Regional-Sub-Nationalism: Need for It in Bihar
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Author argues that India cannot develop leaving Bihar undeveloped. In the last one decade or so Bihar has registered a negative growth (-1%) in GDP. Author argues that millions of small mutinees are taking place in Bihar, but unlike in other states/regions these mutinees have not fused into a subnational movement to create a sub-national loyalty among people of Bihar.
Bihar - unlike other states/regions - has been occupied with national agenda from preindependence. It gave sacrifices on issues like locating of industrial projects & institutions and others and bowed before strong subnationalism voices from other regions to uphold nationalism. The culture of earlier united Bihar made it happily subsidize Indian industrialization though it has been mineral-rich and deserved better.
In other regions, people valued their local culture, local cuisines, local music and others. In contrast, things with local identity never got place of preeminence in Bihar despite having a rich sub-altern culture. Only now 'Chhatt' festival is becoming convergence point of people of Bihar.
Author argues that: Sub-nationalism is required in Bihar to put focus of people there, political parties there back on Bihar. To create this sub-nationalism, Bihar needs to increasingly find pride in its local culture.
The regional nationalism and all India nationalism are not needed to be contradictory, in India they are complementary. Author gives example that two songs of Rabindranath Tagore, one meant for Indian nationalism (Jana Gana Mana) and the other for Bengali subnationalism (Amar Sonar Bangla), which eventually became the national anthems of two countries India and Bangladesh, indicate the feasibility of concurrent commitment to separate but not incompatible identities.
Bihar which has given so many sacrifices for betterment of whole of India now needs the support of India by allocation of more resouces for Bihar, just like a sick child is supported by a family till he/she recovers. Only in animal kingdom, weaks are neglected, deprived or even killed.
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