People and Politics of Uttrakhand
By S.Rajen Todariya
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| Hill Woman in Gairsain - The Real face of Uttrkhand |
Uttrakhand is a Himalayan state
which has 13 districts. Nine of them are hill districts and a major part of
Dehradun district is also comprised of hills. Although Haridwar and Udhamsingh
Nagar are situated at the foothills of Himalayas but they both represents a
different culture and style of living. Although both districts are
administrative part of Uttrakhand but these districts have their socio-cultural
continuity with Uttar Pradesh. Majority People of these districts also feel
their affinity with UP. This socio cultural and economic divide is turning into
a political divide. It may turn in to ugly way in the coming years. The
economic conditions in the hills are getting bad to worst after the creation of
separate state. It was the hill people of
Uttrakhand who fought for the cause of statehood but failed to harness
the fruit of statehood. The economic growth in the hills were remain negative in
last ten years while a quantum jump can be clearly observed in the per capita
income of three districts situated in the foothills. These adverse economic trends
are forcing the hill people towards isolation and discourse. The growing public
discourse in the hills may lead this Himalayan state to a mass movement again.
It is tragedy of hills that the state of their dreams has become futile in just
ten years of its creation. All economic indicators are showing the prosperity
of Haridwar, Dehradun and UdhamSinghnagar. The gap of per capita income between
the hill people and residents of plain districts is growing. This inequality further
adding discourse among the hill people.
The serious thing is that the
hills of Uttrakhand had lost their demographic dominance over these three
districts in last ten years. Demographic scenario of the state has completely changed. Now the people of
hills reduced to minority and residents of Dehradun, Haridwar and
Udhamsinghnagar became a sizeable majority. It is to be noted that this change
has not be carried out due to the natural growth but it is due to the illegal
infiltration from outside of the state. The population statics shows the
gravity of the population imbalance. Population of Haridwar had jumped 19 lakhs
from 12 lakhs in 10 years. This demographic change is going to change the
politics of Uttrakhand completely. This election has proved that the politics
is turning into plain centric. The political nucleus is shifting from hills to
the plains of Uttrakhand. This shift will naturally change the gravity of
politics. Assembly election has shown that all the chief ministerial candidates
had contested their election from the assembly segments which are situated in
the foothills and not the hills of Uttrakhand. This is a major shift in the
politics of Uttrakhand. It can be also seen in the political behavior of the
regional parties.UKD, Uttrakhand Raksha Morcha and Uttrakhand Parivartan Party
had not said even a single word about the diminishing representation of hill
people in Government sector and as well as in the private sector. No body is
ready to say that the only aim of the creation of the state was to provide
justice and development to the people of hills. It clearly means that politics
and political parties of Uttrakhand failed to address the concerns of hill
people. Experiences of Kashmir and North East had already shown that if politics
fails to address the public grievances then violent resistance replaces the
electoral politics. The growing sense of isolation among the hill people may
lead them in to a violent resistance. Are our polity and politicians capable to
hear these warning bells?
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