[Points: What it is—linguistic provinces-evils of such pro vinces—people of one province almost aliens in another—unity of the country threatened—remedy—linguistic provinces to be replaced by administrative zones.]
Provincialism. is attachment to one's own province instead of to the country. Many countries, particularly big ones, are divided into smaller units called provinces or states for the sake of administrative convenience. But there are countries like India where the people differ greatly from one another in respect of language and social habits. In such cases, the provinces are formed mainly on the basis of this difference. The Government of India, shortly after independence. began reforming the provinces on the linguistic basis. It was expected that this would make each province a compact homogeneous whole, facilitate administration, and help its rapid progress, thus benefitting the country as a whole.
But the linguistic division of the country has already given rise to feelings that threaten the very unity of the motherland. Though we have Low a united India under a common banner and common central government, we think of ourselves as Bengalees, Beharis, Assamyns, Oriyas, etc. first and Indians afterwards. Indeed, the provincial feelings are getting so strong that people of one province are treated almost as aliens in another province. The Constitution of India lays down that every Indian shall enjoy equal rights in every part of the country. But in some places, people from other provinces are debarred from employment unless they can produce domicile certificates. Even when such certificates are produced, they are often treated with scorn. The strangest thing is that this is done on the government level in total disregard of the Constitution. We condemned the British Government for fomenting communal feelings. But whom are we to condemn for the provincial spirit that disgraces the country?
Indeed the evil of provincilaism has already become so serious that fears have arisen in many minds about the unity of the country. If things go on in this way, India may soon break up into different independent states.
So, some thinking men are condemning the formation of linguistic States and provincial autonomy. According to them it is these that are striking at the root of India nationalism and Indian unity. They suggest the immediate scraping of provincial autonomy and linguistic States, and the division of the country into a few administrative zones under the central government. It is this and this only, that can bring about emotional intrigration of the people in different parts of the country and make us a strong unite nation.
