UP or Down?

By Sanjeeb Kumar

Politics is an art of complicate the uncomplicated and uncomplicated the complicated. It’s motivated by the desire to get votes, get elected and ultimately rule. Reports are surfacing that BJP may be mulling to divide the large state of Uttar Pradesh into three or four parts. And this has raised the eyebrows of many as the government has a reputation of coming up with surprising decisions.

Reorganisation of states has always been an interesting business in the history of India. We have witnessed peaceful creation of Uttarakhand, mass movement for Jharkhand and immense bloodshed for Telangana. Jammu and Kashmir has been put under an unimaginable lockdown to disallow any popular eruption. What is pertinent is that the reasons that cause reorganisation are settled now. And Uttar Pradesh do not fit to be divided just for the political motivation to rule and expand the rule.

For starters, the Constitution of India does not guarantee the existence of a state. Article 4 empowers the Parliament to create new states and alter the existing ones. This is not even considered as an amendment under Article 368. This means that a simple majority in the parliament can do it. Also, if you are dividing a state like UP that means you are dividing the very people. Its culture is diverse – the Rohillas, Brij, Bundelkhandi, Awadhi and Purvanchal – but none is ‘separate.’

Interestingly, the recent history of newly-formed states such as Jharkhand does not suggest that things are always better in smaller states; so instead of dividing the state, the government should increase the existing number of districts, municipalities, block, gram panchayat, etc. for governance. This is necessary for democracy to reach the corners and even the weakest to participate in the governance of the country.

A new small state may find itself lacking in infrastructure (administrative and industrial), which requires time, money, and effort to build it. It is likely to face limitations in terms of the natural (physical) and human resources available to it. Moreover, it will lack the kind of agro-climatic diversity required for economic and developmental activities. It would also be restricted in its capability to raise resources internally. All these factors would only make it more dependent on the Centre for financial support.

A pertinent question is that why do political parties raise demands for smaller states? This is primarily because the politicians envision additional posts of power as chief ministers or ministers, leaders of the opposition, Assembly speakers and so on. Similarly, government servants think of becoming chief secretaries or secretaries, DGs of police, chief-engineers and so on. Further, increasing the number of states in the country would expand the span of control of the central ministries dealing with states and of party high commands dealing with state party units.

Centre should weigh the fact that separatist and regional movements have not died down yet. Division of UP will flare them up. I would like to conclude this article with the famous quote: 'Let us trust God, and our better judgment to set us right hereafter. United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which may destroy that union upon which our existence hangs'.

Sanjeeb Kumar

Moreover, it will lack the kind of agro-climatic diversity required for economic and developmental activities. It would also be restricted in its capability to raise resources internally