Darjeeling, New Delhi:
The decision of the Centre to split Andhra Pradesh seems to have opened a Pandora's Box. Now there are demands from other regions of the country too for separate statehood.
The latest being the demand for Gorkhaland in West Bengal. And it got a boost on Friday when former BJP leader and Darjeeling MP Jaswant Singh supported the cause of Gorkhaland.
"It is important that the government recognises the validity of this demand. It is the oldest demand for separate statehood. It is over a 100 years ago, first raised in 1907. It is necessary that the government recognises the relevance, validity and justness of this demand," he said.
However, local Television channels in West Bengal have reported that that Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has said outside Parliament that she is against any division of Bengal.
"It will come then we will decide. I cannot speak in ifs and buts. We do not want to divide the state. What I can say we will discuss when it comes," she said.
This is a very important statement. And the first time she has spoken so categorically about the issue.
Drawing inspiration from how Telangana was won, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha begins a fast-unto-death agitation for statehood today. The party announced a slew of programmes including a fast-unto-death and a 96-hour bandh in the Darjeeling hills from December 14.
GJM chief Bimal Gurung said 21 volunteers in five groups will go on fast today onwards, in the five sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Siliguri and Dooars. GJM supporters have also proposed to hold dharnas in Delhi and Kolkata. The demand for a separate Gorkhaland started first in 1975. The biggest concern now is similar demands from other parts of India.
If the UPA sets up the second state reorganisation commission, and all demands for new states are accepted, India will have 50-odd states. (
Read: How a new state is created)
Apart from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's plan to fast a la KCR, there are already voices - from murmers in some corners to shouts of protests from others. Lined up demanding the carving of a state are:
· Bundelkhand, Harit Pradesh and Purvanchal from Uttar Pradesh
· A state each for Garos and Khasis from Meghalaya
· Gorkhaland from West Bengal
· Bodoland from Assam
Agitators now plan to flood government offices with the demand for small states:
· Coorg in Karnataka
· Vidarbha in Maharashtra
· Saurashtra in Gujarat
· Mithilanchal in Bihar
· Mahakosala in Orissa
· Ladakh & Jammu in J&K
"Jammu and Kashmir are geographically different regions, their language and culture are different", said Prof Varinder Gupta, president, Jammu State Morcha, points out.
The Congress has traditionally opposed small states. But the BJP and regional satraps are in favour as this could help expand their base.
There are strong views on both sides of the argument.
CPM leader Sitaram Yechury says: "The division of states will eventually hurt the federal structure of the country."
Some argue smaller states like Punjab and Haryana are better managed. Others present Jharkhand as the counter argument. The carving out of Jharkhand practically made Bihar resource less. And Jharkhand has been so politically unstable, that an Independent MLA became chief minister.
Similarly Chhattisgarh, nine years after its creation, is a Naxal stronghold.