Kutchis aspire for a separate state now

Kutchis aspire for a separate state now
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

BHUJ, APRIL 3: The resentment against the Gujarat government over the issue of “inadequate earthquake relief” is fast building up into a movement for separate statehood for the worst-hit Kutch district.

The “step motherly” treatment meted out to the largest drought-prone and underdeveloped district vis-a-vis its counterparts in Saurashtra and other regions of Gujarat have brought together supporters of all political parties including the ruling BJP on the warpath.

What started out as an outfit of traders in the old city of Bhuj has today taken the shape of a platform representing the “collective voice of the citizens” of the district, the largest in the state, which is as big as Haryana. “We have been facing immense discrimination. Out of 182 legislators in Gujarat, only four MLAs represent the largest district”, says Ratnakar Dholakia, convener of the newly-formed apolitical ‘Bhuj Punarvasan Samiti’ (Bhuj rehabilitation council). “The much hyped and controversial project over river Narmada”, he said, “was conceived to give us water, but except us everyone benefitted from it.”

“Even in the matter of relief, no package has been announced for Kutch whereas in Ahmedabad and other areas, even payments have been made”, says Abdul Sattar Sameja, citing another incident of “discrimination” in the state.

The Samiti is backed by powerful business lobbies such as the Bhuj Chamber of Commerce and Bhuj Vaniyavar.

So much is the Samiti activists’ ire against the “thick skinned” Gujarat government that they dismisssed even the recent resignation by Industry Minister Suresh Mehta over the relief issue as “publicity stunt” and “diversionary tactics”.“Enough is enough, the earthquake was the proverbial last straw. Our culture, language and nature are different from other parts of the forced Union (Gujarat), says Abu Bakr, a relief worker for Anjar.

The former maharaja of erstwhile provincial state of Kutch, Maharaja Kumar Sri Himmat Singh, an ex-Swatantra Party MP, has also joined the protests demanding convening of the special session of Gujarat Assembly to form a separate Kutch state.

While Dholakia says the district should at least get autonomy or a Union territory status, social activists like Pradip Thacker say nothing short of statehood would suffice.

Pointing out that the district shares a sensitive and porous border with Pakistan, Dholakia said “if border villages are not properly attended to, the concentration of ISI activists cannot be ruled out.”

In the past two years alone, several ISI agents have been nabbed in the area and several kg RDX and other sophisticated weapons ceased, police sources said.

While the Samiti activities at the moment are confined to Bhuj, similar sentiments are echoed from other Kutch towns including Anjar, Bhachau and Rapa.