A demand to trifurcate Tamil Nadu is getting silent momentum across the State. Though leaders of major political leaders are reluctant to come out in the open asking for the same, the intelligentsia, representatives of trade and industries bodies and farmers have expressed their anguish over the continued indifference of the DMK and the AIADMK to the needs of southern and south west Tamil Nadu.
S Ramadoss, the founder of the Pattali Makkal Katchi, an outfit of the Vanniyar community, is already on record demanding the bifurcation of Tamil Nadu into northern and southern States. “It is always better to have smaller States for administrative convenience. Events in the past have proved that division of larger States into smaller ones hasten up economic and social development,” said DR Ramadoss. Northern districts of Tamil Nadu have a considerable Vanniyar population which the doctor hopes would vote for his entity so that he could anoint his son Anbumani as the Chief Minister.
Tamil Nadu has an area of 50,216 sq miles with a population of 7.2 crore (according to 2011 census). The State has 38 districts and development of the regions is not in synchronisation with the population or regions, according to Arjun Sampath, founder. Hindu People’s Front, an apolitical organisation. “The south west Tamil Nadu consisting of seven districts contributes more than 50 per cent of the State’s revenue through industries and farming. But there is no development worth its name in the region, popularly known as Kongunadu.” said Arjun Sampath.
According to Arjun Sampath, the Avinashi-Athikadavu drinking water supply-cum-irrigation scheme envisaged more than six decades ago is the best proof of Chenna’s indifference to the region of seven districts. “The project is yet to materialise as residents and farmers are struggling for drinking water and irrigation water. The DMK is sore that it does not have any major presence in Kongunadu, a stronghold of the Gaunder community,” said Sampath.
Both Arjun Sampath and Jayakumar, an industrialist and cultural activist of Kongunadu told The Pioneer that it was time Kongunadu was liberated from the shackles of the rulers of Chennai.
“We have our own culture and heritage and need not be at the mercy of the Dravidian political parties. All major industries and industrialists are from Kongunadu belt and the Centre should initiate measures to form a separate State with Coimbatore as the capital city. The Dravidians are throttling the region by denying it all rights due to it,” said Jayakumar.
Equally interesting is the stance of educationist Dr YR Johnson, former principal of Navodaya Vidyalaya, which has been banned by the DMK in Tamil Nadu. Dr Johnson, who is waging a battle against the State administration’s Opposition to the launching of Navodaya Vidyalaya in the State says the students of Tamil Nadu are denied their right to quality education.
“Ours is the only State in the country which has not allowed the functioning of Navodaya Vidyalaya, an education system which would have made quality public school education free to all sections of the society. If they do not want such schools in Tamil nadu, let them trifurcate or bifurcate the State so that Navodaya Vidyalaya would become a reality in southern Tamil Nadu,” said Dr Johnson who is disappointed with the poor quality of education dished out in government and private management-run schools in Tamil Nadu.
Arjun Sampath pointed out the experiences of States like Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand which were carved out from bigger States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. “All these three States have made giant strides in a short time because of the ease with which they are administered,” said Arjun.
The Centre is empowered by the Constitution (Articles 2, 3 & 4) to bifurcate existing States into smaller States or Union Territories by suitable legislation in Parliament. Nobody can oppose such a move, according to Dr Jacob Thomas, former director general of police, Kerala.
