In recent days the press – both the electronic as print have extensively covered the news item of Shiv Sena's latest populist anti-national act which has rightly sparked off volleys of anger and protests all across the country. My own mind too was heavy with this development which hardly augurs well for the national integrity of the country. The politicians in India have the kept the precepts for speechifying at meetings and gatherings but when it comes to walk the talk, their hypocrisy, double-speak and worse , come tumbling out into the open and stink to high heavens! I was curious about this phenomenon of the son-of-the-soil culture which has given the Shiv Sainiks the political space to operate in Maharastra for a long time which, if allowed to be replicated elsewhere in the country, might spell doom for our national unity and integration. The sociologists may have better explanations for this phenomenon, but to my mind maladminstration and malgovernance on the part of some economically backward states have significantly contributed to this .

There is an acronym 'BIMARU' coined by the economic analyst to describe the economically backward states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Assam,Rajasthan and Uttarpradesh. These states are laggards in terms of economic development and the people of these states faced with very few opportunities generated in their states migrate to other developed states like Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu etc. The history records such migration forced by the economic reasons. But the tragedy is that these states have sufficient natural and intellectual resources to be at par with or if not better than the developed states. There are some of the finest minds and brains who are thriving in other states and thus significantly contributing to development of the states where they are settlers but found the situation in their respective states to be appalling messes created by their selfish politicians.

We have seen how a state like Bihar which was in the forefront of national struggle and a destination of ancient civilization has been battered and mauled by the self-seeking politicians. We are witness to regular acts of theatricality by Mayavati the present Chief Minister who has been throwing thousands of crores installing statues, thanks to timely intervention by Supreme Court, she would have continued her indulgences and fetishes. When hundreds and thousands of unemployed youths are fleeing the state just to eke out a living in other states, her obsession

with her megalomaniac ambitions is a culpable act. Such instances are galore. If these states can improve their record in human development, large scale would automatically stop. While condemning the acts of Shiv Sainiks, we must not spare the reprehensible conduct on the part of the leaders of these economically backward states.