Shabd Braham ISSN 2320 – 0871

International Research Journal of Indian 17 October 2013

Demands for New Small States : A Challenge to Indian Federalism Dr. S.B. PHAD, Head, Dept. of political science, N S B college, Nanded (MH)

Abstract

The increasing demand for new states raises a number of questions with regard to the well-being of India’s federal democratic polity. There are four measures that must be considered while devising any framework to address the issue of federal reorganization. These are: the constitution of a permanent State Reorganization Commission, amendment of the Constitution to ensure that the demand for a new state emanates from the state legislature and not at the centre, examination of economic and social viability rather than political considerations and clear-cut safeguards to encourage democratic concerns like development and governance rather than religion, caste and as valid grounds for a new state.

Introduction from various organizations or individuals over the years," a home ministry official India may have at least 50 states in said. The demands for separate states future if demands for new states are to are: In , there have been be conceded as the home ministry has demands for Pradesh, received representations for creation of Poorvanchal, and more than 20 states. Present in India Pachimanchal or . There is has 28 states and seven Union also demand for creation of a th Territories. Telangana will be the 29 Pradesh, consisting of division and state of the country. The demands for division of Uttar Pradesh and separate states have come from across districts of Bharatpur and from the country -- for Kukiland in Manipur to and . A in , for demand for creation of Bhojpur Kamatapur in North Bengal to Tulu comprising areas of eastern UP, Nadu in . However, except and has also been Uttar Pradesh, which during the received by the home ministry. There -led BSP government has been an old demand for creation of proposed to create four states dividing a separate by curving out the the country's most populous state, no Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. The state government had given any most vocal demands for separate states recommendation for carving out a new came from Gorkhaland, by curving out state. But the demands continue to pour Darjeeling and its adjoining areas in in. "The demands for creation of West Bengal. Demands for Bodoland, separate states were received by the comprising Bodo dominated areas in home ministry through representations Western Assam, and a separate state of

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Shabd Braham ISSN 2320 – 0871

International Research Journal of Indian languages 17 October 2013

Karbi Anglong, comprising the Karbi 4) To discuss the got of achievement of tribals living areas under Karbi Anglong development to create the new small autonomous district in Assam, have also states. been pending with the Centre So far. 5) To discuss the need of permanent Regionalisation of polity state re-organization commission.

Let us refer to three factors responsible Regionalism for brining local/ regional demands into sharp focus. Regionalism means love for a particular region or state in preference to the First, the change mode of electoral country as a whole, and in certain representation has led to assertiveness cases, in preference to the state of of the hitherto politically dormant region. which region is a part. A region is a The political articulation and mobilization defined territorial unit including particular along caste /ethnic/ language-based language or languages, castes, ethnic social cleavages undertaken by these groups or tribes, particular social setting newly emergent state/region level and cultural pattern etc. What precise parties remain territorially contained and factors must exist before a tract of reely cross the regional lines. territory could be called a region cannot be firmly predicted. In fact several Second growing regional inequalities in factors such as geography, topography, terms of income and consumption in the language, religion, customs, stages of post reforms period have a accentuated political and economic development, the perception of neglect and common history etc.. should come discrimination. Coastal Region/ together – tide by a sentiment of developed regions have invariably togetherness – than a region can be benefited more from the flow of private formed. However, as Sanjib Baruah investment as compared to the regions points out, a region cannot be at peripheral location. objectively defined. As like nations, regions are not self-evident and pre- Third We have what may be called political realities on ground. It is a ironically the “secession of the rich” even the rich regions within constituent contested, fluid identity constructed state. through political mobilizations. Regions are relatively flexible, socially Objectives constructed and politically mediated identities. Which one of the above 1) To study of the Indian Federal system mentioned factor will become important for the construction of a region varies 2) To discuss the challenges of Indian from time to time and context. The Federal system example of flexible, changing identities 3) Why reasons the demand of regional of region can be seen in the case of political parties leadership to create new Andhra Pradesh, which was initially small states. demanding a separate statehood on the

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Shabd Braham ISSN 2320 – 0871

