Regionalism can be explained as an ‘insider-outsider’ thought process where the loyalties are tied to the region of origin. Regional movements fall under the category of “identity movements,” and they often call for special rights or self-government. People get united in their desire to establish their regional identity strongly and see it as the answer to the state’s unfavourable policies against them in the face of prolonged hardship or neglect (actual or imagined).

AIM OF REGIONALISM

Those who believe in regionalism and its ideology are interested in increasing the political power and influence of the inhabitants of a particular region. Their demands include, but are not limited to, sovereignty, separatism, separatism, and independence. Regionalists favour a coalition of deficit nations rather than a unified nation-state with a strong central government. At that time, they tended to embrace an alternative form of federalism.

For those who believe in regionalism, strengthening the governing body and political power in the region benefits the local people as it improves the regional economy through better resource allocation, regional development, and better implementation of regional policies, Claims to bring. Of course, this comes at the expense of weakening the central government and reducing its role in governance.

REGIONALISM IN INDIA

Although there is an essential sense of pan-Indian identity, various foreign sociologists / scholars focus on caste, tribes, languages, and adherence to the community. The counterargument is that India’s regionalism has led to the deepening of multi-party politics and federalism. Regionalism is not necessarily “anti-state” or even “anti-people”, but it has both functional and dysfunctional aspects to consider. It can be traced back to the colonial divide and rule policy sowed in India. Over the last 100 years, there have been many regional movements in India, and demand falls into the following broad categories:

Demand for Withdrawal-Extreme Form-Extremist / Fundamentalist Group-A New Country Separate from India Separatist Demand-We need to form a new state that can better serve the linguistic / ethnic minorities of the region.

Full State System – Over the years, some Union Territories of India have been granted full state system. Autonomy – Demands more power over political interference from the central government.

CAUSES OF REGIONALISM IN INDIA

• Language.
• Religion.
• Regional Culture.
• Economic Backwardness.
• Rise of Political Parties with a regionalist agenda

It is difficult to contain regionalism in a large and diverse country like India. However, to mitigate some of the worst effects, we can do the following:

1. Elimination of regional imbalances

2. Economic development in underdeveloped regions

3. Rebuilding society to promote unity

4. Cultural awareness

We have seen how regionalism is good or bad for a country or a group of countries. Article 19 of the Constitution of India gives all citizens the fundamental right to move freely and settle in peace anywhere in the country. And as an Indian citizen, everyone should respect this basic human right and avoid conflicts . The need for hours is to develop all parts of India by delegating power to local governments and allowing people to participate in decision making. State-level governments need to explore alternative energy sources, sources of local employment, governance, planning, and the use of technology in agricultural development. The 12th Five-Year Goal for “Faster, Sustainable and Comprehensive Growth”, the Key to Balanced Regional Growth. In the future, by further integrating the different regions of each country, we will be able to respect and emphasise their needs.