Contrary to its claims of a union, pounded by separatist movements, ethnic spats, linguistic wrangles, caste clatters, communal tensions, and the ever-growing societal intolerance, India’s unity seems flimsier than ever.
From Kashmir to Punjab, and Manipur to Maharashtra, the separatist voices are resonating louder citing the discriminatory behaviour of the Central government that is being led by the ultra-orthodox Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
Recently, Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK has upped the ante against the BJP rule at the Centre as the Deputy Secretary-General of ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) A Raja while addressing a meeting in presence of the state’s CM Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, openly demanded independence from the Indian Union.
Reportedly, irked over the Centre’s unwarranted comportment in the form of repeated attempts to plunder Tamil Nadu’s capital and dominate its culture, Mr Andumuthi Raja categorically warned Delhi not to push Tamil Nadu into making demands for statehood by reducing its autonomy.
He further wrote on Twitter, “Chief Minister is walking on Anna’s way, don’t push us to Periyar’s way. Don’t compel us to ask for our own country, give us state autonomy. Until then we will not rest”.
Here, what is notable is the Pariyar’s way, E V Ramasamy ‘Periyar’ started the Self Respect Movement to regain the identity and self-esteem of Tamils. He envisioned an autonomous Dravida homeland of Dravida Nadu, encompassing Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Kannada speakers, and launched a political party, Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) to chase this feat.
A Raja’s recent outrage against the centre has a profound history, since DMK assumed power in May 2021, CM Stalin and his government have had several hassles with the Delhi government on a range of issues such as the three-language formula, National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), GST compensations, and the National Education Policy (NEP).
In April this year Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement regarding replacing English and local languages with Hindi also sparked a heated argument between DMK officials and the Center. Shah while talking to the 37th meeting of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee said, “Now the time has come to make the Official Language an important part of the unity of the country. When citizens of States who speak other languages communicate with each other, it should be in the language of India.”
In response, DMK leadership severely lambasted Amit Shah and termed his statement off-logic and chauvinism as Hindi is not intrinsic to at least 70 percent of the Indians and every citizen has a right to choose his language which cannot be imposed.
In August 2020, then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami also denounced and rejected the three-language formula promoted in the National Education Policy (NEP 2020). Several political leaders in the state had compelled the Centre to modify the draft of NEP in 2019 and withdraw a pitch to teach Hindi as a third language in schools in non-Hindi speaking States.
The Tamil Nadu government articulated its grave concerns to the centre over GST compensation through the enactment of the “GST (Compensation to the States) Act, 2017”. According to CM Stalin, out of the total recompense of Rs 21,781 crore receivable by the state in 2021-22, the state had received a loan amount of only Rs 8,095 crore. The balance compensation of Rs 13,505 crore was pendant as of February 2022 in the form of GST arrears to the State of Tamil Nadu.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), aimed at admitting students to undergraduate programmes in medicine has also been an apple of discord between the Delhi government and the DMK ruling over Tamil Nadu. Almost all political parties in the state argued that the exam in its existing form discriminates against the poor as well as Tamil medium students and does not provide equal opportunities for students across financial backgrounds.
There is another prevailing thought in the State that the Centre is biased when it comes to providing the due share to the Tamil people. Tamils have spread all across the world and send a huge number of remittances back home which are then extracted by the authorities sitting in New Delhi and expended in the northern parts of India which is seen as sheer unjust to the hardworking diaspora of Tamil Nadu.
Under the observable circumstances, the grievances of the DMK, which is the sole political representative of the Tamil people, and the demands for autonomy seem very much genuine. Tamil Nadu is a state that has been continuously disregarded by the BJP-led central government even though this state contributes greatly to the country’s growth.
As per the latest statistics, being India’s second-richest state, Tamil Nadu contributes 9 percent to India’s overall exports, 9.22 percent in GDP, and its share is 19.4 percent in India’s Textile Industry and 32.5 percent in the export of cars. In the export of leather products, Tamil Nadu’s contribution is 33 percent.
Aside from the legit and appropriate demand of Tamil Nadu’s separatism, India would likely tighten its hold through its belligerent and regnant practices over the resourceful state against the will of the natives because, for India, letting Tamil Nadu go is like letting go of a golden egg-laying chicken.
There is no doubt that, with its abundant resources and human capital, Tamil Nadu will be just as if not even more prosperous without the cow belt and a dominating Central government that tends to meddle with Tamil affairs by implementing the policy of looting the south through immense taxes and feeding the northern states.
