Regionalism in India – Social Issue Essay, Article for Class 12, Graduation and Competitive Examination.

Regionalism in India

Scheme of the Essay

Exposition: Regionalism lies in the minds of the people.

Rising Action: The reorganisation of states in 1956 did not satisfy people.

Climax:

(1) There are advocates of regionalism: they give too much importance to the sons of the soil.

(2) It can lead to bloody agitations.

(3) There are regions and sub-regions in India and so are their interests. Uniformity is not possible but unity must be there.

(4) Unhealthy regionalism can lead to disintegration. Ending: Federalism and regionalism were reconciled.

Regionalism is a type of territorial loyalty. The “Encyclopaedia of Social Science” defines it as “a counter movement” to centralism. It is also used to emphasize cultural and economic distinctiveness. So, O. Hueglin defines it as the persistence of sub “national and transitional differences.” Indian regionalism means an expression of racial, linguistic, and economic interests of a particular region. It includes economic, linguistic, and political regionalism. The roots of regionalism (in India) lie in the minds of the people. Sikhs in Punjab consider Maharaja Ranjit Singh as their hero because he had the independent Lahore kingdom. Similarly, the Shivaji myth holds the minds of the people of Maharashtra. The regional leaders appeal to the sentiments of the people of the region. The result is regionalism. The demand for ‘Punjabi Suba’, Gorkhaland, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand, are the expressions of regionalism. In India regionalism has assumed four forms (1) demand for a separate statehood (2) demand of the people of union territory for statehood (3) demand for favourable settlement of inter-state disputes (4) desire of the people of a region to secede from Indian Union.

There was reorganization of states in 1956. This was done by keeping language and other distinctive features in mind. Even after this reorganization, the Nagas got Nagaland, the Mizos formed Mizoram, the Khasis and Garos formed Meghalaya and the hill tribes of North East got Arunachal Pradesh. Even now the demand for independent states is going on. Bodos of Assam are demanding “Udayachal”; tribals of Chotanagpur and nearby areas are demanding an Adivasi state, “Jharkhand”. The demand for Gorkhaland and Uttarakhand are the other expression of regionalism.

The advocates of regionalism say that the people of the region have a special claim to the region. People of the region should be given preference with regard to employment, admission in schools and colleges, position in administrative services, and control over the political system. For example, the Akali Party in Punjab wants a permanent right to rule the state. Shiva Sena demands preferential treatment in Maharashtra. Various reasons account for the rise of regionalism in India. The central government and Planning Commission have failed to meet the demands of the aspirations of the people. A mixed economy, public sector industries, and the corporate sector have failed to generate employment opportunities. According to Rajini Kothari, self-reliance has not been achieved because of the imported science and technology. Regional press and regional parties have whipped up the feelings of the people.

Regionalism is a serious problem. It can lead to such bloody agitations as had been in Punjab and in Kashmir. It can result in disintegration of the nation.

There are regions and sub-regions in India. They differ from one another with regard to their socio-culture. Each region and sub-region has its own interests and such sentiments are divisible and disintegrative. Others believe that in a federal nation regional and sub-regional interests and sentiments have always been there. With minor modifications both the views are correct. If we examine the first view, we can say that regionalism and sub-regionalism cannot be completely finished in a federal state. In other words, there cannot be uniformity but there must be unity. Similarly, the second view should be modified. Regionalism and sub-regionalism should not dominate nationalism. It should be subordinated to nationalism. National integration can reconcile regionalism and nationalism. After Independence India became a sovereign state and adopted a democratic constitution. Thus, India developed a national identity. The development of this identity meant the subordination of regional identity. We are Indians first then Punjabis, Bengalis, or Maharashtrians. This is a reconciliation of nationalism and regionalism. However unhealthy regionalism and sub-regionalism are dangerous. It can lead to disintegration.

Keeping these things in mind re-organization of India started when India became a Republic. Some new states were carved out. In 1953 States Organization Commission (SRC) was set up. Its recommendations were implemented through the States Reorganization Act, of 1956. The recommendations of the Commission were primarily meant to strengthen unity, security, and linguistic and cultural homogeneity. It was essential because the provinces during the British rule were formed through annexation and not by keeping socio-cultural unity essential for harmonious federal polity. So federal unity and regionalism were reconciled.