With BJP govt in UP, hope of Bundelkhand state rises, says Raja Bundela

Raja Bundela, an actor-turned politician, has been passionately involved with Bundelkhand since the past two decades.  He has even put his career in films on the backburner and has travelled thorough organizations like Bundelkhand Mukti Morcha and  National Federation for New States and now New States for New India to demand statehood for Bundelkhand.

His one- point agenda has taken him from the Congress to the Bundelkhand Congress and now the BJP. The formation of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has given him hope and Bundela is reviving his movement. In an interview with Amita Verma, he talks about his plans for Bundelkhand as a state.

After two decade of struggle, what gives you hope for Bundelkhand’s statehood?
All these years, there were different parties in power in the state and at the Centre at any given time. With BJP holding power at both places, we finally have hope. Moreover, the BJP is one party that has favored creation of small states and that is encouraging for us.

But why statehood for Bundelkhand and will it solve all problems?
Bundelkhand gives Rs 27,000 crore to the Centre and Rs 13,000 crore to the state but the region remains a beggar. Bundelkhand, which also includes some districts of Madhya Pradesh, has rich mineral resources that can be best utilized for the development of the region and its people. At present it is Sabka Vikas without Bundelkhand. The governments, till date, have not even been able to solve the water problem-what to say of industrialization and development.

Can you image, the proposed Bundelkhand states has six rivers passing through it but small children still crave for water and farmers commit suicide because of debts?

Is development possible only with smaller states?
The case of Uttarakhand is before us. The state is merely 17 years old and is on the path of progress. The natural resources of Bundelkhand are being sucked out and no one is accountable for it. Once Bundelkhand has its own government, it will be directly answerable to the people and its resources will be used for its own people.

But Uttarakhand and Jharkhand are yet to stand on their own feet.
Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav had said -”Uttarakhand aur Jharkhand hamari laash par banege’. Today, the GDP of Uttarakhand and Jharkhand is higher than that of UP and Bihar. Gujarat is also doing better than Maharashtra. It is on this basis that we are demanding statehood for Bundelkhand.

Ms Mayawati has also sent a proposal for Bundelkhand. Why did it not get any support?
Ms Mayawati’s proposal was a one-liner based on caste arithmetic. She wanted Uttar Pradesh to be divided into four states for political reasons which is why it never got any attention. Our demand is based on facts and figures and our Bundelkhand will be culled out of UP and MP. Our purpose is development and not just politics.

The Bundelkhand districts in Madhya Pradesh are better developed than the ones in Uttar Pradesh. Why would MP agree to part with this region?
The Bundelkhand region in MP and UP has cultural and linguistic similarities which binds the people together.  They do not want to be ripped apart by geographical and political boundaries.

Are you hopeful of getting support from UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath?
Yes I am because Yogi Adityanath belongs to Purvanchal and has seen how backwardness cripples a region. Besides, the BJP has always advocated creation of small states and we have already seen that yogi is a man of action-he works more than he says.