Looms fall silent in silk town | |
UMANAND JAISWAL | |
Sualkuchi, March 31: The sound of wood striking wood was missing, as was the sight of intricate and colourful patterns on silk taking shape on the loom. This silk town, around 35km from Guwahati and on the North Bank of the Brahmaputa, seemed to have lost its raison d'etre — producing silk products of fame — after the invasion of similar products bearing the name of another town on the bank of another famed river, Varanasi. If 26-year-old Mithun Barman's hands still worked on the loom at Hiralal Kalita's weaving unit at Kalitapara this morning, it was more to rid himself of the boredom of sitting idle for the past three days than anything meaningful. The "simple and peaceful" townsfolk didn't know what curfew was like till yesterday afternoon, when it was imposed to restore order. Khanikar Das, a young trader, said the curfew was such a stranger to the residents that yesterday, some of his acquaintances had even requested him to go out with them to "see" the curfew, which had evoked curiosity and fear in equal measure. The district administration had imposed the curfew after protesters and security personnel were engaged in a running battle that led to injuries to several on both sides. Three persons are still undergoing treatment in Guwahati. The cause of trouble was the simmering tension sparked off by traders selling Benarasi silk products in the name of Sualkuchi silk — the more expensive pat and muga. Benarasi silk is mainly churned out of mulberry and costs less. The anger has been there for quite some time. "The two had co-existed in our shops from time immemorial, but of late, some traders had been passing off Benarasi silk products as those made from Assam silk. Besides, over some time, these products were being designed on the lines of the local products, thus threatening the latter's existence. This should be stopped and I am with the public on this issue. But I am not indulging in any unfair practices," said Kushal Medhi, whose family has been in the business of both manufacturing and trading for the past 75 years. His stock of Benarasi silk products was also torched yesterday outside his residence, where the police had to fire at protesters. The number of looms in the town has come down from 25,000 to 12,000, as labour shortage and mounting cost of production has dealt a body blow to brand Sualkuchi, which, in turn, also encouraged traders to bring in more Benarasi products. "Most of the weavers have gone out looking for greener pastures in the past five-six years," Das said. "If this trend continues, we may have to shut shop soon for malpractice by a few and the administration's indifference. An integral part of the Assamese way of life will come to an end because silk mekhela and sador are part of the community's identity. Around 10,000 people from neighbouring districts who work with us have been directly affected. Almost 100 per cent of the households here are involved in making silk products," Hiralal Kalita said. Officials said silk weaving provides direct as well as indirect employment to more than 25,000 people throughout the year. More than 12,000 women weavers are also involved. While 70 per cent of the products comprise mekhela and sador, 20 per cent are silk sarees and 10 per cent miscellaneous products. Sualkuchi produces 31,000 lakh linear metres of silk fabrics worth Rs 9,000 lakh, with an approximate annual export of Rs 1,200 lakh. It is clear from the observations of the weavers and traders that it is more a fight to protect a way of life than an attempt to check Benarasi silk "masquerading" as Sualkuchi silk. "The sooner the administration understands, the better it will be for everyone," Das said. The administration seems to have got the message. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi called up Kamrup deputy commissioner S.K. Roy to ensure that innocents were not harassed and the situation returned to normal soon. Local MLA and minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is being accused of not doing enough to resolve the problem, too, held a stocktaking meeting. Roy told The Telegraph that the situation was under control. "We relaxed curfew from 1pm to 4pm and then extended it by an hour. Tomorrow, we will relax it from 7 am to 5 pm. We understand the sentiments of the people," he said. He said shops would be checked from tomorrow to root out this menace. "I will also move Dispur to conduct such raids all over the state." Government spokesperson Bhupen Kumar Borah told this correspondent: "The government will do everything to protect this great Assamese fabric, which is also our unique identity." Local residents today met the deputy commissioner during the curfew relaxation period and sought the unconditional release of the five arrested persons and immediate lifting of curfew. Prahlad Das, a local youth, said the outburst was collective and spontaneous. "It's a people movement and we will not allow anybody to politicise this identity and livelihood issue. We want solution, not politics." http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130401/jsp/frontpage/story_16732922.jsp#.UVmMDReBlA0 |
Unique
My Blog List
HITS
Monday, April 1, 2013
Looms fall silent in silk town UMANAND JAISWAL
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Census 2010
Followers
Blog Archive
-
▼
2013
(5604)
-
▼
April
(615)
- मराठवाड़ाः काल तुझ से होड़ है मेरी!अभिषेक श्रीवास्...
