Analysis
Time to Dump Politicians Seeking Votes
on the Division of States in India
India's first home minister Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel was against the division of nation into smaller states. Hence he played a pivotal role in the annexation of many princely states into India after 1947 so that the nation can stand united and could work as a strong force politically and socially against any foreign aggression. The other idea behind this unification was it would help the states grow prosper economically as the natural resources will be pooled down at one place.
Surprisingly the leaders of present generation do not take this viewpoint and feel rather small states can be administered well. This concept of dividing India into smaller states by bifurcating the present large states do serve their purpose politically but in the larger interest of the nation, the idea to have smaller states only adds to the economic burden on the Central government as the leaders ruling these small states keep looking at the Union government for funds so that they can meet out their routine expenses right from giving salaries to the staff working there to the expenses coming out on the development of infrastructure.
So why do we need small states at all?
The logic that it gives better administration didn’t go down the throat as it depends on ones capability and we can take the example of two nations i.e. Bangladesh and the United States of America. Bangladesh is a much smaller nation as compared to the USA and which nation is better developed?
It is just that a few politicians who are active in a certain region and have their vote-bank want to have their share in power, and so they want to create these new states in India to suit their political interest whether we talk of Vidarbha in Maharashtra or Telangana in Andhra Pradesh. The demand of creating new states is getting stronger only with each passing day and every regional leader wants to see himself as the chief minister of that state.
How the state is going to survive? They are least bothered.
The political scenario in Uttar Pradesh is no way different from other states where regional leaders of different political outfits have been singing the tune of separate statehood in order to suit their vested political interest. Ajit Singh of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) wants Harit Pradesh to be carved out in western Uttar Pradesh; another political heavyweight active in Uttar Pradesh Amar Singh wants a slice of Poorvanchal to be made in eastern Uttar Pradesh, down south there has been a demand for separate Bundelkhand. So if we carve more states out of Uttar Pradesh, then what will be left in Uttar Pradesh to rule on?
As the assembly elections are drawing near, well known TV personality Raja Bundela has jumped into the active political stream by breaking his ties with the Congress. His Bundelkhand Mukti Morcha (BMM) now is a political organization which will fight elections in 2012. Raja Bundela, President of Bundelkhand Mukti Morcha, wants his state of Bundelkhand back. It will be formed after merger of some 23 districts in which seven are from the state of Uttar Pradesh while 16 districts will be taken out from the Madhya Pradesh. Raja Bundela wants his candidates to contest on all 37 assembly seats that fall under the jurisdiction of Uttar Pradesh of his dreamland ‘Bundelkhand’ and said this issue has been related with the sentiments of over five crore people that have a distinct culture and have been living in this part of the nation since long.
Now the bigger question is whether Raja Bundela would be able to convince the electorate on the issue of separate state and what benefits will the people of Bundelkhand get in return if the new state comes into form?
This is high time when the politicians should not approach the electorate with the ideas of dividing the nation. The formula of divide and rule will only push back the nation’s progress and it would only add tax burden on the people of newly carved states after all from where the money would be generated? Playing with the sentiments of people on the basis of both region and religion in order to reach to the corridors of power, will only harm the nation in the longer run. So as the elections are round the corner, the electorate must use their wisdom before casting their ballot. We must dump such political groups whose ideology is to divide the nation on the basis of caste, region or religion.
16-Apr-2011
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Ratan Sharga
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