International Research Journal of Indian languages 17 October 2013

basis of the demand for separate are not immune, Orissa is a good statehood for Telangana. Another example. The denial of a special status example of regional identity is the Bodo demand is not the end of special and challenge to the earlier constructed extraordinary fiscal transfers from the Assames identity. Union government to the states. Very often, new states continue to get special Causes of regionalism in India grants and outright transfers for 1) Problem of economic and social extended periods. A proliferation of such demands will be an unhealthy trend. development / economic factors Even as the demand for Telangana was 2) Increasing awareness of the people in agreed to, immediately there were cries then backward areas for new states such as Vidarbha and Gorkhaland. If, hypothetically, the latter 3) Political factors two are conceded they will certainly require financial help from the Centre for A) Rise of Regional Elites a long time. This has other B) Personal Motives repercussions. Transfers of resources from the Union government to the states C) Rise of regional Parties are governed by the recommendations of the Finance Commission (FC), a 4) Identity based regionalism / Cultural constitutional body. What will happen to factors FC recommendations when more and There are three issues—one financial more states demand resources over and and the other two political—that need to above what this body recommends? It be addressed carefully while forming will, for starters, dilute FC’s new states. recommendations and move away from rule-based fiscal transfers to a more ad- First and foremost is the question of hoc system where political concerns will administrative and financial viability of dictate such transfers. This will be a the politicians the new states. Usually, dangerous trend with unforeseen when demands for statehood are made, consequences. there are equally strong claims about the viability of these states. In the case Second, in the din of these demands the of , for example, it was dangers of emergent federal imbalances claimed that abundance of mineral have been lost sight of. In India, political resources was enough to make the state representation of states in Parliament is prosperous. A decade later, the reality is not based on any theory of “equality of different. Similar claims are being made states” as, for example, in the US. The in the case of Telangana. This welter of population of each state determines the claims and doubts needs to be number of members it sends to the Lok disentangled carefully. Otherwise, states Sabha. Similarly, there is no notion of are sure to fall back on an old demand: equality in the Rajya Sabha. Creation of special status. Even mineral-rich states smaller states automatically gives

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Shabd Braham ISSN 2320 – 0871

International Research Journal of Indian languages 17 October 2013

greater political power to large states. administrative division and political For example, the division of Andhra representation as democracy deepens Pradesh—which had 42 members in the and widens. Second, smaller states are Lok Sabha—will undo this large being proposed on the grounds of good majority. This also means one less state governance and development rather with 40 MPs or more. This means more than merely on the linguistic or cultural political power to states such as Uttar principle was the case of the first two Pradesh that have one less big state to phases of reorganization. Third, recently contend with. To be sure, India is not a even dialect communities have been Union of warring or fractious states. But asking for their own ‘territorial homeland’ creating small states without ensuring while underlining the cultural and literary equity in representation can have distinctiveness and richness of the unforeseen political consequences. It dialect (Bundelkhand). will certainly upset the inter-state political equilibrium in the country. ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF SMALLER STATES Finally, there are strategic and national security issues in creating new states Does India need smaller states? Let us with ethnic majorities especially in consider the following three arguments border regions. The demand for in favour. First, the argument that ‘small Gorkhaland is one such example. Take is beautiful’ does find resonance in the a look at the map of the country and you developmental experiences of the newly will see the demand is being made in a created smaller states. Factual analysis region that provides a vital link to the shows the development and efficiency North-Eastern states. This is a politically argument does work in favour of the sensitive issue: the needs of ethno- new states when compared with the linguistic minorities need to be balanced parent states. During the tenth five-year with broader concerns about national plan period, Chhattisgarh averaged 9.2 security. percent growth annually compared with 4.3 percent by Madhya Pradesh, The question of new states in India Jharkhand averaged 11.1 per cent needs to be deliberated with care and annually compared with 4.7 percent by sensitivity. It also requires a hard-nosed Bihar, and achieved 8.8 per look at financial, administrative and cent growth annually compared with 4.6 national security concerns percent by Uttar Pradesh. Arguably, getting ‘a territory of their own’ SHIFT IN INDIA’S FEDERAL unleashes the untapped/suppressed IDEOLOGY growth potentials of the hitherto Three developments mark the shift in peripheral regions. Second, comparatively smaller but compact India’s federal ideology. First, regional geographical entities tend to ensure that identity, culture, and geographical differences now appear to be better there is better democratic governance, recognized as valid bases for as there is greater awareness among the policy makers about the local needs.

