THE BALKANISATION OF INDIA

Surprised? Shocked perhaps? Think I am off my rocker? That I have gone stark raving mad?

I hope I am wrong…

Balkanisation means the process of subdivision of a geographical region into {usually hostile} nation-states, and owes its origin in the subdivision of the Balkan Peninsula during the Balkan  wars.

There are those who might think this does not apply to The Sovereign Secular Democratic Republic of India. I sincerely do hope so!

BUT…

Recent events belie that hope, namely the events in Maharashtra with the emergence of a strong Marathi backlash along sectarian and linguistic lines. It is very well known what is going on in Maharashtra with the Raj vs Bihar – UP imbroglio.

But, disturbingly, this is not the only signal. There are other problem spots that are not getting as much media attention, viz. Assam, Chhattisgarh, & Nagaland. And, one can never forget our biggest mistake, Kashmir! While the Assamese – Naga – Chhattisgarhia issue is a naxal problem, Maharashtra is the first overtly linguistic backlash in this country.

And that is why it needs to be taken very seriously. Why? Simply because we are a nation of a multitude of linguistic barriers. The south is already at odds over the Hindi issue, and no one there will agree to Hindi. Gujarat – the oh-so-silent Gujarat – well, just visit there once. Please do. And when you are there, try and count the number of Hindi signages. You wont find many, I can tell you that. Ditto in the South. Ditto in the east.

How long before the same cry is taken up by other states? Once this cancer spreads, keep in mind that Gujarat, Bengal, Assam, Kashmir, Punjab, Taml Nadu will all go up in the same cry – and you have yourself a major problem.

I am a Maharashtrian – a pure bred Maharashtrian at that. I can empathise with what is happening there. I can also fully understand the southern anti-hindi-language brigade.

While the issue in Maharsthra is not language, but the divide is along ligusitic lines - Maharashtra is for Maharshtrians. THAT I am totally against! While I do not condone it, I also accept that just crushing the uprising China-style will not do. Not now, not in a democratic nation!

Unless the core issues are dealt with, we can only hope for more such problems in other areas as well. This is not a doomsday fantasy – remember that with the passage of time, problem spots have increased. First it was only Punjab  and Kashmir. Now, Assam, Nagaland, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram are all facing Naxal threats in a major way. The south is already alienated from the north on the language front, and now Maharashtra looks set to join in!

How long before Gujarat and Bengal also join in, taking a cue from Maharashtra? The south is already solidly anti - hindi language - and it is a single step from anti-hindi-language to anti - north Indian! Think about this…. Just think.

This post is not to analyse the problem, or to suggest a solution. My only objective is to get you to think very seriously – or we might find a repeat of Yugoslavia, Russia, Balkan Peninsula {Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Bosnia – Herzegovina, Albania, Greece…}

We are unique in the annals of world history. IN THE ENTIRE ANNALS OF WORLD POLITICS, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE NATION TO EQUAL THE INDIAN EXPERIMENT!

Let us all keep it that way!

I am saying this because I care…

I care. I hope you do too!

Comments welcome