|
It has become almost a ritual for a section of the armed outfits
of the Northeast to impose a ban on the celebration of The
Independence Day (and The Republic Day of India). As the Nation
prepares to observe 61st Independence Day, four banned armed
groups have recently called upon the people of the region to
'boycott and prevent the celebration in any manner' as a 'mark
of solidarity against Indian colonial occupation and
repression'. Issued on August 10, the outfits namely the
Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), Manipur People's
Liberation Front (MPLF), Tripura Peoples Democratic Front (TPDF)
and the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), have also
imposed a general strike throughout the region from the
midnight of August 14 (till the evening of August 15).
The statement made an appeal to the people 'to once again
display their solidarity against India, the common enemy, by
making the Boycott and General Strike a complete success'. It
also mentioned about the first wave of flood that washed away
many parts of Northeast saying, "In view of the devastating
floods in Assam and Kamotapur (part of North Bengal and Assam),
we make a special appeal to the entire people of the Region to
stand by the flood affected fraternal people."
The spirit of Nationalism among Indians continued and hence the
diktat of militants had not deterred the journalists of Assam
to convey the message of Independence Day and to make plea to
the people to celebrate the Day in 'a befitting manner ignoring
the threats that have come from certain quarters'. In a press
statement, issued by 16 senior journalists and columnists, it
was emphasized that the Independence Day this time had added
significance as it coincides with the birth centenary
celebrations of martyr Bhagat Singh.
"We believe that we, the people of the State have every right to
celebrate the Day, as we have inherited the spirit of the
freedom fighters who had made immense sacrifices and a good
number of whom, like Kushal Konwar and Kanaklata, had even laid
down their lives to free the country from the clutches of
colonial rulers," also added in the statement, signed by
Nirupama Borgohain (Sahitya Academy awardee columnist),
Dhirendra Nath Bezboruah (former President, Editors Guild of
India), Dhirendra Nath Chakrabarty (former editor of Dainik Asom)
with Bhupen Bargohain, Ajit Patowary, Rupam Baruah, Hiten
Mahanta, Sushanta Talukdar, Ranen Kumar Goswami, Girindra Kumar
Karjee, Mukul Kalita, Dhanjit Kakoti, N. Thakuria, Sabita Lahkar,
Ratna Bharali Talukdar, Pramod Kalita etc.
The statement ended with the appeal to the people of Assam 'to
hoist the National Tricolour on the Day atop their houses and
also to organize community celebrations in their respective
localities'. The city-based journalists have already decided to
hoist the National Flag on the Guwahati Press Club campus at
11a.m on August 15 next. The statement concluded with the formal
request to all the citizens to join the programme in press club
and make it a success. Mentionable that the Guwahati based
journalists had made it a habit to defy the diktats of the
militants to celebrate both the auspicious Days in the press
club premises during the last few
years.
Guwahati,
August 14, 2007
|
