My study will seek to provide a cumulative aspect of the rise of the political insurgency and historical violence throughout years in North-Eastern India. I am going to analyse these different facets through the following eight sections – Reorganization of States at the time of British Raj and Second World War: Literary Representation of the Roots of Insurgency, Christianity and Missionary Education, Immigration Issue, Socio-political and Ethnical Crisis: Conflict between Tribes and Outsiders, Indifference of Government, Birth and prosperity of militants, Secession Movement, Literature of Protest.
North-East India as we call it a land of ‘Seven Sisters’ consists of the states namely Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and the lately added Sikkim with 250 social groups and more than 175 languages. This North–East part of India is connected to the rest of India through a narrow strip of 22 kms called the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken’s Neck. Interestingly, it also shares a great part of its border with the neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, and Nepal. So, it can be seen that the people of these states must have social, political, cultural and linguistic commonalities with its neighbouring countries and therefore the region embodies a rainbow of cultures and traditions that varies a lot from the rest of India.
Unfortunately, the histories, cultures as well as the literatures of the North-East India have always been perceived as a monotonous and homogenous entity, without really pondering over the myriad problems that permeate the geographical, cultural, religious, literary and political borders within and outside the North East. It would do well to recall how J. B. Bhattacharjee’s Roots of Insurgency in Northeast India (2007) points out the ‘real’ insurgency and the ‘made-one’ while at the same time appealing not to homogenise.
Similarly, as against such generalisations, we have certain North Eastern writers such as Indira Goswami, Temsula Ao, Mitra Pukhan, Mamang Dai, Easterine Kire, Sanjay Hazarika, to mention a few, who problematise and interrogate such oversimplifications and apathy of ‘mainland’ people, writers, leaders, even several other Indian and foreign governments.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction:
- Reorganization of States at the time of British Raj and Second World War: Literary Representation of the Roots of Insurgency
- Christianity and Missionary Education:
- Immigration Issues:
- Socio-political and Ethnical Crisis: Conflict between Tribes and Outsiders:
- Indifference of Government:
- Birth and Growth of Militants’ Group:
- Secession Movement:
- Literature of Protest
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This project aims to analyse and reinterpret the historical portrayal of Northeast India to the world, challenging essentialist and hegemonic discourses that have stereotyped the region. It focuses on various individual and peculiar voices emanating from this region, considering both colonial and post-colonial interpretations of Northeast India, its changing social, cultural, religious, literary and political anxieties and aspirations.
- The historical roots of insurgency in Northeast India
- The impact of Christianity and missionary education on the tribal communities
- The challenges posed by immigration issues and the resulting conflict between indigenous populations and outsiders
- The role of government indifference and the impact of the AFSPA law on the region
- The rise and complexities of militant groups and the secession movement
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the geographical and cultural diversity of Northeast India and the need to challenge the homogenized perception of the region. It highlights the role of literature in providing a nuanced perspective on the complexities of the region.
- Reorganization of States at the time of British Raj and Second World War: Literary Representation of the Roots of Insurgency: This chapter explores the impact of the British Raj and the Second World War on the region, particularly focusing on the reorganization of states and its role in creating the seeds of future conflict. It examines the views of key writers and scholars like J.B. Bhattacharjee, Sanjay Hazarika, and Birendra Bhattacharya, highlighting their perspectives on the roots of insurgency and the aspirations of the Naga people.
- Christianity and Missionary Education: This chapter examines the role of Christianity and missionary education in Northeast India, focusing on the impact of conversion and the cultural clashes that arose. It discusses the works of Birendra Bhattacharya and Easterine Kire, who portray the conflict and understanding between different religious communities.
- Immigration Issues: This chapter highlights the issue of illegal immigration in Northeast India and its impact on the indigenous populations. It examines the perspectives of scholars like Mridula Dhekial Phukan and Amarjeet M Singh, who shed light on the demographic imbalances and the anxiety and displacement caused by the influx of immigrants.
- Socio-political and Ethnical Crisis: Conflict between Tribes and Outsiders: This chapter explores the socio-political and ethnical crisis that arose from the conflict between tribes and outsiders. It analyzes the cultural and linguistic differences that create tension and how the arbitrary drawing of borders disrupts the social fabric of the region. It references Myron Weiner’s observations on the “Sons of the Soil” phenomenon in Assam.
- Indifference of Government: This chapter critiques the government’s indifference towards the problems faced by the Northeast, highlighting the controversial AFSPA law and its impact on the lives of the people. It examines the accounts of writers like Temsula Ao and Sanjoy Hazarika, who depict the human cost of the AFSPA and the need for its repeal. It also discusses the government’s failures in development projects and their contribution to the rise of militant groups.
- Birth and Growth of Militants’ Group: This chapter explores the emergence and growth of militant groups in Northeast India. It examines the factors that led to the formation of these groups, such as government indifference, the exploitation of the AFSPA, and the feeling of alienation. It analyzes the motivations and actions of different militant groups in Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, and Sikkim.
- Secession Movement: This chapter discusses the secession movement in Northeast India, outlining the demands of different militant groups in Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram. It highlights the complexities of the secessionist movement and its international connections.
- Literature of Protest: This chapter focuses on the role of literature as a tool of protest and a means of providing a nuanced perspective on the problems of Northeast India. It examines the works of key writers like Indira Goswami, Temsula Ao, Mamang Dai, and Mary Kom, who through their writings and actions expose the issues faced by the region.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of this text include insurgency, tribal communities, Northeast India, Christianity, missionary education, immigration issues, socio-political crisis, government indifference, AFSPA, militant groups, secession movement, literature of protest, ethnic identity, cultural diversity, and regional development.
- Quote paper
- Babli Mallick (Author), 2015, A Disturbed Existence in the Backdrop of Serene Green? A Literary Analysis of North-East India, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/319646
