Separatism may be defined as an instance of political disintegration wherein political actors in one or more sub-systems withdraw their loyalties, expectations and political activities from a jurisdictional centre and focus them on a centre of their own.
This article will discuss an important concept – Separatism, in the context of the IAS Exam.
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| Regionalism | Communalism |
| Secularism in India | Feudalism in India |
Separatism in India
- Separatism leads to the growth of ethnic identities, which are regarded as divisive and detrimental to national integration.
- The separatist forces of India from different parts of the country made demands either in the form of a demand for a separate state within the Indian Union (e.g. Jharkhand) or in the form of a demand for a sovereign state outside the Indian Union (e.g. the demand Khalistan).
- Separatism requires a cohesive minority group that dominates a well-defined geographical area and possesses a strong sense of grievance against the central government.
- The separatist claim is accompanied by intense feelings of rage, anger, hurt, and humiliation which often fuels the flames of revolts and revolutions.
- Many popular separatist movements have occurred in India, which include Naxal-Maoist insurgency, the Khalistan movement, Assam separatist movements, Karbi Separatism and so on.
Types of Separatism in India
Separatism may be of various types. In the Indian scenario, five different types of separatism have been identified, namely,
- Linguistic-cultural separatism,
- Regional separatism based on economic grievances,
- Regional separatism based on political grievances,
- Aboriginal separatism,
- Sons of the soil separatism.
In general, there are two types of separatism, such as external separatism and internal separatism.
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Separatism and Secessionism
- Both the terms refer to a severance of ties or termination of contractual relations.
- Separatism may be expressed in demands for provincial or states’ rights or increased local autonomy in certain spheres of decision-making.
- Secessionism is a narrower, more specific term referring to a demand for formal withdrawal from a central political authority by a member unit on the basis of a claim to independent, sovereign status.
- Understanding separatism and secessionism in terms of political integration/disintegration theory not only facilitates analysis of alienation, but also clarifies the process whereby the jurisdictional centre attempts to resist separatism and maintain or enhance the integrity of the state.
Global Scenario of Separatism
- Separatism often triggers serious rifts between the world’s major powers.
- International law on separatism is ambiguous, leading to an inconsistent and non-uniform global reaction to separatist movements.
- The United Nations has no specific unit looking at separatism as a phenomenon.
- Instead, it usually waits for a conflict to break out and then considers sending a peacekeeping mission to restore law and order.
- Over-centralization of decision-making triggers separatism.
- In Asia, ASEAN has no clearly defined policy on separatism, leaving it up to national governments to decide how to deal with separatist movements.
- The Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO) – set up in 2001 by Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to combat separatism, terrorism and extremism – strongly opposes separatist movements like that of China’s Uyghurs.
- Separatism can provoke violent conflict, especially when countries divide along ethnic lines.
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