People’s liking for communalism, autocracy worrisome: Assam opposition

The opposition in Assam on Wednesday claimed that secularism is being attacked and there is an attempt to destroy the Constitution after 75 years of Indias independence, while the biggest worry is the common mans gradual liking for fascism, communalism and autocracy.Addressing the one-day Special Session of the Assam Assembly to mark the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav AKAM, members of different parties highlighted a series of lacunae in the Indian democracy.The House also unanimously adopted a resolution to implement various steps for strengthening democracy.CPIMs Manoranjan Talukdar said, Independence gave us the dream of economic independence also.

The opposition in Assam on Wednesday claimed that secularism is being attacked and there is an attempt to destroy the Constitution after 75 years of India's independence, while the biggest worry is the common man's gradual liking for fascism, communalism and autocracy.

Addressing the one-day Special Session of the Assam Assembly to mark the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM), members of different parties highlighted a series of "lacunae" in the Indian democracy.

The House also unanimously adopted a resolution to implement various steps for strengthening democracy.

CPI(M)'s Manoranjan Talukdar said, ''Independence gave us the dream of economic independence also. But that has not happened in the last 75 years. There is over 10 per cent inflation and degradation of the economy. One India is getting richer and another is poorer.'' Discrimination against Dalits is rising and the country is fighting external forces, but the internal enemies are weakening the society, he claimed.

''Secularism is being attacked and there is an attempt to destroy the Constitution, which must be resisted. Any opposing voice is branded anti-national and it will not strengthen democracy,'' Talukdar said.

Independent member Akhil Gogoi said: ''In the last 75 years, there have been many attempts to dislodge democracy. The declaration of Emergency in 1975 is the biggest black chapter in independent India. From 2014, there has been re-emergence of emergency though it has not been officially declared.'' There have been attacks on the press, people's rights, Constitution and parliamentary democracy, while fascism and communalism have evolved, he claimed.

''After 75 years of India's independence, a religious, feudal and casteist society is being made. All stages have been made to make India a fascist state, which we all must resist. The economic condition is also very bad. There is GST on almost all items. State rights are curtailed and everything is being centralised,'' Gogoi said.

He alleged that there has been an attempt to weaken the Assamese language, while the CAA was brought in to weaken the Assamese society.

''While we have achieved procedural democracy, substantive democracy is not attained in India. An independent media is very important, but it is being systematically weakened. The biggest scare is the change of attitude of the people. The common people are liking fascism, communalism and autocracy, and that is very worrying,'' Gogoi said.

Raking up the issue of Islamic fundamentalism, BJP MLA Padma Hazarika said, ''Will we be able to tolerate jihadi activities? Will the brotherhood remain? Some people are conspiring to make Assam a part of a network. Shouldn't we raise our voice?" ''The independent government has to take some steps with courage. We will not tolerate anything threatening the life of our indigenous youths. I feel that some international forces are targeting Assam,'' he said.

Reacting to his statement, AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam said that the British policy of divide and rule still persists.

''One section is being weakened economically and their homes are being destroyed -- it is not justified. All sections of people brought freedom and there is a huge contribution of Muslims to it,'' he said.

Islam asserted that it is not good to rewrite history as it will be an injustice to all those who sacrificed their lives in the freedom movement.

Supporting the AIUDF leader, Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha said that one can edit history books, but none can change it.

UPPL legislator and Welfare of Bodoland Minister Urkhao Gwra Brahma said, ''There is a need to compile the history of Assam and the Northeast as a whole. There are many heroes and incidents that are still unknown to the people.'' At the end of the five-hour-long discussion, the Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution to implement various steps for strengthening democracy and different sections of the society while protecting the country's unity and sovereignty.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)