Note4Students

Demand for separate states is not new. Recent agitation by gorkhaland activists brought the issue again into the lime light. So this topic is important.

Introduction

The last few years have seen a constant tug of war between the champions of smaller states and larger states. The centre has received demands for India have at least 50 states including a separate Mithilanchal in Bihar, Saurastra in Gujrat, Coorg or, Kodagu in Karnataka, Gondwana in Madhya Pradesh, Mahakosal in Orissa, Bodoland in Assam, Gorkhaland in West Bengal, Vidharba in Maharashtra, Bundelkhand in U.P. and M.P., Haritpradesh and Poornanchal in U.P. Mayawati even proposed to divide Uttar Pradesh into four smaller states – Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Awadh Pradesh and Pashchim Pradesh.

Analysis

Gorkhaland Issue

1. Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, particularly the hill portion excluding the southern tehsils of Phansidewa, Kharibari, Siliguri and Matigara, have been in a politically driven near-total civic upsurge since June 12.
2. The provocation was the May 16 decision by West Bengal government to institute a three-language formula in school education throughout the state.
3. Under the formula, Bengali will be compulsorily taught up to Class X, although students would not have to take an examination in the subject.
4. The Bimal Gurung led Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), which wields substantial political influence over the nearly five lakh Nepali-speaking Gorkha people inhabiting the two districts, is spearheading the ongoing protests. It considers the West Bengal government’s decision a threat to the Gorkha ethno-cultural identity and socio-economic interests.
5. Although the West Bengal government has now withdrawn the controversial order, the GJM has revived an earlier demand for statehood for the Gorkha people.
6. Further, GJM members have not only resigned from the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) but the party along with 12 other Gorkha outfits has also decided to render the institution of the GTA non-functional by preventing the holding any further elections to the body.
7. The present Gorkhaland movement is a search and a fight for this lost IDENTITY.
8. Only a separate STATE can give them this IDENTITY and nothing less.

Why there is a demand for smaller sates

1. The issue of language and culture-which had shaped the earlier process of reorganization– shifted to those of better governance and greater participation, administrative convenience, economic viability in the developmental needs of sub regions.
2. There are of course emotional considerations such as culture, language, religion and a sense of economic and regional deprivation.
3. The lack of industry, an agrarian crisis and a low level of infrastructural facilities push such States into adopting a model of development where growth can be achieved in spite of these handicaps.
4. This, as we witnessed with the examples of the three smaller States, results in an unprecedented exploitation of raw materials such as the mining of minerals instead of the creation of industry,
5. wanton land deals, a boost to the construction industry and the conversion of fertile agricultural land into speculative real estate transactions, since agriculture in any case was untenable and non-profitable.
6. Smaller State the only key for better development It’s a well-known fact that creation of smaller state in India had experiences the betterment of Indian economy. The growth of GDP, better governance and development. Therefore, creation of smaller states is the immediate needs for the development of Indian democracy
7. Small states are better in administration and regional differences are not an issue
8. Regional issues such as a, person belonging to another sect may not be in confrontation with a person the resident of the same state but different province and prejudices will decrease and more people of the same small state and same province will have a say in their state affairs.

Arguments Against

1. Creation of smaller state will divide India.
2. The feeling of nationalism would diminish in the cries of regional autonomy. Creation of smaller states will take India to Pre- British era.
3. As for Jharkhand is concerned – worst politics have been going on and as a result it has not able to achieve the desired growth as promised prior to its formation.
4. Bihar on the other hand with its minimal natural resources has been able to achieve second highest GDP after bifurcation.
5. Small states depend to a substantial extent on central government for financial aid.
6. It will not be economically prudent to set up new states as it would incur expenditure to set up state machinery.
7. A new state may find itself lacking in infrastructure, which requires time, money and efforts to build. On the political front too there are many challenges that smaller states have to face, as the dream of new smaller states was ushered in by the leaders need
8. Diversity is too inextricably linked
9. The idea of a modern nation state derives from the idea that its people all have a common identity like a religion or culture. The English inhabit England and the French inhabit France, each one having a multitude of cultural stereotypes.
10. Those countries are used to being a homogeneous society governing the same land for hundreds of years.
11. With India however the diversity and multiculturalism is so connected in Indian culture that the idea of separate sovereign nation states wouldn’t be viable as all Indian states have such a diverse mix of Indians. To create a nation state based on the idea of culture or language in such a diverse society would cause hatred of the outsiders who the natives felt didn’t belong in that state

Way Forward

1. The situation demands that the government needs to handle the issue by better political governance, fiscal management and rule of law.
2. Rather, division of states calls for a thorough evaluation of physical features like land equality and topography, agro-climatic conditions, socio-cultural factors, natural and human resource availability, density of population, means of communication, existing administrative culture and effectiveness of its district and regional administrative units and so on
3. It is a time for a Second States Reorganization Commission that can redraw Indian Federal map, creating many smaller states and keeping in mind economic viability. The current demand for the breaking up of larger states needs to be examined seriously and dispassionately in its historical and contemporary context
4. A more effective autonomous institution could also be considered in the form of an empowered body statutorily on par with 6th Schedule areas and assigned, say, all the functional areas under the State List except law and order, maintenance of infrastructure like national and state highways, power transmission networks and disaster relief establishment.
5. Concomitant revenue raising powers may also be devolved to such an autonomous institution to avoid its undue financial dependence on the state government.
6. Another issue would be the provision of legislative authority to this entity vis-a-vis its functional and territorial jurisdiction. If such a provision existed, the state government would not have been able to implement its controversial decision on the Bengali language in the school curriculum.

Questions:

Q.) Do you think lack of development is the only reason for the demand of new states?