One Less Than A Dozen

So, the major political parties have decided to divide us into 11 states. How well prepared they were you can simply guess by the fact that for almost over six years they talked about federalism night and day, and today when they reached the consensus they have neither decided about the geographical boundary nor the names. Simply decided the number, 11. Anyone who opposes them is surely to be blamed as an undemocratic, regressive element. I dare to be one. Yes I do. It took over two and half century to unify this nation and today without any preparation and need they are dividing us citing differences in our ethnicity? This day they have formally sowed the seed of disintegration, believe me. There is no turning back if we let it go the way it is. Either denounce it now or get ready to live the rest of your life in regrets.

Divide and rule. The tried and tested formula is in use here again. Do any of our politicians have a national appeal? NO. But every single politician here is hungry for power. What better option do they have than go for a federal structure? Each state would have maybe chief minister, another ministers, parliament, and state offices and more… that means too many public posts they can recruit their cadres to. That way the four major political forces that have almost monopoly over the ‘democracy’ and the right to manipulate its definition will have no one to dethrone them from the helm of power any day. They would have a firm grip over power and can rule unchallenged.

Mumbai in Maharashtra has a population over17.7 population while Kolkata has over 14.6 million residents. Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state with over 200 million people, enough to make it the fifth populous country if it was one. Here we are with less than 30 million people, a country only larger than few states of our southern neighbor ready to be divided into 11 micro states. Does that make any sense? All these years we had centralized mode of governance but is federalism the answer to that problem? We need roads, schools, hospitals, etc and other infrastructure to develop the country. The country is so poor that it has to rely heavily on foreign loan, grants and assistance to meet its budget deficit. With so many states how can we fund the basic state expenses? We won’t have any development activities running for sure.

Maybe the states in Terai won’t have problem with funds. The southern neighbor would be delighted to help them. Why not? They succeeded in providing 3 million of their people with Nepali citizenship after Jana-Andolan II. That’s more than 10% of our current population. And that can manipulate too many things. Why do you think the pro-Madhes parties have prospered? Would they have threatened for secession from Nepal without the consent of southern neighbor? 

Dividing states along the ethnic line would be suicidal. Wasn’t the Yugoslavian lesson enough? One Madhes as single state or others ignoring the heterogeneous mixture of population is neither scientific nor will it do any good to the country. They must be looking for ways that will help to unite us. But here they are working hard to find differences among us and exaggerate them to their own benefit. 

Change ain’t always good. Yes we need change but when the people at the power are always the same, its foolishness to expect change under any form of governance. This lot is busy wagging its tail south. You did it once, but its never too late to rectify your mistakes! Awake!!!