This line has been done to death but at this juncture is very important for people of Andhra Pradesh and Indians in a broader sense. For a moment let us consider that Telangana and Andhra are separate states. Then what would be the repurcussions. Ofcourse, Gorkhaland, Khasi Hills, Garo Hills, Bundelkhand, Harit Pradesh, Curg, Vidharva, Bodoland,etc. After 'x' number of years, a faction in Telangana or for dat matter another faction in Bundelkhand would feel that they have got the wrong end of the stick and start agitating for a statehood. This is a far fetched thinking but dats how things might pan out to be because in essence you can never satisfy all and in every population, the disadvantaged lot would try to breakaway. For a political system as is in India, the vote bank politics complicates the matter further.
We have to also consider the fact that whether the creation of so many states won't stretch our financial resources further. For every penny being given by the Central Government to Andhra Pradesh now, 2 pennies have to be sanctioned when the state is divided. Besides, what about the centre's control over states. When the Centre finds it difficult to take care of 30 odd states, how would it control when the number increases to 40 and may be 50? The spread of development would get further skewed. Out of 30 odd states,how many states have developed till today? And how many "carved out" states are doing well? Answer is not many.
I can sympathise with the Telangana activists but separate statehood is not a solution. Instead the Government should strike at the root cause of this demand and similar demands which is basically disatisfaction and disillusionment with Government's work. If Telangana comes through, then a dangerous precedent would be set whereby strong agitation can armtwist the Government into submission. Such agitation would be most dangerous where the Terrorists would back the agitations and throw normal life into grave danger.
When would we Indians learn to stay together and put India first before any 'x' or 'y' region. We let our and resources go down the drain just because we just prefer to go separate ways instead of sorting the issues out by staying together. Take the case of Paes and Bhupati, imagine how many Grandslams they missed out on because of their split.
We should come together and work for overall development of the country with equal focus on each state and the system should be in place so that the nobody remains bereft of the fruits of development. The biggest responsibility lies with the politicians and they should rise over opportunistic political manouvers and vote bank politics and be the agents of change. If we do not stop the geometric progression of states in India and the consequent weak governance and chaos, we would have to prepare ourselves for another 200 years of slavery (provided armageddon is not in 2012).
I agree that due to regional strife we are losing out on the progress. However looking from other perspective a case can also be made for smaller states as they tend to be better administered. We should draw a distinction between creating states due to administrative reasons and creating states due to social fissures. The formal is desirable and later deplorable. I am afraid that today the balance is skewed towards the wrong side.
ReplyDeleteI dont feel that smaller states are better administered. And how can a distinction could be made upon the issue of administration?? on what grounds?? Bihar was divided and jharkhand was made out of it, people were happy to move out of the cluthes of RJD and creation of a state richest in minerals and ores... what was the long term result?? More scams .. Exploitation of resources and Transfer of Indian wealth in foreign countries... All because of corrupt and greedy people at the highest posts and levels.
ReplyDeleteAll round development, peace and wealth could be brought even in larger states if the people in government and administration are true and dedicated.
The core of the problem is that, people at this level never fight on the issues of developement and peace but they make people fight on the issue of religion/caste, language, background and beleiefs. The marathi issue brought up by the MNS in wrong senses is live example.. We feel sorry when Indians are discriminated in Australia and other parts of the world. When Shahrukh Khan is Questioned and kept waiting in a different country or Shilpa Shetty is racially discriminated it becomes the News Headline, But at the same time, we discriminate our people in our country itself. When people move out of Bihar and other Eastern states, its not for the reason to grab someone else opportunity, its because of the reason that they dont find any good opportunity at their own place. No one on earth wants to leave home and family and work in isolation.. is all because of less opportunity.
Our government should work in a positive way to create and develop backward states rather than stopping the opportunities and limiting them only to a selected group of people based on language and time spent at that particular place, at developed states and harrasing the innoceny people.
Discrimination based on these kind of issues will take us 100 years back and we will find ourselves in the same position as we were before idependence..
To Grow, to Prosper, and to be Happy, we should Come out of these State,Caste,Language,Religion issues and emerge as one nation. After all Nation matters a million times more than a state...