state of Barakland?
Ans: The demand for a separate state of Barakland is for a number of reasons. The main reasons are:
1. The Assam government was not at all interested to have Barak Valley with the state as Gopinath Bordoloi, father of the Assamese cult who was Assam’s first Chief Minister, was hell bent on getting rid of Cachar to have a Assamese majority province.
2. The Barak Valley people are a distinct race compared to the majority population of the state of Assam and have an entirely distinctive history, language, culture, tradition, way of life, and of course live in a different topographical region with an entirely different mindset. As a result of this, there is a natural divide between the BV people and the majority community in Assam. It is because of this natural divide that tensions rise high.
3. As neighbouring Bangladesh has people of similar race who share similar history, language, culture, tradition, way of life and mindset, the people of Barak Valley are labelled as ‘foreigners’ and face a severe ‘Identity Crisis’ though they are Indian citizens like any other Indian.
4. Ever since, Cachar (lately districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi) have become a part of Assam state, there have been deprivation, neglect and exploitation of it’s people in the hands of successive state governments.
5. The people no longer trust the Assam State Government with regards to its sincerity and commitment towards the welfare of Barak Valley people.
The ACKHSA hereby urge upon the Government of India to bring about a permanent solution to the long pending demand for Barakland on the pattern of Telangana and to preserve national integrity of the country. We have the right to ask as to why articles 2 and 3 of the Indian Constitution are not applicable in case of Barakland. Creation of Barakland neither violates any provision of the Indian Constitution nor contravenes the spirit of national integrity. On the contrary, it resembles the socio–cultural diversity of the country. This movement for separate state of Barakland was initiated quite some time back and was the result of continuous socio–cultural, economic and political discriminations of the region by the Government of India as well as the Government of Assam.
We request the state and central governments to grant our demand which is just and genuine. The mass movement of Barak Gana Parishad (BGP) for the separate state of Barakland would continue in different vigorous but democratic forms until and unless there was a permanent solution to the problem which is a separate Barakland state, and a society free from exploitation, suppression, oppression and hegemony is established.
Thanking you
Members of Barak Gana Parishad
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