MADURAI: When States are bifurcated and new a State is carved out, the reasons cited are that the people will get employment, their aspirations get fulfilled, regional progress and development takes place, no discrimination and easy for people to approach the administration. With these yardsticks, Tamil Nadu too can be bifurcated into 2 Tamil-speaking States making south Tamil Nadu as a separate State for the benefit of people living in these 10 districts.
ANDHRA PRADESH AND TELANGANA:
Just before the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, the then UPA Government had bifurcated united Andhra Pradesh State into two States creating Telangana as 29th State in India with full support of the BJP and other political parties. When there can be two Telugu speaking States, why not two Tamil-speaking States?
SOUTH TAMIL NADU ADVANTAGES:
At the time of demanding for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into two States – as AP and Telangana- some parameters were mentioned. And the same are available for southern districts of Tamil Nadu also to demand for the status of a separate State with Madurai as its capital.
1. Resources and coastline: Like in AP, the southern districts of TN have a long sea coastline which harnesses plenty of especially in Tuticorin, Ramanathapuram, Kanyakumari districts etc.
2. South Tamil Nadu is famous for its ancient / historic temples and tourist destinations like Madurai Meenakshi temple, Rameswaram, Kanyakumari and other places in this region. So, tourists and devotees can be major contributors to the new State that can have Madurai as a capital.
3. This Madurai region has ports, agriculture potential, tourist spots, good power supply, well-known educational institutions etc.
4. Madurai AIIMS – All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the Madurai Kamaraj University, Alagappa University, CRME, CECRI Karaikudi, Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, medical colleges, hotels, top private schools, railway and air connectivity are available and what not. So, south Tamil Nadu can be a good candidate for becoming a separate State.
5. Southern districts of Tamil Nadu are better placed than Chattisgarh and Jharkhand in terms of infrastructure, human resources, safety and security, revenue generation etc.
6. The problem of lack of suitable jobs and industries in southern districts of Tamil Nadu and the resultant migration of youth to Chennai, Coimbatore, Bengaluru etc can be easily addressed if a new State south Tamil Nadu is created with Madurai as capital.
7. Since the BJP and many parties say that smaller States are easy to govern, the bifurcation of Tamil Nadu into two States will make a good sense because State toppers in public examinations come from Virudhunagar etc, the region is known for fishing and fishermen, farming, Agricultural College and Research Institute in Madurai, transport facilities and airports, Thoothukudi Port, availability of good labour workforce, knowledge power and top notch higher educational institutions.
So, when Andhra Pradesh could be split into two States as AP and Telangana, why not the same formula for Tamil Nadu for the development of south Tamil Nadu people who look for opportunities for good jobs and industries here. We will have two Tamil-speaking States.
