In an unintended spin-off of the Centre’s decision on Telangana, a raft of separate state demands has started gathering steam. Either debilitated or dormant earlier, the clamour for new states has got a fresh lease of life now.
The first off the block was the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh. On Thursday, he threatened to launch an agitation if the demand for a separate Harit Pradesh — carved out of western Uttar Pradesh — was not met.
“People have agreed to the need for Harit Pradesh, so has Rahul Gandhi. We are waiting for the Centre’s action. If it does not take any steps then we will begin our agitation,” Singh said.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters have announced a fast unto death from Friday in Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Siliguri and Terai to demand a separate Gorkhaland. The Bundelkhand Mukti Morcha (BMM) too did not lose time in announcing a “massive” agitation for a separate Bundelkhand state.
“While we are happy for the people of Telangana, the Centre cannot adopt double standards with regard to our demand. Both the provinces were promised a separate state. We will launch a massive struggle to ensure that our demands our met,’’ said BMM president Raja Bundela.
The BMM is planning a 300-km long march from Chitrakoot to Katonah in Madhya Pradesh from December 16.
The Bundelkhand region comprises certain districts of UP and MP and neither of the two states are currently willing to consider that demand.
The Congress, however, has made it clear that it “would be wrong to bracket or equate the demand for any other new state with that of Telangana”.
The dormant demands for a separate Poorvanchal state, to be carved out of eastern UP, and a separate Bhojpur state comprising areas of eastern Uttar Pradesh are likely to be raked up now.
Comments