Separatism is the advocacy of a state of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group, often with demands for greater political autonomy and even for full political secession and the formation of a new state
Various Seperatist movements in India
There have been 8 secessionist movements namely Khalistan, Assam , Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh
Kashmir : The most high profile separatist actions have been in Kashmir, with the assumption that the Muslim majority Kashmir Valley would join Pakistan or become independent, but that Hindu majority Jammu and Buddhist majority Ladakh would stay in India
Khalistan : Khalistan is on actually proposed Sikh homeland. The Khalistan movement is a movement in Indian Punjab to create "The Land of the Pure" as an independent Sikh state in all Punjabi-speaking areas, which include Indian Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and some other Punjabi speaking parts of states like Gujarat and Rajasthan
Assam : The United Liberation Front of Asom is a separatist group from Assam, among many other such groups in North-East India. It seeks to establish a sovereign Assam via an armed struggle in the Assam Conflict. The Government of India had banned the organization in 1990 and classifies it as a terrorist group, while the US State Department lists it under "Other groups of concern".
Bodoland : The National Democratic Front of Bodoland, also known as NDFB or the Bodo Security Force, is a separatist movement that is predominantly christian which seeks to obtain a sovereign Bodoland for the Bodo people in Assam
Tripura : Both the National Liberation Front of Tripura and the All Tripura Tiger Force, which claim to represent the Tripuri people, an economically disadvantaged community.[8]. The NLFT, founded in 1989, aims for independence for Tripura. The NLFT is currently proscribed as a terrorist organization in India.
Arunachal Pradesh : The Arunachal Dragon Force (ADF), also known as the East India Liberation Front, is a violent secessionist movement in the eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The ADF seeks to create an independent state resembling the pre-British Teola Country consisting of area currently in Arunachal Pradesh as well as neighboring Assam
Nagaland : The NSCN factions and Naga National Council have been fighting for a greater Nagalim, which constitutes areas of present day Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Myanmar.
Manipur : A separatist insurgency began in 1964, although momentum to a more violent phase did not occur until 1978. The Separatists demand a sovereign state separate from the Union of India, a claimed lack of development, plundering of local resources, and a general discontent is part of their argument
Apart from the above the recent addition has been the demand of Telangana a region in Andhra Pradesh.
Telangana : is a region in Andhra Pradesh, India . On December 9, 2009, the Government of India announced that the process for the formation of Telangana state would be considered upon introduction and passage of a separation statement by the state assembly of Andhra Pradesh
Question for comments:
Do you think India should grant independence to these states?
What do you think are the major reasons for these movements ?
Post your thoughts in the comments section of this post.
Hi Mam,
ReplyDeleteThese posts are quite informative. Thank you for that. I don't think that India should grant them independence. But I do feel they are partly correct in demanding it, as the government has done very little for their development. These states along with Bihar, Jharkhand are very backward (not to mention inaccessible). I think the government should look at developing them in order to stop/reduce these secession movements rather than calling the groups terrorists. (I mean it doesn't solve the problem by calling someone/group terrorist).
Afrin