New states....?

Demand for a separate state continues to be the focus of several political organisations which see sovereignty as the solution to ethnic, regional or cultural differences as witnessed by the demands for creation of at least 10 new states over the years. These include a separate Mithilanchal in Bihar, Saurashtra in Gujarat and Coorg in Karnataka, among others. A senior home ministry official said the demands were mostly received from voluble organizations like Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and some other outfits and individuals. “Some political groups are more agitational in their demands. These include demands for Harit Pradesh carved out of UP, Telangana and Gorkhaland,” the official said. The most vocal organisation TRS had first raised its demand for creation of Telangana state in Andhra Pradesh a few years back while the GJM has been putting pressure to carve out Gorkhaland out of Darjeeling and its adjoining areas in West Bengal. The demand for creation of Bundelkhand, comprising districts like Banda, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Sagar of UP and MP, have been pending for long with the ministry, the official said. He added that while no state government had given any recommendation, which is mandatory for carving out a new state, the demands continue to pour in. A demand for creation of Bhojpur comprising areas of eastern UP, Bihar and Chhattisgarh has also been received by the ministry. The creation of a separate state of Saurashtra from Gujarat, one of the most prosperous states, has also been pending with the ministry for several years now. The Centre has received representations for creation of Harit Pradesh or Kisan Pradesh consisting several districts of western Uttar Pradesh, the official said. The home ministry has also received demands for creation of Mithilanchal or Mithila state comprising territories in Bihar, Greater Cooch Behar out of parts of West Bengal and Assam, Vidarbha in Maharashtra and a state for the Coorg region of Karnataka. However, no decision has been taken by the ministry in any of the demands. “Government takes decisions on the matter of formation of new states after taking into consideration all relevant factors,” the official said.