GUWAHATI, Nov 6 - The tradition of questioning is ingrained in the Indian society since the days of Charvaka, the ancient saint who rejected the authority of the Vedas. This inquiring tradition was nurtured and sustained by emperors Ashoka and Akbar. Disturbingly, the present-day society has deviated from this path, with the dominant narrative seeking to brush aside contrarian thinking and imposing itself as the sole voice on the masses. This totally negates the role of discourse in finding the truth.
Academic and former Pro-Vice Chancellor of Tezpur University Dr Amarjyoti Choudhury said this while releasing Random Reflections, a book by Mayur Bora, at the Guwahati Press Club today. It is a collection of articles on wide-ranging subjects published by Aank Baak.
Referring to Socrates� famous words �The unexamined life is not worth living,� Dr Choudhury said that a democratic society cannot progress or evolve unless tradition is questioned. �Mayur Bora�s writings make us think and look for the truth. Well-written articles are as much creative literature as are novels and poems,� he added.
Academic Dr Udayon Mishra, while stating that intellectuals must take a stand during moments of crisis, said that today disagreement and dissent have come to be seen as challenges by those who are trying to further their vision of a particular variety of cultural nationalism. �This poses a potent threat to the plurality and divergence of views which have built up the idea of India through the centuries,� he added.
Pointing out that the growing sense of hegemonisation of ideas and beliefs in the Indian society of late tends to leave little space for individuals to agree to disagree, Dr Mishra said the country is at a crossroads of an ideological struggle and it is imperative that there be a united effort to strengthen all those voices which add to the immense complexity and pluralism of views � the hallmark of Indian civilisation.
�Mayur Bora is certainly one of those voices which are marked by a certain sincerity of approach and an independence of thought�there is much in Mayur�s writings which I happen to disagree with, and that is exactly why I feel one should read him,� he said.
Senior journalist Wasbir Hussain said Mayur is setting a trend in fearless and analytical writing and that is why, people have been receptive to his ideas. �His has been the counter-narrative amidst the majoritarian narrative,� he added.
Mayur Bora, in his speech, said that he always strives to look at things in an unbiased and objective manner. �This is not questioning for the sake of questioning. Thanks to my father, the late Bharat Chandra Bora, a sense of critical inquiry is ingrained in me and I have always endeavoured to analyse a development from various perspectives. There is no such thing as the final truth and I will be happy if my writings help the reader to think and analyse things from their own perspective,� he said.
Senior advocate Arup Borbora, Dr Navanil Barua and All Assam Students� Union general secretary Lurin Jyoti Gogoi also spoke. Writer Mridul Haloi anchored the programme.