- [अपना मोर्चा] मई दिवस का सन्देश
- সংবাদ বিজ্ঞপ্তি: "মে দিবসের ছবিরহাট" শিল্পকর্ম প্র...
- पांच मंत्री , तीन सांसद सांसद, दो बुद्धिजीवी, सीएम...
- सत्ता परिवर्तन और चुनावों में बंगाल से होकर चिटफंड...
- नागरिकों को म्युटेशन में उलझाकर राज्यभर में नगर नि...
- ध्वस्त उत्पादन प्रणाली की बहाली का आवाहन करता हुआ ...
- সারদা ধাক্কায় বিধানসভায় পেশ নতুন বিল, আপত্তি বামেদ...
- Cashing in on prejudice: Police torture of Muslims...
- भारतीय सिनेमा के पुरोधा दादा साहेब फालके हैं या तो...
- दुष्यंत कुमार की याद में बिजनौर फिल्म महोत्सव
- THE GORKHALAND BACK ON SPOTLIGHT AGAIN
- India: Attempted killing of human rights defender ...
- भारत में चालीस करोड़ मजदूर असंगठित क्षेत्र में काम ...
- हमारे युग का यह ‘‘जनवादी’‘ लेखक हद दर्जे का बेशर्म...
- झारखंडी किशमिश – महुआ
- ‘कबीर कला मंच’ के कलाकारों की रिहाई के लिये संस्कृ...
- Some of the internationally banned drugs but freel...
- सैन्य राष्ट्रशक्ति का कॉरपोरेट हित में निर्मम उपयोग
- Another Rampage of vanniyar caste mobs: "Fire", th...
- चिटफंड कंपनियों के शिकार सबसे ज्यादा गरीब लोग हैं,...
- नया कानून बनाकर सिंगुर के अनिच्छुक किसानों को जमीन...
- अब अंडाल विमान नगरी का क्या होगा?
- माकपाशासित त्रिपुरा में भी चिटफंड का निरंकुश साम्र...
- बंगाल में आधार कार्ड संकट
- जब मुख्यमंत्री के भतीजे जो कि उनकी राजनीति के उत्त...
- চিট ফান্ড ব্যবসায় মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর সততা নিয়ে প্রশ্ন!চ...
- गोरखा अस्मिता भी सत्ता की भागेदारी में निष्णात है ...
- Fwd: Article on Hugo Chavez published in Chauthi D...
- British documents show that during last days of WW...
- Fwd: REPORT ON 14th APRIL'13 OF SIMURALI AMBEDKAR ...
- [initiative-india] INVITATION: Discussion on New L...
- भारत विभाजन क्यों हुआ?
- Prachanda should be asked to ensure violence free-...
- मोदी की प्रधानमन्त्री पद की उम्मीदवारी- फासीवाद भा...
- आधुनिक युग की महानतम सामाजिक उपलब्धि है अछूत की खोज
- शूद्र सिर्फ अछूत नहीं है बल्कि गुमशुदा भी है भारती...
- दलित के वर्चुअल होने का अर्थ है दलित का लोप
- लानत है !
- कोका कोला उजाड़ेगा अब घाटी का एक गांव
- 10gms of GOLD PRICE History for the last 86 Years.
- जिन कंपनियों के खिलाफ केंद्रीय एजंसियां सक्रिय हैं...
- 'সারদা'য় জড়িয়ে মমতাপন্থী বিদ্বজ্জনেরাও!শালবনীর জ...
- Terms for GST rollout
- CBI verdict wait for Kunal
- Rape rage on Ranchi streets
- After dragging feet, dose of tinkering - New bill ...
- संघर्ष की गाथा
- 1 अक्तूबर से सीधे बैंक खाते में जाएगी एलपीजी सब्सिडी
- पास फेल के बिना कैसा शिक्षा का अधिकार!मियाद भी 31 ...
