The Government’s recent decision to go ahead with the formation of Telangana smacks of political opportunism and short-sightedness. Though various arguments for smaller States, such as better development and improvement in social and economic conditions, can be put forward, in reality none of the newly created States have stood testimony to that reasoning. Moreover, the recent water woes between States such as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and the Centre’s inability to settle them amicably are yet another indication that such issues will always crop up between neighbouring States.

More than the threat from Pakistan and China, internal wrangling between States during seasons of drought and natural calamities will prove a bigger challenge in the years to come.

In economic and social development, future governments at the Centre will have a hard time building consensus as some States will oppose certain measures, depending on their own political compulsions. While leaders such as Sardar Vallabhai Patel had struggled to bring about “unity in diversity” in our country by uniting various princely States soon after Independence, the recent decisions on splitting Andhra Pradesh could make India return to the pre-Independence era.

To set our country on a path of rapid progress and to ensure inclusive growth, we need prompt decisions backed by a strong stable government at the Centre.

Mohan Kumar is in his PGP IInd Year, MBA at Bharatidasan Institute of Management, Tiruchi.

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