Guwahati | February 06, 2006 10:34:29 AM IST
| |
Naga peace process, ULFA peace talk, Assam Budget, Indo-Pak cricket are no longer the priority of average North Easterners as they collectively take personal pride in Debojit and look forward for his victory in Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa contest of the Zee Television.
More than 40 lakh SMS had gone from the North East in the past two weeks, even as the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) is leading an all out campaign with the help of media to garner more votes for the newest icon, who is just one step away from the most coveted crown of Hindi music.
''As there has been systematic campaign to isolate him from the rest of the contestants over the past four months, more and more support are pouring in and today Debojit is the pride of the North East. He is a symbol of step-motherly treatment meted out to North Easterners for over decades by the mainland India,'' said Dr Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyya, adviser of AASU.
Debojit has already reached the mega final and along with Vineet of Lucknow he is in the final battle for the grand prize but his struggle has no longer remained a musical journey as it has spilled into a sentimental and emotionally charged fight between the North East and rest.
Even Assam Assembly discussed it. ''For months we have seen how he has been systematically deprived just because he happens to be from North East. He is getting more popular votes from the home region and even that is also now objected by the others,'' said Mr Dilip Saikia Sonowal inside the Assembly.
Outside, he is even more straightforward. ''In the episode aired on January 19, program announced the vote share of Debojit. It was upwards of 70 per cent. The other three constants decided to walk out as the voting had a strong region bias. Is it not hurting a region, which is physically, emotionally always alienated from rest of India.''
