Are you suggesting that regionalism is good for our democracy? Are you serious?
Yes, regionalism in the form of linguistic states has been good for Indian democracy. Far from undermining Indian unity, linguistic states have helped strengthen it. It has proved perfectly consistent to be Kannadiga and Indian, Bengali and Indian, Tamil and Indian, Gujarati and Indian.
The formation of linguistic states has allowed India to escape a worse fate. If the sentiments of native speakers of Telugu, Marathi, and others had been disregarded, India might have faced the situation of 'One language: 14 or 15 nations.' The federal system has dual objectives: to safeguard and promote unity of the country while accommodating regional diversity. This has led to a new culture of power sharing and respect for the autonomy of State Governments.
Explanation
The textbook explicitly addresses this question by arguing that linguistic states have strengthened Indian unity rather than weakened it. The context emphasizes that regional identity and national identity can coexist. The reference to 'One language: 14 or 15 nations' highlights how accommodating regional sentiments prevented the potential fragmentation of India. The federal system's dual objective of unity with diversity validates regionalism as democratic.