Centre plans to bifurcate the state’s western region into Kongu Nadu
Tamil Nadu woke up to a surprise when they opened the Dinamalar daily dated July 10, 2021. “Kongu Nadu! The Western Region becomes a separate union territory,” It said, “The Central Government has started the process of declaring the western part of Tamil Nadu as a separate Union Territory under the name of ‘Kongu Nadu‘. In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, the formation of the Kongu Union Territory is set to begin. According to political sources, the BJP has taken over the territory of the Union Territory in retaliation for those who hate the Union Government and for their party to become a strong party in Tamil Nadu in the future.
What does the law say?
Article 3 in the Constitution of India 1949 states that the Centre can:
1. Form a new State by separation of territory from any State or by uniting two or more States or parts of States or by uniting any territory to a part of any State;
2. Increase the area of any State;
3. Diminish the area of any State;
4. Alter the boundaries of any State;
5. Alter the name of any State;
Provided that no Bill for the purpose shall be introduced in either House of Parliament except on the recommendation of the President and unless, where the proposal contained in the Bill affects the area, boundaries, or name of any of the States, the Bill has been referred by the President to the Legislature of that State for expressing its views thereon within such period as may be specified in the reference or within such further period as the President may allow and the period so specified or allowed has expired.
Some legal experts argue that “the separation of state requires the consent of the state government.” But, here’s one thing to note. Views are just that: consent is not stated. Therefore, the consent of the state government is not required to separate the State. Hearing is a legal formality, that’s all.
The politics behind it
Kongu Nadu is a region comprising of 8 districts namely Salem, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Namakkal, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, and Nilgiris. This is western Tamil Nadu.
Of these, Salem District – 11, Coimbatore District – 10, Tiruppur – 8, Erode – 8, Namakkal – 6, Krishnagiri – 6, Dharmapuri – 5, Nilgiris – 3 are the Assembly constituencies. The total number of blocks is 57.
This area is the sphere of influence of the AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam). This time too, AIADMK won 10 out of 11 constituencies in Salem district: AIADMK won 10 out of 10 constituencies in Coimbatore district. Here in the AIADMK stronghold, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also growing. This is the least influential part of the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) in Tamil Nadu. By separating this alone, an important part can be brought permanently out of the influence of the DMK.
The term ‘United States‘, which the DMK has been claiming in recent times, has raised many doubts about the Central Government. It is doubtful whether the DMK is moving towards the old Dravidian demand. Before it spread across Tamil Nadu – the Central Government may have thought that by dividing Tamil Nadu into two states, the DMK’s intentions could be thwarted.
If this is divided into separate states and elections are held tomorrow, the allied party AIADMK will come to power. The BJP leadership believes that the BJP has the potential to become an opposition party now and a ruling party in the future. Already, Vanathi Srinivasan from the Kongu region has been appointed as the All India leader of the BJP women’s team[1]. L Murugan, who hails from this region, has now been appointed Union Minister[2]. Annamalai, a former IPS officer from the same area, has been appointed as the leader of the Tamil Nadu BJP[3].
Through this, efforts have begun to advance the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Kongu region.
Is this a new request?
Dr. Ramdas, the founder of the Proletarian People’s Party, has spoken many times emphasizing such a demand in April this year. Even in his Facebook post on the 19th, he had said that Tamil Nadu should be divided into three as North Tamil Nadu, South Tamil Nadu, and Kongu Nadu. “Small is beautiful,” he said.
Congress leader and former MP Anbarasu have reiterated the same demand. Here is his interview with Vikatan Today dated July 13, 2013. In it, he had insisted that Tamil Nadu should be divided into South Tamil Nadu and Northern Tamil Nadu.
Before this, reports are now coming in that on Dec 27, 2009, the BJP wing of Karur district had passed a resolution to form a separate state of Kongu Desam.
Kongu country in literature and history
The Kongu region is referred to as the Kongu Nation, a region comprising 24 countries.
Extensive references to the Kongu nation can be found from the fourteenth century. “There is a proverb that if Kongu prospers, it will prosper everywhere. In the time of the Nayaks, there were Kongu settlements. Therefore, the term Kongu Nadu is not new. Fruit is the literary word for it.”
The federal government has put a stop to the old word and launched a new initiative – as well as shocked.
What is the account of the Central Government?
Instead of the DMK leadership calling it a “Union Government” in a separatist tone, the Modi government says “Kongu Nadu”.
The Central Government realizes that it is the Government of India that decides the states to counter the portrayal of India by the States.
If separatism is put forward, the Central Government is putting forward separatism in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu politics is becoming the arena of two opposite narratives.
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
References:
[1] Vanathi Srinivasan Appointed BJP Women’s Wing President – Oct 28, 2020, India.com
[2] Murugan rewarded with Union cabinet berth for delivering 4 BJP seats in Tamil Nadu – Jul 08, 2021, India Today
[3] Annamalai appointed BJP Tamil Nadu unit president – Jul 08, 2021, TOI
- Kongu Nadu: A counter-narrative to Ondriya Arasu - July 14, 2021
- China Island in Sri Lanka: Is it dangerous for India? - July 6, 2021
Need for Union Territory surrounding Bangladesh
The border districts of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam have High Muslim population who have come from Bangladesh through infiltration.
Central government will be well advised to create an Union Territory which surrounds Bangladesh by taking these Bangla Muslim heavy districts.
This will also liberate these areas from future demographic takeover by Jihadi elements
R@scals like Kolahala Srenivaas have conveniently chosen to look at history only across a few centuries. They have failed to look at the larger picture, that being the invasion of the land of the Dravidas by the Aryans more than 3000 years ago. The so-called “Kongu Naadu” was in fact a part of the Dravidian Heritage, that being part of peninsular India. How are these Kongus different from Dravidians? Vanathi Sreenivasan, L. Murugan, Ramadas, and Annamalai are obviously Dravidian Traitors. All those who do not want a united Tamil Nadu should be kicked out of Tamil Nadu. Let them go back to their $hithole in Varanasi from whence they came.
You need to get your head out of the excrement you are smelling. There is no Dravidian-Aryan theory. End of story.
Well said, Mr. Sankar. The Dravidian Heritage is trying to be decimated by these traitors. The illiterate ‘Team PGurus’ prefers to live in deep $H!T just like their mentor, a$$h0le SriIyer.
Limit your comments to the topic – abusing a person, calling him illiterate is not on. There never was a Dravidian heritage – you may want to develop the habit of reading… a lot. Otherwise it is GIGO.
Limit your comments to the topic – abusing a person, calling him illiterate is not on. There never was a Dravidian heritage – you may want to develop the habit of reading… a lot. Otherwise, it is GIGO.
since president can sign ,will an ordinance be sufficient. , will this happen during this monsoon session that will begin on 19 th of this month.waiting this to happen .