Vidarbha region could turned into Egypt if the leaderless agitation for a separate state gain momentum, feared former Maharashtra director general of police Prabir Kumar Chakravorty.
Mr Chakravorty is associated with the Federation for New States and the Vidarbha Joint Action Committee (VJAC).
Former legislator and the chief co-ordinator of the VJAC, Wamanrao Chatap, Mr Chakravorty and Dr S.V. Khandewale on Saturday addressed a press conference pressing for a separate Vidarbha state.
While putting the leadership of Western Maharashtra in the dock for exploiting the natural resources of this region, they asked why development of Maharashtra has been confined to Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Nashik.
People of Vidarbha are migrating to Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Nashik for jobs because of the leadership of Western Maharashtra, which has been controlling the political power of the state since its formation.
“They give money for Vidarbha in February (in the Budget), withdrew it in March and then diverted it to Western Maharashtra,” Mr Chatap said.
Vidarbha, which has 68 per cent forest land, produces oil seeds, cotton, generate 29,000 mg power, coal mines, is now known for farmers suicides (over 30,000 in the last decade), deaths due to malnutrition and Naxal activities, he pointed out.
Responding to questions, he said though Vidarbha gave three chief ministers (M.S. Kannamwar, V.P. Naik and Sudhakarrao Naik) and one deputy chief minister (Nasikrao Tirpude) to the state, they could not help much for the development of this region due to the dominance of Western Maharashtra.
Activists of VJAC would be holding a day-long dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on August 5 to press for the demand.
They have also requested Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, BJP president Rajnath Singh, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and leaders of national parties to give them time and hear the case for the separate state.
Leaders of the Federation for New States — Baba Ramkrishen Tomar, Thakur Kishosingh Bais and Deepak Nilawar also backed the demand of Vidarbha state.