Bhupen Hazarika Joins BJP

The decision of music maestro Bhupen Hazarika to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was a matter of great debate in the media in Guwahati. Vernacular Pratidin (29 February) in a front page item ‘Jatiya nayakar para Joker hol’ (National Hero turns a joker) reported: “Dr. Bhupen Hazarika who sang all these years for the downtrodden has shocked the Assamese people by his decision to join the BJP. Many prominent people in the State have termed the decision as disappointing.” Pratidin (29 February) in another front-page report ‘BJPr bigyapanar samagri hol Bhupen Hazarika’ (Bhupen Hazarika turns a electoral object of the BJP), the newspaper reported on the ‘slide’ of the maestro from someone who ruled the heart of the people to an object for political gain of the BJP.   The Northeast Reporter (29 February) reported quoting the statement by the All Assam Students Union (AASU): “Hazarika has put the state to shame by joining hands with a party which had insulted him not too long ago.”

Political Realignment in Tripura

Commenting on the electoral alliance between the BJP and the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) Tripura Times (17 February), in its editorial ‘Tripura Tribal Politics of BJP’, wrote: “Of late there has been a tide in the affairs of the BJP in the North-east. The saffron surge has encompassed bulk of the geographical area of the North-East. Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram have been conquered by the saffron brigade. Manipur and Meghalaya are in the line for them. Should Tripura remain far behind? Not at all.”    

Assam-Nagaland Border Row

A border dispute between Assam and Nagaland in Merapani area of Golaghat district of Assam has given rise to a war of words between the Chief Ministers of both the States. In this context, the Northeast Reporter (28 February) quoted the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF): “There is no disputed areas between the Assamese and the Nagas and the so-called disputed belt in and around Assam-Nagaland border as the handiwork of the Assam government policy with ulterior motive.” A front-page article in the Sentinel on 28 February commented, “Merapani was the scene of a bitter ‘border war’ in 1985 between the two States in which scores of people were killed. Today, by once again reinforcing claims on that supposedly disputed area, Rio and his Government could well be actually testing the mood of the people and the authorities in Assam.”

Financial Crisis in Manipur

Manipur’s financial crisis and the inability of the government to handle it, appears to have given rise to a serious debate among the people, regularly reflected in the editorials of the newspapers. Sangai Express (February 26) commenting on the need for power sector reforms its editorial ‘Financial Management’ wrote: “State is buying power from numerous power corporations and if the Government agency cannot recoup the power tariff from the consumers, then it stands to incur huge expenditure, which will do nothing except drain the State exchequer. Merely appealing to the consumers to pay up will not do.” The editorial further cautioned: “These are tough times and tough times call for tough measures and the Government should waste no time in penalising all power defaulters without any hesitation. Populism cannot work in the long run and this is fact that should be borne in mind by the Chief Minister and his Ministerial colleagues.”

Assam Government’s Controversial Order

Reporting on the Tarun Gogoi government’s controversial order revoking the criminal cases against a number of ministerial colleagues and party MLAs vernacular Pratidin (February 26) in its front-page item, ‘Gusor pratyahar sidhantar mul nayak asil Gogoi’ (Gogoi is the real culprit behind the revocation of cases decision) reported: “Tarun Gogoi is the main culprit behind the decision to revoke the cases against the Congress MLAs. The development has given rise to sharp reactions in the party as well as in the State administration.” The Sentinel (26 February) in its editorial, ‘Piety after the sin’ commented: “Mr Gogoi must ensure that the cases against his party men and specially his ministers must be allowed to proceed without the least bit of political interference. Some of these cases are very serious ones, and the people of Assam must be satisfied that criminals are not allowed to remain ministers.”