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Shabd Braham ISSN 2320 – 0871

International Research Journal of Indian languages 17 October 2013

Smaller spatial units having linguistic movement after being recognized as a compatibility and cultural homogeneity separate state except for a brief time in also allow for better management, Punjab. implementation and allocation of public resources in provisioning basic social Second, many believe that bigger states and economic infrastructure services. A ensure cohesion and stability; however, relatively homogeneous smaller state there are myriad forms of political allows for easy communicability, violence going on unabated in the big enabling marginal social groups to states (eg. Uttar Pradesh, Andhra articulate and raise their voices. Pradesh and West Bengal). In these cases, violent movements are Third, smaller states provide gains for expressions of a demand for the electorates in terms of better recognition, justice and autonomy; representation of their preferences in the relatively homogeneous smaller states composition of the government. In a would always be better poised to patronage-based democracy like in provide a wider range of policies in India, the amount of the transfer of state response to local conditions. resources/largesse a constituency/region gets depends Third, smaller states (like mineral rich crucially on whether the local Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand) are often representative belongs to the ruling viewed as being much more vulnerable party. Understanding this electoral logic to the pressures of the corporations and of patronage distribution, the electorates multi-nationals due to their small scale of a smaller region have a propensity to economies and the greed of the newly elect representatives with preferences emergent regional elite. Now, if this is so more closely aligned to those of the then what explains the presence of coal bigger region within the state. Such a mafias and land sharks in the bigger motive, however, would no longer states like Andhra Pradesh and operate once the region constitutes a Karnataka? Corruption or political separate state. wheeling-dealing in high places is not confined to the smaller states as any ARGUMENTS AGAINST SMALLER discernable observer of Indian states STATES would be able to tell.

One also needs to address and negate Fourth, political expediency and some of the oft-repeated apprehensions opportunism rather than the objective raised against creating smaller states. evaluation of democratic and First, reminiscent of ‘partition anxiety’, developmental potential are said to be many fear the rise of regional and involved in the making of new states. linguistic fanaticism as threats to Even if this was present in some national unity and integrity. A global instances, it is not the norm. Certain surge in ethno-nationalist conflicts principles have always been adhered to serves to rekindle these fears. No region without exception with the establishment has ever experienced secessionist of states in the past. The demand for a

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Shabd Braham ISSN 2320 – 0871

International Research Journal of Indian languages 17 October 2013

new state: a) is not to be communal or support can be ascertained by secessionist in nature; b) should have amending the Constitution so that any popular support and enjoy a broad legislative measure to alter/diminish/ consensus; c) should be agreed upon by increase the territory or creation of a the parent state, d) aims at the creation new state should emanate from the of socially and economically viable state. state legislature and not at the centre. The minimum would be that the view of Towards a Policy Framework the parent state legislature be necessarily ascertained. The following four measures may be considered while looking at an Conclusion appropriate policy framework to address the present impasse. First, a permanent Federalism as an idea and a process entity called the Second State enriches democracy in a Reorganization Commission may be multinational/cultural country like India, constituted as a constitutional body with as it tends to promote democratic values quasi-judicial power. The commission and temperament by recognizing, may be asked to ascertain a set of accommodating and protecting diverse objective and coherent criteria to regional identities and rights. The consider the demand for a new state. creation of smaller states would contribute to the federal agenda of The Second Centre-State Relations enhancing democratic development Commission or Inter-State Council may based on decentralized governance and also be involved. Second, popular greater autonomy for units. Reference 8 MPSC, Unik Academic, Tukaram Jadhav 1 Ashutosh Kumar, Does India need smaller states.

2 Ashutosh Kumar, Exploring the demands for new small states

3 Dr. Chandra Pal, State autonomy in Indian Federalism

4 Economic and political weekly, Aug. 14, 2010, vol. XLV no. 33

5 Dr. Subhash Kashyap, Our Constatution

6 Newspaper

7 Dr. Abdul Gani, State politics in India

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