- Rick Rozoff: NATO's Worldwide Expansion in the Pos...
- Discrimination: How should we deal with it?UN Spec...
- Only Coincidence?
- भारत का बलात्कार करने वाले लड़ रहे हैं बलात्कार की ...
- मिलेगा न्याय?अब केंद्र भी कानून के छोटे पड़ गये हा...
- मृत्यु जुलूस थामना मकसद भी नहीं है, मकसद महज इतना ...
- आगे तीतर ,पीछे तीतर, कुल कितने तीतर? चिटफंड कारोबा...
- माओवादियो, अल्फा,जेहादियों, उग्रवादियों और आतंकवाद...
- Fwd: [अपना मोर्चा] इन दलित महिलाओं की मजदूरी नहीं ...
- Fwd: [initiative-india] Action Alert: Repression i...
- Fwd: कास मेरि बि चीट फंड कम्पनी होंदि !
- भारत का इतिहास:आरक्षण पर केंद्रित संघर्ष का इतिहास...
- আগ্নেয়গিরির উপর বাংলা!সারদার প্রতারণার অ আ ক খ - ব...
- Balance sheet blank after 2010
- Excel sheet shows Debjani clout: Cops
- Retrospective cloud over investor bill Drafting ch...
- SOMETHING TO BANK ON - The chit fund scandal shows...
- Our proximity was our power
- First lamb: Kunal offers to resign Letter with rid...
- ऊगो चावेज की विरासत
- বেআইনি চিটফান্ড নিয়ে সরব প্রধানমন্ত্রী!মোদীর পাশে ...
- मोदी ने केंद्र की विदेश नीति की आलोचना की
- पुण्य प्रसून वाजपेयी ने कहा, ये मजदूर नहीं मवाली ...
- लेखक वस्तुत: अपनी भाषा का आदिवासी होता है
- बलात्कार के लिए सरकार से ज्यादा समाज जिम्मेदार है
- गीत प्रेमियों का पहला प्यार थीं शमशाद
- 'लूट को कानूनी बनाती सरकार'
- मालवा की पीढ़ियों में जिंदा कबीर, हर गांव गाता कबी...
- Fwd: [Muslimnews] Latest issue of The Muslim News ...
- চিটফাঁদের দশচক্রে ভগবান ভূত!
- आंबेडकरवादियों के निशाने पर मार्क्सवादी ब्राह्मण क...
- এই সব গণখুনের ঘটনা আমাদের একটা ঐতিহ্যতে পরিণত হয়েছে ।
- फिलहाल पंचायत और पालिका चुनाव के आसार नहीं!राजकाज ...
- बनारस में मानवाधिकार एक्टिविस्ट लेनिन रघुवंशी पर ज...
- वेदांत मामले में सुप्रीम कोर्ट के फैसले से सत्तावर...
- Chit fund scam: Full letter that Sudipta Sen wrote...
- জাতিগত বিভেদের প্রশ্নও সমান গুরুত্বপূর্ণ!যাদের চোখ...
- Fwd: Vedanta judgement
- भदेस वीर बहादुर सिंह की देसी बातें
- সমস্যা শুধু প্রেসিডেন্সির নয় রাজ্যটাকেই গ্রাস করেছ...
- दलित न मांगे खेत!लोकतंत्र के दोजख में जी रहे 20 कर...
- अब जाकर कहीं नींद खुली है आयकर विभाग की! केंद्रीय ...
- कानून और व्यवस्था की लगातार बिगड़ती विस्फोटक हालत ...
- "जा गेछे ता गेछे"! वोट पर भी अब टैक्स लगायें, हाईक...
- चिटफंड सुनामी की चपेट में पूरा देश, चिदंबरम की पत्...
- ज्यादा से ज्यादा सिगरेट पीये जनता:ममता
- बामसेफ एक सांस्कृतिक एवं सामाजिक संगठन है और इसका ...
- Shadows of Trident: Modi as Prime Ministerial Cand...
- Fwd: Rihai Manch stand on SP govt's communal gimmi...
- সুদীপ্ত সেনের চিঠিতে ভারতের অর্থ মন্ত্রী চিদাম্বরম...
-
▼
April
(615)
No comments:
Post a Comment