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The Indian
constitution states ‘We The People Of India’. It
doesn’t differentiate between an Oriya, a
Maharashtrians or a Bihari. Though that cant be
said about the Indian politicians. It’s nothing
less than unfortunate that political parties in
India and specially the BJP can go to any extent
to increase their vote bank. This was visible
when Pramod Mahajan stated that Maharashtrians
would not tolerate the 'dadagiri' (bullying
behavior) of Bihari students and warned them to
maintain low profile or face consequences.
Previously also the Shiv Sena had assaulted
Bihari candidates who had come to Mumbai to give
competitive exams.
India as a country does not belong to any
particular community or class. Everyone has a
right to work and earn his livelihood anywhere
in the country, the constitution envisages it.
The reason behind this is to strengthen the
unity and integrity of India.
The constitution of India expressly states that
every citizen of Indian has the right to move to
any part of the country freely. Article 15 of
the constitution prohibits discrimination on
grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place
of birth. Whereas Article 19 (1) (d) and 19 (1)
(e), says that all citizen shall have the right
to move freely throughout the territory of India
and to reside and settle in any part of the
territory of India.
Every state in India is dependents on the other
either directly or indirectly. Be it
electricity, water sharing or food. The simple
reason being that each state in itself is not
self dependent. Some region of the country
abounds in food crops, some in electricity and
some in timber.
The constitution has nowhere said that a
particular state or a city would be restricted
for the outsiders. Perhaps with time Pramod
Mahajan and the Shiv Sena have gained more
authority than the constitution.
Shiv sena in 2003 launched the `Me Mumbaikar'
campaign shouting on top of its voice that
Mumbai belongs to Mumbaikars and no outsiders
would be allowed to earn their livelihood or
compete in state exams.
The people who say that no outside people should
be allowed in to Mumbai should ask themselves a
question that is Mumbai just made up of the
Maharashtrians or does it includes other people
from all over the country and would Mumbai
continue to function as its functioning now if
all national aid is stopped, or all the other
non Maharashtrians leave Mumbai?
They argue that these non-mumbaikars are putting
pressure on the already over burdened resources
of the city and that these migrants are also
instrumental in increasing the slum population.
But those people who are arriving in Mumbai or
for that matter to any other metropolitan city
are they doing this by their free will? The
answer is ‘No’. No one likes leaving his
homeland and working in some other place that
too when you have to live in slums. Those poor
migrants who have migrated have done so because
they have no other options. Poverty,
unemployment force them to do so, they are not
attracted by the glitters of that place
Feeling of statehood should not be given
priority over nation hood, a state is a state if
and only if the nation exists. If from tomorrow
UP declares that UP is for the “Uttar Pradeshi”,
next day the Punjabis , and then Delhi and so
on, then each state will in itself become a
country which just for the namesake would be a
part of India.
This intra regional conflict that the leaders
politicize if not stopped will soon turn into a
danger which will threaten the nation’s
integrity. These pseudo-politicians should be
made aware of the repercussions their statement
can generate, not for their state but for the
country.
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