Citizens of the Lesser States

by Vivek Singh

Jan 8, 2007

Another set of emigrant Bihari laborers got killed in Assam. These kinds of events have become very frequent in India. To show you love for your land has become synonymous with hurting other state/linguist people for in your state. Politicians are all for it. They get cheap popularity and assume this will help them in making the state more economically viable and will create more jobs for local. And some people fall prey to them.

Kaveri Gallata in Bangalore, beating railways aspirant in Andhra Pradesh, Shiv Sena interference in JJ Medical college student fight, abuses in DTC buses are all glaring examples of it. Assam and Punjab has more violent examples. And much to the chagrin of politicians, all these kind of events will reduce the job for local people. Government jobs are anyway reserved for local people, so called outsiders only get jobs in private sector. As far as consuming local resources are concerned, government collects taxes from business and individual. More business means more jobs and more revenue for state and cities. Now almost every thing is taxed except corruption. In future, so called freelance writers also may have to pay VAT (Value Added Tax) for adding value to society.

So, this is not economics, it is sheer politics. You vs. Me, Local vs. Outside. We arouse regional and culture sentiments and try to boss around outsiders’ to show who is the boss. Police, administration are always with justice (kidding!!), sorry with local people. Their sons and daughters make beeline to US and UK embassy to somehow land in the Promised Land and fathers, uncles use their position (if not taking it to streets yet) arouses regional sentiments. They want fair treatment; equal opportunity in foreign land that they do not feel necessary at home.

People travel for fun – they do not migrate for fun. People migrate for greener pastures or freedom. I have not seen people migrating to show their cultural or regional superiority. Regional imbalance is one of major reason of migration in India. Although state government is responsible for regional development, federal government is no lesser culprits.

• Per capita investment is lower in poorer states by central government.
• Most of the central government investments come in and around metros.
• Central government infrastructure is focused on big cities.
• Central government actively creates white color jobs in big cities

The argument might be – a wise investor should invest where there is return. Metro generates lots of money so why not invest there. Argument well taken but a welfare state is not a greedy investor. It should look for equitable distribution rather than maximizing profit. If there can be reservation for less privileged caste why can’t be some investment can be reserved of less privileged states. If there is opportunity in your states you will not move out.

If government can not do it; at least government should provide fair treatment or equal opportunity for outsiders also. They are taxpayers too. They should not be alienated. Some of the steps taken to reassure that are:

• After stay of two years you should get voting right (not equivalent to domicile)
• Local city administration should be more independent.
• Metros should be made union territories – if they want to receive central government fund.
• Language of metro should not necessary be the state language.
• Administration and Police should be central.

After government it is time for Non Government Organizations.

NGOs are supposed to help less privileged – but they all mushroom in and around metros and assume less privileged to come there. Once they come, you start crying foul.

One way immigration is good. People become mobile. They leave their year long ethos and inertia and want to start fresh. It is good for India. It is good for entrepreneurship. We should support and plan for it. It will also erase the caste system we have ever since.

Immigration puts burden on city, infrastructure and police. But at the same time it brings enough money so that you can plan and improve. We should not harm others if I do not know how to plan. If you can not foresee night, do not blame it on Sun. Sun will follow the rule of nature.

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