Concept of regionalism in India: A study

Abstract

Regionalism was the first and foremost manifestation of the diversity of India. Whereas communalism meant the love of the community in preference to the nation, regionalism meant the love of a particular region in preference to the country and in certain cases, in preference 10 the state of which the region was a part. Whereas communalism was limited largely to two communities, namely, Hindus and Muslims, regionalism was a country-wide phenomenon and often took the form of well-conceived and well-organized agitations and campaigns. It assumed in the political field, mainly, four forms: demand of people of certain states for secession from the Indian Union, demand of people for separate statehood, demand for full-fledged statehood, inter-state disputes. Each of these was important in it and needed a fuller discussion. This paper try to explain the concept of Regionalism in India.