Minor story this, yes? No.
Not when you realise that this is the first time in a decade (the HT says 12 years) that any Prime Minister has bothered to visit the state. Yep, a whole the-last-time-we-did-this-we-were-bursting-Nbombs decade.
Seriously, how difficult is it for the head of the country to include a visit here? There are only 20-odd states, after all - even at the rate of one state a month, meaning each state gets a visit say every 2.5 years, you would've thought AP would have had at least 4 visits by now.
But noooooo. After all, not like it's really important, right? Not like it's not been a flashpoint since the breakdown of the pre-'62 "bhai-bhai" days. Not like its inhabitants feel a sense of disconnect from the concept of belonging to the country. Not like it's a state that the Centre should have been courting assidously, make it feel more at home, if only to thwart the Chinese. Of course not.
I think the ideal word to be used here is - Appalling.
It just makes me more convinced of my theory of an eventual break-up of the country.
31.1.08
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Sad, very sad.
You know, I am not against the idea of the "break-up" but every time that thought comes to my mind, I say to myself "ok, now you are starting to sound like those scary guys on online forums and message boards".
I think the imminent breakup might be coming from the perception of someone not living in the country. In India, I sense renewed national pride reinforced by a media that says India is shining. Everyone seems to want to be part of that dream.
Sigh...it's not surprising is it that there are so many people in the distant parts of our country who feel so let down.
I think a Balkanization of India is a slightly distant possibility - not because people are necessarily happy being part of the state - but just by way of the fact the Indian state has always played a war of attrition when people do want to break away. And because we are such a large country the state can get away with it.
km:
We all sound like that at some point, don't we?
the bride:
I don't deny the increased national pride...but as you say, it's a media thing. On the ground, you have all these little militant groups demanding new states - and bringing organized violence to areas previously "safe" (I mean, Naxalites in Andhra Pradesh?!). And besides, people now want to be associated as Indian because of our economic progress. We're getting rich, so we're happy to wave the flag.
And in a sense you're right....being away, and observing things on a macroscopic level does make you more aware of the problems across the country, rather than just be concerned about the little problems in your city and municipal area.
Szer:
Imminent - no. Eventual - decent probability. The problem perhaps is not only just that the State is so powerful, but that the majority of the people are yet to be geared into action. When that happens...
Heh...this was almost a Falstaffian comment.
It is certainly sad that the PM is visiting a state in 10 years! You'd think a responsible PM would be more concerned about the lives of his subjects than his own life.
Ah well, at least he's doing it. I mean, I'm sure there'll be a few hundred people who wouldn't mind killing him.
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