CHENNAI: Retired Madras High Court judge K Chandru and the Coordinator of Tamil Language Rights Federation, Azhi Senthilnathan, rubbished the very idea of Kongu Nadu. They said there is no justification for such a demand in Tamil Nadu now and that such an eventuality would be counterproductive for the Kongu region.
“It is a non-issue created on social media. There is no justification for creating a Kongu Nadu in the western region. It is being raised as a tit for tat to the DMK, which has started harping on the use of the term Union government instead of Central government,” said Justice K Chandru.
Unsuitable examples
Chandru said the only example those proposing a new Union Territory (UT) with the name Kongu Nadu can show is the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. But, the reasons for Telangana’s formation would not suit the idea of Kongu Nadu. For decades, people struggled for the formation of Telangana on the grounds of such matters as underdevelopment.
“Kongu area cannot be termed an economically underdeveloped area. The region has seen major developments and has better rail, air, and road connectivities. A majority of the people of Tamil Nadu will not accept a bifurcation or a trifurcation of the State. In the Kongu region too, there won’t be any popular demand for splitting away from Tamil Nadu,” the retired judge pointed out.
‘Ploy to split Tamil Nadu’
Azhi Senthilnathan told Express: “The idea of Kongu Nadu is a ploy to divide Tamil Nadu. Some entities want administrative units only as UTs, not as States.” Senthilnathan said that such entities did not talk about creating more States, but instead work to split existing language-based States into smaller regions, say UTs, to suit their purpose. For example, Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two Union Territories and not two States.
He said the idea of Kongu Nadu would be counterproductive for the Kongu region. If it becomes a UT, in the next five years, all industries there would belong to North Indians. “The chief minister of a UT will not even have the powers exercised by an MLA in the present State set up,” he said.