Amidst threats Northeast celebrates Independence Day

• Nava Thakuria

Guwahati. As the mainland India celebrates 62nd Independence Day mostly in a peaceful atmosphere, the trouble torn Northeast observed the Day under a high security alert. The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh hoisted the National flag in the capital amidst warm applause from the dignitaries, children in colourful dresses and the proud citizens, where as the State chief ministers of the region unfurled the Tricolour with all fear psychosis. The non-government and community celebrations of the Day were also organized in the region under constant threats form the militants, but with utmost conviction of the people.
Addressing the Nation from the Red Fort on the auspicious day, the Prime Minister pointed out that terrorism, extremism, communalism and fundamentalism had emerged as the greatest threats to the unity and integrity of the country. He urged 'the state governments, all political parties, civil society groups and social and religious leaders to cooperate' with the central government in rooting out terrorism from the country.
The insurgency stricken Northeast was another focus area of his speech, where Dr Singh argued that the country must pay special attention to the development of the alienated regions. Like every year, four major armed groups called for a general strike throughout the region on August 15 this time too. The banned outfits namely Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), Manipur People's Liberation Front (MPLF), Tripura Peoples Democratic Front (TPDF) and United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) issued a call to avoid and even prevent the I-Day observations in the region.
The landlocked Northeast, which has been surrounded by Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet (china), Burma and Bangladesh, is the home for more than 30 active armed groups, who have been fighting against New Delhi with demands ranging from sovereignty to self rule. Active among them, the ULFA was formed in 1979 and it continues fighting for a sovereign Assam. Thousands of people have already lost their lives due to insurgency in the region during the few decades.
However, the spirit of Nationalism among the people of Northeast never dried up and hence the diktat of militants could not deter them in participating in the celebrations. Like different other states of the mainland India, the region also witnessed government functions at various State capitals and district head quarters to observe the Independence Day. Moreover, the enthusiast citizens organized community celebrations in many places.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu unfurled the National Tricolour at Itanagar. At the same time, a 300 member Chinese delegation joined I-Day celebration at Bumla, a 15,300 feet Indian Army post, where Brigadier Ashok Amre hoisted the National Flag. The visiting delegation, led by Colonel Yan Zi Jing of the People's Liberation Army (of China), included military personnel and also civilians, who came across the border following to witness the celebration following an invitation from the Indian Army.
In the Burma bordering Mizoram State, the Chief Minister Zoramthanga unfurled the Tricolour at Aizawl, where as the Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling hoisted the National flag in a function organized at Gangtok. In Nagaland, the Chief Minister Neiphu Rio saluted the National flag during the I-Day celebration at Kohima, where various groups of police and paramilitary forces with NCC cadets and common people joined the occasion.
Similarly in the insurgency stricken Manipur, the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh hoisted the Tricolour at Imphal and addressing the gathering, Mr Singh appealed to the underground organizations to shun the violent path and participate in development programmes for the State. In Tripura too, the Chief Minister Manik Sarkar appealed to the armed groups to leave the path of violence soon after unfurling the Tricolor at Agartala.
In Meghalaya, where another banned armed group called for a daylong bandh, the Chief Minister Donkupar Roy led the gathering in hoisting the National flag at Shillong. Defying the diktat of Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, the people of Meghalaya participated in the celebration. The former Lok Sabha speaker, P A Sangma joined the I-Day celebration in Garo hills of the State and hoisted the Tricolour.
Assam showed an extraordinary example, where the citizens in general and journalists in particular came forward to defy the militant's diktat. Besides the government programmes throughout the State, the common people have joined the community celebrations without any fear. The Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi unfurled the National flag in Guwahati, where the conscious citizens thronged at various community celebrations in different parts of the State to pay their respects to the Tricolour. The National flags flied high atop innumerable houses across the pre-historic city on the day.
The journalists in the city assembled at Guwahati Press Club to hoist the National flag and pay homage to the martyrs. They also took out a precession in the city streets. The veteran journalist Dhirendra Nath Chakrabarty hoisted the Tricolour and addressed the gathering with a brief outline of the freedom movement. Pointing his finger to the militants, he criticised their move to impose a diktat on celebration of the Day. Rather, he commented, the cadres of the banned armed groups should come forward to join hands in making Assam a prosperous State.
The day however witnessed a series of explosions in lower Assam, where militants triggered three blasts Dhubri and Chirang districts. All the explosions took place near the parade grounds readied for the flag hoisting ceremony. Two persons received injuries in the explosions. The incidence simply reminded the people about the explosions, masterminded by the militant outfits, which had taken place in the State prior to I-Day and Republic Day celebrations during the last few years.
But those explosions that even killed many people in the past did not deter the journalists of Assam to make plea to the people to celebrate both the Days in befitting manners every year. This time too, a group of journalists and columnists made a clarion call to the freedom loving people of the region to defy any kind of diktats by the militants and pay their gratitude in memory of the martyrs, hoisting the National Tricolour atop their houses and also organizing community celebrations in their respective localities.
In a statement, signed by Nirupama Borgohain (a Sahitya Academy awardee) and DN Chakrabarty (former editor of Dainik Asom) with Ajit Patowary, Hiten Mahanta, Rupam Baruah, Ranen Kumar Goswami, Bhupen Bargohain, Sabita Lahkar, Mukul Kalita, Pramod Kalita, Kumud Das, N. Thakuria etc and released for the media, they declared, "The great patriots like Kushal Konwar, Kanaklata, Mukunda Kakoti, Tilak Deka, Bhogeswari Phukanani and many brave hearts from Assam laid down their lives opposing the British colonial rulers. And the people of Assam have inherited the spirit of freedom from those patriots who made immense sacrifices to make India a free nation."