Answer: 

Introduction:

Regionalism is the expression of a common sense of identity and purpose by people within a specific geographical region, united by its unique language, culture etc. Regionalism promotes a sense of pride in connecting to one’s roots and culture. It has been noticed that often regional movements have helped the art and culture of many neglected regions to flourish by increasing their exposure through local emphasis. But on the negative side, when the love and interests of a particular region become absolute, interests of other ‘regions’ are seen to be mutually incompatible, antagonistic, and hostile.

Body:

There are multiple reasons for the sentiment of regionalism to rise among certain sections. These maybe as follows:

• Cultural differences: India is a diverse country with a multitude of cultures and languages, and regionalism can be seen as a way for people to preserve and celebrate their unique cultural identities.
  • Gorkhaland is a demand among people living in Bengal who have a distinct culture from the mainstream society there.
• Historical injustices: Some regions may feel that they have been marginalized or treated unfairly, leading to a desire for greater autonomy and self-governance. Regionalism becomes a tool for them to mobilize the masses using their cultural symbols.
  • The Jharkhand movement was a typical example of how historical neglect of the needs of the people living in the region led to rise of regionalism and eventual bifurcation of Bihar state.
• Imposition of a conflicting ideology or aspiration: Linguistic aspirations and expression of ethnicity have long remained a formidable basis of regionalism. Example: Imposition of Hindi became a trigger for regional movements in Southern states.

But more than these, uneven development in different parts of the country may be construed as the prime reason for regionalism. This is manifested in the case of Telangana and is being seen now in the case of Vidarbha and Gorkhaland. The following may be some factors behind uneven development triggering the feeling of regionalism:

• Concentration of industries: There are certain regions in the country where industries and factories have been concentrated. The other regions are blatantly neglected which leads to lack of infrastructure and employment opportunities there. This leads to further marginalization and eventually a feeling of resentment towards others. This resentment manifests as regionalism.
• Lack of Public facilities: Public services like Educational and health facilities are not well developed in the states like Bihar and Jharkhand. This gives rise to a sense of relative deprivation among the people against others and leads to regionalism.
• Geographical features: Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand are regions that were having unique geographical features which made it difficult for them to attract industries and build infrastructure. This led to several movements, ultimately resulting in the formation of new States.
• North East is facing regionalism as a result of years of neglect in its infrastructural development as part of nation building.

Conclusion:

In a country as diverse as India, regionalism is inevitable if the specific needs of the varied regions are not addressed specifically. Through regionally balanced policy making and special focus on addressing the gaps in development, the diversity of India can be converted into an asset for national integration rather than as a divisive factor.