Who wants Mithilanchal?

There are certain things in politics that you demand when you are in the opposition, but give a quiet burial once you gain power.

- R. PRASANNAN

The Henderson Brooks report on the Chinese aggression is one such. The BJP had been taunting successive Congress regimes for keeping it under wraps, even hinting that the Congress had much to hide about the disastrous episode. The BJP has been in power for 10 years now, but has avoided even talking about the report. Understandable! Only when you are in power and become privy to secrets, do you realise the perils of freeing certain genii that your predecessors had kept bottled up for everybody's good.

Then there are demands that are raised by many, opposed by none, yet never granted. Separate state demands are often-not always-like that. Someone makes a demand and parties lend their voice, but quietly forget it once they are in power. Currently there are close to 50 demands ranging from Ahomland in Assam and Awadh in UP to Vidarbha in Maharashtra and Vindhya Pradesh in MP.