Post Independence Movements In India: Smaller State Demands and Challenges

Post Independence Movements in India: State Reorganization and Demand for Smaller States #

• Post independence reorganization of states based on linguistic basis was given primacy following Fazl Ali Commission and State reorganization act 1956, marking significant developments in post independence movements in India. However, this reorganization was not limited to the language factor alone.
• The demand for smaller states has been a recurring issue in India due to cultural, political, economic, and administrative factors etc.
• While smaller states offer advantages such as better governance, regional development, and administrative efficiency, there are also challenges in their creation and management.
• People along with leaders came out in support of their aspiration in the form of post independence movements in India, which included all the democratic means to achieve their aim. Sometimes post independence movements in India for Smaller States become violent, leading to loss of life and resources.

Post Independence Movements in India: Drivers for Smaller State Demands #

• Culture and Ethnicity: Minority groups in states carry the fear that the influence of majority culture might sweep away their culture.
  • To protect their identity, they start to mobilize in groups to assert their identity. 
  • This motivates them to demand a separate state for better representation.
  • Example: Gorkhaland out of West Bengal, Nagalim in North East, Bodoland in Assam, Greater Tipraland from other nearby states in northeast India.
• Better Governance: Lack of participation in mainstream politics and decision making from a particular region.
  • Example: Proposal to split Uttar Pradesh into 4 states namely  Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Awadh Pradesh and Paschim Pradesh 
• Political Reasons: They feel this separate state would afford them better political representation and economic opportunities, in accordance with the Indian Constitution.
  • The change in mode of electoral representation has led to assertiveness of the hitherto politically dormant region, consequently leading to demand for smaller states.
  • Example: Post independence movements in India of Grater Tipra land, UP region demanding Harit Pradesh. 
• Imposition of Local Language and Culture: Large state governments often neglects the minority languages and culture: 
  • Example: In West Bengal imposition of Bengali in Darjeeling hills, Earlier Jammu and Kashmir state, where only Urdu and English were recognised as state language despite a good population of Kashmiris.
• Economic Backwardness: When the state size is large it is often argued that distant regions from the capital feel deprivations and  discriminations in terms of financial grants and developmental opportunities.
  • Example: Telangana region in earlier Andhra Pradesh, Vidarbha in Maharashtra, Bundelkhand and Purvanchal regions of Uttar Pradesh. These regions are relatively less developed in their state.
• Diversity in States: Indian states represent  different religious and cultural groups existing along with an unequal level of regional development within a state.
• Regional Consciousness: These diversities become the grounds for generation of regional consciousness within a state. 
• Direction by  Leaders: Conscious leaders from these groups  underline that within the existing administrative arrangement, their region is not given fair treatment by governments hence backwards in terms of social, economical and political.
• Inspiration for Newly Formed State: To get justice for their people, these groups demanded to have separate representation in the form of a new state for their development by taking inspiration from newly formed  other states.

Benefits of Smaller States in Post-Independence Movements in India #

• Evidence from the Eleventh Plan Document: There is enough evidence to suggest that smaller states mostly tend to do better.
  • According to the Eleventh Plan Document, the then newly created states of Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh grew economically faster than their parent states, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, respectively, between 2004-05 to 2008-09.
• Administrative Convenience: more effective and efficient administration as smaller states are easier to administer as compared with Large states.
• Homogeneous Preferences: Smaller state is more likely to be homogenous in terms of its developmental aspirations.
• Democratic Participation: It facilitates the people’s participation as administration becomes closer to people leading to democratic decentralization.
• Fiscal Management and Economic Growth: Small States are more effective for fiscal management.
  • It will not add to the burden of administrative expense, which could be utilized for development work.
  • Viability of small states also resonates in the economic growth experience of several small states
  • Example: Goa and Chhattisgarh
• Reducing Development Gap: Better targeting of regional development will take place and regional disparities will become narrow.
  • The popular demands, needs and problems of the region may be addressed efficiently.
• Solution to Identity Crisis: Resolve the problem of identity crisis among the ethnic groups and enable them to develop their own language and culture.
• Greater Competition: There shall be greater competition among states for more development.
• Growth of Nationalism: Regions specially on distant borders are prone to be influenced by rival countries like China and Pakistan.
  • When their demands were accepted by the national government, they didn’t feel alienation and thus grew trust in the National government.
  • Example: the formation of Nagaland, Mizoram, and the Union Territory of Ladakh.
• More Voice for Minorities: According to Dr B R Ambedkar, minorities (SCs and STs) would be better off in smaller states as they could make their voices heard and have better access to political power and governance.

