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Unrest in Burma’s Northwest Border

As the Assembly elections are scheduled on early next month in Assam (now Asom), one can expect a routine diktat from militants preventing the electorate to exercise their franchise at any time now. The voters of the trouble torn northeast Indian province (bordering Burma), however remained indifferent to such diktats. Like earlier years, the electorate in the state prepare to cast two votes at a time -first one to defy the militant's diktat and secondly to select their preferred candidates. Around 15 million people entitled to vote (total Asom population is over 26 million) are waiting to take part in the next Assembly elections scheduled on April 3 and 10 to select their 126 legislators.

Asom had been witnessing the diktats from the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and its friendly armed outfits during the period of last one and half decades. For ULFA, it becomes a regular exercise to impose a ban on participating in the polls since the 1991, as, the outfit believes, 'it would serve only the purpose of New Delhi to form a puppet government in the state'. But yet, the total turnout in the trouble torn state remained at an average of over 74 per cent in all the Assembly polls during the period even defying the militants' threats.

The last Assembly polls in the state in 2001, recorded the percentage of voting as high as 74.63. Prior to the polls, the ULFA leaders once again asked the voters to keep away from taking part in the election processes. Arguing that the 'elections in Asom are of no use for the people', the militant outfit, who is maintaining an armed struggle for a 'Swadhin (Independent) Asom' since 1979 even threatened of dire consequence to those, who dared to come out for voting. But ignoring their threats over 1,08,35,000 electorate (out of the 1,44,39,167 voters in Asom) exercised their franchises.

Following the impressive turn out in both Assembly and General elections, an editor of an Assamese daily asked ULFA to retreat for its demand for an independent Asom. "The people of the state have proved (with participating in the polls) that they believe in the election process (also Indian Constitution) and want to select their representatives in the Assembly. Hence it is time for ULFA to withdraw its demand for a separate homeland in Assam," commented MK Goswami, a Sanskriti award winner litterateur, journalist, who presently serves as the editor of Dainik Janasadharan, published from Guwahati.

The predeceasing Assembly elections in Asom (1996 and 1991) witnessed severe threats from the separatist militants including ULFA to keep for the electorate at bay. During the 1991 elections, the ULFA cadres not only imposed a ban on elections, but also targeted Congress party leaders and workers in different parts of the state. However, over 88,79,000 (out of 1,18,92,170 voters) exercised their right to franchise recording the impressive polling percentage of 74.67 in the state. The shrewd politician late Hiteswar Saikia was voted into power in the polls and he formed the Congress government overpowering the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) government led by PK Mahanta.

The conscious electorate in the state showed their awareness during the 1996 elections too, where over 95,64,000 electorate cast their votes. The polling percentage was recorded as significant as 78.92 (total voters were 1,21,19,125). This time, Congress was defeated and a four party alliance (with CPI, CPM and ASDC) government led by AGP was voted into power.

Asom recorded massive turn out in 1985 Assembly elections, since when the AGP started its political voyage. The AGP was just formed with great fanfare after culmination of the historic 'Assam Agitation' in 1984. The regional political party was voted into power with the mandate of the electorate. The poll percentage was recorded all time high ( 79.21), where out of 98,82,684 voters in the state, over 78,27,000 people entitled to vote exercised their franchises to elect the preferred candidates.

The 1985 Assembly elections were however free from any diktats from any groups. It was later, when the electorate started receiving the boycott calls from the militant groups in the successive Assembly elections (also General elections to elect representatives for the Parliaments in New Delhi) in the state. However, the responsive electorate in Asom proved their commitment and concern for the election processes (marinating the polling percentage of above 74), which, in other ways, help themselves emerging as the real winners in the game throughout the years.

Nava Thakuria

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