India is a country of many languages, many cultures and many States.  Each and every State has its own language, which is the medium of instruction in Government schools, and an important subject in most private schools as well.

Each and every State has its own local heroes, who act as main spokespersons of the particular State.  We also have politicians who pitch in with their own rhetoric and these politicians virtually hijack the developmental agenda on their own selfish terms.  They substitute every good intention of the State Government with their won slogans, and look for instant gratification in everything that happens around them.

Worse, since the economic side of every pie spent by the Government is within their control, the scope for corruption is very wide indeed and this weakens the cause of the poor man, as corruption breeds economic inequalities and makes the rich, further rich, and the poor, very poor.

This happens with monotonous regularity, and when the local interests take over national interests, regionalism emerges as a major force of political opportunism, and this breeds even more narrow-minded tendencies and attitudes, wrecking havoc on the National Agenda for concerted action.

Evidence of this can be found everywhere.  In the tire two and tier three towns and cities, this is more pronounced.  Economic interests of the people of a particular State are sought to be protected with a missionary zeal.  This damages the morale and motivation of every single person in the neighboring State.

For example, politicians on either side of the border have made water sharing between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka a full-fledged political issue, where the core points of caring and sharing are never discussed.  Cauvery is an inter-state river, but the manner in which the politicians have handled the issue, it appears as if Karnataka has the sole rights of deciding when to release the water, Supreme Court directions notwithstanding.

What is worrying is that the voice of moderates on either side of the border, on the issue, is never heard.  The extremists have highjacked the National agenda, with disastrous results.

Ditto is the case with the Mulliperiyar river water sharing issue between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.  The political parties in Kerala have effectively converted the entire issue into an emotional issue, making it somewhat clear that three districts will be submerged sooner or later, even when many experts have certified that the Dam is safe.

The only area or territory where the politicians have not been able to make any dent is the cinema world, where the actors who belong to one of the four South Indian States are very well accepted by cinemas in other languages.  For example, Rajnikant, the Superstar of Tamil Movies, hails from Bangalore, but is the richest star in India, in terms of revenue per movie, and he is accepted so very well in Tamil Nadu, where millions are ready to die for him.  Tamil movie heroines are famous in other languages as well.

To give due credit to the film makers, not a single movie made in any of the South Indian languages has any reference to narrow minded regional interests or views.  Many films have even tried to promote the cause of National Integration.

However, the Hindi fanatics of North India, can very well be the worst promoters of regionalism.  They tend to behave as if only Hindi or expertise in the language is Nationalism.  The other languages do not matter at all.

They openly say that we should do away with English -- the most important global language of the world --- that now commands following in around eighty per cent of the entire world, and learn only Hindi. 

In fact, the present Union Home Minister is one who openly advocates the use of Hindi, instead of English, even when the language is also recognized as an official language of India. 

The Hindi fanatics are the worst dangers and they represent regionalism of the worst kind.  Their brand of fanatic obsession towards one single language, virtually forcing it down the throats of millions of non-Hindi speaking people, needs to be fought with all the might possible. 

We cannot allow the unity of India to be disturbed by very narrow minded interests of narrow minded politicians. Attempts to divide people on the basis on caste or religion or occupation can wreck havoc with our cultural fabric.  The Shiv Sena or others of its ilk, do represent the worst form of regionalism, and violence is actually practiced by such people to virtually throw out people who belong to the North of India, out of Mumbai. 

Similarly, making fun of traditions of specific people, is equally dangerous and should be put down with all the might. Many Hindi movies are made in which the hero or the villain makes continues fun of the people of Tamil Nadu, or their ways of dressing.  This has been taken to ridiculous levels in the past few years.

We cannot, as a rule, allow regionalism of any kind.  Regionalism, irrespective of its nature or intent, has to be crushed with all the might at one's command.  We cannot allow the unity of India to be compromised.

It ought to the realized that the unity of India has never been in trouble.  Millions of people from one State or States from a particular geographical location have settled down peacefully for generations.  For example, there are many Sikhs who speak Tamil even better than Tamilians, and they have been able to integrate with the local Chennai way of living, having settled in the city for business, for decades. 

At heart, no Indian wants to take up regionalism.  Only politicians are so keen to do it, as they want votes at any cost, even at the cost of destroying National Integration.  How can we allow such narrow minded people to practice regionalism?

The help of the social media, in all languages should be obtained to take up the cause of National Integration.  Resources have to be shared, employment opportunities have  to be created and the people should compulsorily learn to at least speak in the language of the region.  If we follow the basics right, there can be no cause for alarm.

Let us all join together to fight the cause of nullifying regionalism at any cost.