Split India Movement gaining Momentum
Justice (retd) M Rama Jois
August 9, 1942 has been a great historical day. On this day under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi ‘BRITISHERS, QUIT INDIA’ movement was launched. It was a powerful peoples movement to throw out the British Rule from India and free mother India from the shackles of slavery. Though not immediately Britishers were forced to quit India, in 1947 we proudly celebrated Independence Day on August 15, 1947. We the People of India drafted and gave ourselves the Constitution of India under which the Union and State Governments were established. Indian National Congress which led the freedom movement, had resolved in 1930’s that after Independence and a democratic system of Government is ushered in, they will establish linguistic States having regard to the factual position namely the existence of different major languages in different parts of India. In view of this, in 1952 State Reorgnisation Commission was constituted by the Central Government with the object of reorganising pre-existing States into linguistic States under the Chairmanship of Justice Fazal Ali. The Commission considered the matter in-depth and recommended formation of linguistic States, on the fundamental principle that there shall be one State for one language in order to give effect to real democracy, in that, each State should transact with its people in their own language. Accepting the recommendations, States Reorganisation Act, 1956 was enacted and linguistic States came into existence with effect from 01-11-1956.
Unfortunately, an exception was made in the case of Maharashtra and Gujarat by forming a by-lingual State. There was a powerful movement in Maharashtra and Gujarat demanding that policy of one State for one language should be followed there also. Consequently, Bombay Reorganisation Act was enacted and as a result State of Bombay and State of Gujarat came into existence shortly after the Reorgansiation of States was made on 01-11-1956. Though this arrangement has by and large worked for more than four decades satisfactorily, demand for formation of more State was raised in different parts of the Country. Once that was done, a few more states came into existence which is very well known to the public. Now demand for innumerable States has raised their ugly head in all parts of the Country, particularly after the Congress accepted to split the single State constituted for Telugu language called Andhra Pradesh and bringing into existence a separate Telangana State throwing law and order, peace and tranquility and the unity of the Nation into peril. With the establishment of the Constitution from the last more than six decades, we the people of India constituted one Nation with one Constitution, one National flag and one National anthem. All these were with the object of devoting and spending our physical and financial energy for all-round economic and social development and bringing into existence an egalitarian society and to restore the past glory for our Nation. But unfortunately the recent trend indicates that political interest of a person or a party or group prevails over National interest. There is a spate of demands for constitution of smaller States with the plea that smaller States would lead to better administration. But on an in-depth analysis of the basis of demand for formation of smaller States, it appears to be more politically motivated than in the interest of Nation or even smaller States proposed to be formed which is sure to cause unbearable financial burden on the Nation. To put it in a nut-shell, after 71 years of the great and historic ‘Quit India Movement’ the Nation is heading towards ‘Split India Movement’ which is sure to disunite and weaken the Nation.
Unless this tendency is checked by a powerful appeal for National unity, the result is likely to be disastrous. The real motive or intention of many of the demands for smaller States is by smaller politicians who think they can become bigger, if the State becomes smaller. The analogy of the famous story of Akbar and Birbal is clearly applicable to the spate of demands for smaller States. According to that story, Akbar drew a line on a paper and asked Birbal to make it smaller without rubbing it. Birbal who was extremely intelligent drew bigger line by the side of it and pointed out that the line drawn by him has become smaller. Similar analogy is applicable to the demand for smaller states in that smaller/dwarf politicians think that if the smaller States are established in the area in which they can command majority, they can become big leaders and even Chief Ministers. This is the truth behind the demand for smaller States by small politicians so that they can become big in the respective States. It is indisputable that on an analysis of the basis of such demands for smaller States would show that it is based upon castes or creed of smaller political leaders. Therefore, it has become imperative to stop such ‘Split India Movement’ so that our Nation remains united and strong. In this regard, it is appropriate to remind the statement made by Dr BR Ambedkar, the principal architect of our Constitution and one of the greatest patriots and leaders of our National movement in the Constituent Assembly on 17-11-1949, which reads:-
“Will history repeat itself? It is this thought which fills me with anxiety. This anxiety is deepened by the realisation of the fact that in addition to our old enemies in the form of castes and creeds we are going to have many political parties with diverse and opposing political creeds. Will Indians place the country above their creed or will they place creed above country? I do not know. But this much is certain if the parties place creed above country, our independence will be put in jeopardy a second time and probably be lost for ever. This eventuality we must all resolutely guard against. We must be determined to defend our independence with the last drop of our blood”. [The Framing of India’s Constitution, B. Shiva Rao, Vol-IV, PP- 935-946 at 942-943]
Dr BR Ambedkar wanted that people of India should place the interest of the Country above the castes and creed of political parties/leaders to ensure and to protect the unity and integrity of our Nation. unfortunately, his weighty advice is being disregarded.
I am writing this Article with the purpose of inviting the attention of the people of this Country to the above historic appeal made by Dr BR Ambedkar as above with an appeal to all to and put an end to the demands for formation of more and more States which is sure to weaken our Nation.
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