Challenges and Implications of Defining Smaller States in Post Independence Movements in India #

• Ambiguity in Defining “Smaller State”: Question of defining “small state” is highly subjective.
  • There is substantial disagreement  over what type of criteria (quantifiable or qualitative) are most appropriate to characterize the small state.
• Contradicting Vallabhai Patel’s Vision: Undermining the Unity Efforts and Potentially Disrupting the Consolidation Drive achieved by Sardar Patel.
• Cascading Effect: If demand for one state is granted ,there may be more such demands and thus disturbing centre-state relations.
• Administrative Redundancies: Duplication and overlapping of administrative setup – courts, Human resources.
• Rivalries may Increase: Complication of matter w.r.t allocation of finances, center – state relations, sharing of river water etc may increase the rivalries among the states..
• Poor Performance of New States: The performance of newly formed states of Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Telangana is not very encouraging.
  • In the Human Development Index, Uttarakhand remains at the bottom.
  • In recent years, the state of Chhattisgarh has seen the most tribal displacement.
  • Jharkhand has been known for its coal scams and corrupt practices.
  • Telangana is heavily dependent on Central funds for its development works
• Lack of Matured Leadership in the newly developed states leads to governance deficit
• Pressure on Fiscal Resources: Creation of new administrative machinery and institutions puts a lot of pressure on fiscal resources.
• Economic Burden on the Centre: Smaller states depend to a substantial extent on the central government for financial aid.
  • Example: States such as Uttarakhand have been given Special status. 
• Lack in Infrastructure: A new state may find itself lacking in infrastructure, such as Assembly building, Connectivity to the state capital etc, which requires time, money and efforts to build.  
  • Example: Recently, the Andhra Pradesh government decided to roll back its 3 capital formula.
  • Capital city Raipur is yet to be connected on rail through Bastar regions of Chhattisgarh, 
• International Influence: Hostile neighbors like China and Pakistan may use this vulnerability or may create vulnerability to destabilize the country
  • Example: Support of China in Naxalbari movement, Nagaland Movement etc.

Constitutional Safeguards and Development Initiatives in Post Independence Movements in India #

• Constitutional Provisions:
  • In Article 371 which includes ‘special provisions’ for 11 states, including six states of the Northeast owing to their backwardness,.
    • Example: Setting up Developmental Boards – E.g. Vidarbha and Saurashtra
  • Fundamental Rights: Article 29 and 30 provide protection of rights of linguistic and religious minorities.
• Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule: Constitution of India provide special arrangements for areas inhabited by Scheduled tribes
  • Example Creation of an Autonomous Councils such as Darjeeling Gorkha Council to manage their affairs.
• Separate Ministry for North East: The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region was established in 2001 which acts as the nodal Department of the Central Government to deal with matters related to the socio-economic development of the eight States of north east.
• Special developmental assistance and package like Tribal Sub Plan And SC sub Plan
• Recognition of Language: Inclusion of language in the eighth schedule of the constitution.
  • Example: Konkani, Bodo, Nepali etc.
• Educational Development: Reservation, Scholarship, Hostel facilities, Bus Facilities etc has been provided by the government from primary level to higher studies for vulnerable sections (SC and ST)  to increase their participation in the development process.

Way Forward: Strategic Recommendations for Post Independence Movements in India #

• Redraw the Map: Even as the older federal structure served the polity created at Independence, there is a need to redraw the map of India in keeping with the new social and political order. 
• Reorganization should be viewed not as a one-time task but as an ongoing process that remains incomplete.
  
• Delicate Consideration: Simultaneously, forming a federation comprising smaller states is an intricate undertaking that demands meticulous attention.
• Growth and Development: Specially in areas which have been alienated from the fruits of development for a long time.
  • Example: Naxalbari movement affected regions, Tribal Population in north east region of India
• Ensure Democratic Participation: Their participation in democratic politics should be ensured by giving them more voice in the government.
  • Example: making Draupadi Murmu as the first tribal President of India is a step in the right direction.
• Need Second Reorganisation Commission: Considering the plethora of demands being raised, it is time for a second States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) that can redraw India’s federal map, establishing numerous smaller states while considering both economic sustainability and people’s aspirations.
• Direct Intervention: Nation security, integrity and sovereignty should be given primacy while dealing with separatist tendency.
  • Example: Abolition of Article 370 and reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir.

Conclusion #

• If it is assumed that smaller states’ jurisdictions are developmentally more efficient then such arrangements already exist in the form of local bodies and in the form of blocks. 
• Effective, efficient utilization of these institutions and capacity building is way forward.
• Besides proper implementation of schemes for minorities, border villages and vulnerable sections  should be done on time.