From Kashmir to Punjab, and Manipur to Maharashtra, the separatist voices are resonating louder citing the discriminatory behaviour of the Central government that is being led by the ultra-orthodox Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
Recently, Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK has upped the ante against the BJP rule at the Centre as the Deputy Secretary-General of ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) A Raja while addressing a meeting in presence of the state’s CM Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, openly demanded independence from the Indian Union.
Reportedly, irked over the Centre’s unwarranted comportment in the form of repeated attempts to plunder Tamil Nadu’s capital and dominate its culture, Mr Andumuthi Raja categorically warned Delhi not to push Tamil Nadu into making demands for statehood by reducing its autonomy.
He further wrote on Twitter, “Chief Minister is walking on Anna’s way, don’t push us to Periyar’s way. Don’t compel us to ask for our own country, give us state autonomy. Until then we will not rest”.
Here, what is notable is the Pariyar’s way, E V Ramasamy ‘Periyar’ started the Self Respect Movement to regain the identity and self-esteem of Tamils. He envisioned an autonomous Dravida homeland of Dravida Nadu, encompassing Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Kannada speakers, and launched a political party, Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) to chase this feat.
A Raja’s recent outrage against the centre has a profound history, since DMK assumed power in May 2021, CM Stalin and his government have had several hassles with the Delhi government on a range of issues such as the three-language formula, National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), GST compensations, and the National Education Policy (NEP).
In April this year Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement regarding replacing English and local languages with Hindi also sparked a heated argument between DMK officials and the Center. Shah while talking to the 37th meeting of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee said, “Now the time has come to make the Official Language an important part of the unity of the country. When citizens of States who speak other languages communicate with each other, it should be in the language of India.”
In response, DMK leadership severely lambasted Amit Shah and termed his statement off-logic and chauvinism as Hindi is not intrinsic to at least 70 percent of the Indians and every citizen has a right to choose his language which cannot be imposed.
In August 2020, then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami also denounced and rejected the three-language formula promoted in the National Education Policy (NEP 2020). Several political leaders in the state had compelled the Centre to modify the draft of NEP in 2019 and withdraw a pitch to teach Hindi as a third language in schools in non-Hindi speaking States.
The Tamil Nadu government articulated its grave concerns to the centre over GST compensation through the enactment of the “GST (Compensation to the States) Act, 2017”. According to CM Stalin, out of the total recompense of Rs 21,781 crore receivable by the state in 2021-22, the state had received a loan amount of only Rs 8,095 crore. The balance compensation of Rs 13,505 crore was pendant as of February 2022 in the form of GST arrears to the State of Tamil Nadu.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), aimed at admitting students to undergraduate programmes in medicine has also been an apple of discord between the Delhi government and the DMK ruling over Tamil Nadu. Almost all political parties in the state argued that the exam in its existing form discriminates against the poor as well as Tamil medium students and does not provide equal opportunities for students across financial backgrounds.
There is another prevailing thought in the State that the Centre is biased when it comes to providing the due share to the Tamil people. Tamils have spread all across the world and send a huge number of remittances back home which are then extracted by the authorities sitting in New Delhi and expended in the northern parts of India which is seen as sheer unjust to the hardworking diaspora of Tamil Nadu.
Under the observable circumstances, the grievances of the DMK, which is the sole political representative of the Tamil people, and the demands for autonomy seem very much genuine. Tamil Nadu is a state that has been continuously disregarded by the BJP-led central government even though this state contributes greatly to the country’s growth.
As per the latest statistics, being India’s second-richest state, Tamil Nadu contributes 9 percent to India’s overall exports, 9.22 percent in GDP, and its share is 19.4 percent in India’s Textile Industry and 32.5 percent in the export of cars. In the export of leather products, Tamil Nadu’s contribution is 33 percent.
Aside from the legit and appropriate demand of Tamil Nadu’s separatism, India would likely tighten its hold through its belligerent and regnant practices over the resourceful state against the will of the natives because, for India, letting Tamil Nadu go is like letting go of a golden egg-laying chicken.
There is no doubt that, with its abundant resources and human capital, Tamil Nadu will be just as if not even more prosperous without the cow belt and a dominating Central government that tends to meddle with Tamil affairs by implementing the policy of looting the south through immense taxes and feeding the northern states.
