Gorkhaland supporters called for a bandh in Darjeeling for their own state while Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh threatened to resume the agitation for a separate Harit Pradesh, as the planned statehood for Telangana sparked fresh demands today to create new states.
With the Centre agreeing to carve out Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, it is expected to be tested in the backdrop of demands for at least seven other new states besides Gorkhaland in West Bengal and Harit Pradesh or Kisan Pradesh to be carved out from western UP. Telangana will be the 29th state in the Indian Union as and when it is created.
There have been muted calls for creating Mithilanchal in Bihar, Coorg in Karnataka and Saurashtra in Gujarat.
"Since Telangana has been approved by the Centre on the lines of the Gorkhaland statehood demand, our demand for a separate state carved out from West Bengal should also be conceded by the Centre," GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri told PTI from Darjeeling.
"Ours is a 102-year-old demand. We should be given justice and we have called a three-day bandh from December 14 in Darjeeling to press for it," Giri, who left for Delhi at the head of a four-member GJM team to take up the issue, said.
A fast-unto-death by 21 GJM members would also begin from tomorrow in the hill areas of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong, besides Siliguri in the plains, GJM President Bimal Gurung said.
Ajit Singh said people by and large have accepted the need for Harit Pradesh.
"Rahul Gandhi also said he is in favour of a separate Bundelkhand(carved out of MP and UP). So it is a question now when the government moves. But if the government does not move we will start our agitation(for Harit Pradesh) again,".
Home Ministry officials said the demands were mostly received from political parties and organisations like Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) and some individuals.
After conceding the demand of one of the most vocal organisations - Telengana Rashtra Samiti - for creation of Telengana state, comprising Telengana region in AP, the Centre in the coming weeks may encounter renewed demands of GJM, which has been putting pressure to carve out Gorkhaland state out of Darjeeling and its adjoining areas in West Bengal.
The demand for creation of Bundelkhand state, comprising districts of Banda, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Sagar of UP and MP have been pending for a long time with the ministry, an official said.
Though no state government has given any recommendation, which is mandatory for carving out a new state, the demands continue to pour in.
A demand for creation of Bhojpur state comprising areas of Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar has also been received by the Ministry.
Another demand for creation of a new state comprising Saurastha region of Gujarat, one of the most prosperous states in the country, has also been pending with the Ministry for several years now.
The Centre has received representations for creation of Harit Pradesh or Kisan Pradesh consisting several districts of Western Uttar Pradesh, the official said.
Favouring small States like Telangana, Vidarbha, Bundelkhand and a Harit Pradesh, Ajit Singh recently said, "Uttar Pradesh is ungovernable. We will also start our agitation for re-organisation of the State. We had stopped it for some time as the Telangana issue had come up."
The Home Ministry has also received demands for creation of Mithilanchal or Mithila state comprising districts of Northern Bihar, a new Greater Cooch Behar state out of parts of West Bengal and Assam, a Vidarbha state in Maharashtra and a state for the Coorg region of Karnataka.
However, no decision has been taken by the Home Ministry in any of these representation for creation of new states.
"Government takes decision on the matter of formation of new states after taking into consideration all relevant factors. Action by the government would depend on the need and general consideration," the official added. PTI
