The recent demand of the Maharashtra State Congress to make Belgaum and 865 villages of Karnataka into a Union territory, until the apex court delivers its final verdict in Maharashtra–Karnataka border dispute, makes me wonder whether there is really a need for smaller states in India or if it’s just a political gimmick.
In the past we have suffered huge losses which ran into crores because of demands for separate states. For example, during the Telangana protests, businesses in the state, especially the IT sector lost crores of rupees, with some MNCs also considering shutting shop.
But it is the common people who suffer the most, as a friend of mine, who hails from Hyderabad, once quipped that during the Telangana protests he missed an important family event as he felt that he would be forced to stay out of Hyderabad if the rebellion took an ugly turn.
The political patronage to these protests is all but obvious, as most of these protesters are hired by political parties, often for a meager amount. Kashmir protests is a perfect example where protesters are paid Rs 100- 300 daily to pelt stones at security forces.
Some of these parties are more vocal in their demands for a separate state. For example – the demand for Harit Pradesh by Ajit Singh to be carved out from UP, Telangana by TRS to be carved out from AP and Gorkhaland by GJM to be carved out from West Bengal and many more.
Due to the unending political unrest, even whipping passions by going on a fast-unto-death for the creation of an independent Telangana state, Home Minister P Chidambaram assured TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao that the centre would look into the demand.
States formed in the last decade:-
Chhattisgarh: Formed by the Constitutional Amendment Act, 2000 by dividing sixteen Chhattisgarhi-speaking southeastern districts of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000.
Uttarakhand: Formed by the Constitutional Amendment Act, 2000 by dividing 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh on November 9, 2000.
Jharkhand: Formed by the Constitutional Amendment Act, 2000 by dividing 5 districts of Bihar on November 15, 2000.
Further states in demand:-
-Saurashtra in Gujarat.
-Coorg in Karnataka.
-Bundelkhand, comprising districts like Banda, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Sagar of UP and MP.
-Bhojpur comprising areas of eastern UP, Bihar and Chhattisgarh.
-Harit Pradesh or Kisan Pradesh consisting several districts of western Uttar Pradesh.
-Mithilanchal or Mithila state comprising territories in Bihar.
-Greater Cooch Behar comprising districts of West Bengal and Assam.
-Vidarbha in Maharashtra.
Political parties, who ask for a separate state, point to cultural and regional differences as a major reason behind their demand. But we all know that such demands have vested interest. The point is that the three states that have been created have further gone into chaos and now have become a hotbed for illegal activities, and some even a safe haven for the Naxals.
Don’t we have bigger problem to deal with; if you and I can understand this then why not our political leadership? Isn’t it more important that our leaders work together to solve problems like price rise, Naxalism and the terror threat the nation is under?
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