Telangana could spur more statehood demands

 Rakhi Chakrabarty, TNN | Jul 13, 2013, NEW DELHI: The Congress's initiative to carve out a separate Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh could give a fillip to a range of statehood movements. Some of these have often turned violent while discontent and angst have been simmering in others, fear senior home ministry officials. 

Statehood for Bundelkhand out of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh is alive. The Bundelkhand Mukti Morcha (BMM) has been demanding a separate state by carving out seven districts of UP and 12 from MP. As chief minister, Mayawati had supported the demand for creation of Purvanchal, Bundelkhand and Harit Pradesh out of UP. This movement could gain momentum if Telangana becomes a separate state. BMM has long been urging that demands for Telangana and Bundelkhand have much in common. 

Among the other crucial ones is the movement for Gorkhaland by dividing West Bengal. The first phase marked by violence and bloodshed was quelled but it revived around 2007. The demand still echoes through the hill district of Darjeeling and the adjoining terai region. After the Trinamool Congress came to power in West Bengal,Mamata Banerjee signed a memorandum of agreement leading to the formation of a semi-autonomous Gorkha Territorial Administration. Though there is an uneasy calm, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha spearheading the movement has not given up its statehood demand. 

Experts fear as soon as Telangana gets the nod for a separate state, it could spell trouble in Darjeeling if the government does not accept the demand for Gorkhaland. 

Another violent movement in Bengal and Assam for Kamtapur for Koch-Rajbongshis has been simmering for long. The Separate State Demands Committee for Kamtapur demands Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, north Dinajpur, south Dinajpur and Malda districts of Bengal and about 11 districts of Assam, including Dhubri, Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar for their new state. 

Problems could aggravate in Assam where several groups could step up their statehood demand. Experts are worried if the armed agitation for Bodoland that petered out after an agreement for Bodoland Territorial Council between the Centre, Assam and Bodo Liberation Tigers would be revived. 

The Dimasa people of Assam, too, have been a demanding a state including Dima Hasao, Cachar, parts of Nagaon and Karbi Anglong of Assam and part of Dimapur in Nagaland.