What all did Kiran say before GoM

The following is a part of the presentation made by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy before the GoM constituted for Bifurcation of the State of Andhra Pradesh on November 18, 2013 on issues of Internal Security.

Dear Sri Sushil Kumar Shinde ji,

I have been repeatedly pointing out the adverse implications of the division on the lives of the people of Andhra Pradesh time and again. A brief on the historical evolution of Hyderabad, complexities in sharing and managing river waters, power generation and distribution problems, concerns of the Government employees and complications arising out of Article-371(D) Amendment to the Constitution, concerns of private employees apart from future employment opportunities, inaccessibility to high standards of medical facilities and inaccessibility to the students in Institutes of Excellence on Education front in Hyderabad in the short-run, are submitted once again for better appreciation.

It is not one region but both the regions are going to face negative consequences. Moreover, the oft-quoted internal security issues, involving Left Wing Extremism, Terrorism, and communal sensitivity, gets compounded with the mutual distrust and ill-will between two large groups of residents specially in Hyderabad.

I reiterate that a beautiful State known for its dynamism is being thrown into a whirI—pooI of disputes, legal concerns, resource constraints and political uncertainties, knowingly, despite the fact that it is avoidable. I quote in this connection from the statement made by our former Prime Minister Smt.Indira Gandhi, undisputedly one of our greatest leaders, in parliament “Merely talking of separation is not an end of the problem. It is the beginning of another very big problem, not for other states but also for that area; that state itself”.

I, once again, appeal to the wisdom of decision makers at the national level, to reconsider the whole issue in the interest of well being of people of Andhra Pradesh and in the larger interest of the country.

Threat to Internal Security

PM’s statements on Naxalism

• Chief Ministers’ Conference on Internal Security, April 13, 2006 "Naxalism is the single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country".
• Chief Ministers’ Conference on Internal Security, Dec 20, 2007: "Not a day passes without an incident of Left- Wing extremism taking place somewhere or the other” “We cannot rest in peace till we have eliminated this virus"
• DGP and lGPs' Conference, 2009: "The Left-Wing Extremism is, perhaps, the gravest internal security threat our country faces."
• Press Meet after killing of 75 CRPF Officers, April 21, 2010: ”Left-wing extremism is the gravest internal security threat faced by the nation. Recent events have underscored the need for urgent and considered action to root out this problem."
• Chief Ministers’ conference on Internal Security, May 23, 2010: "Naxalism remains the biggest internal security challenge facing our country" and ”it is imperative to control Left-Wing extremism for the country's growth"
• Chief Ministers' conference on Internal Security, ]une 6, 2013: "Left-Wing Extremism is a very grave threat to the nation and the States shall come up with concrete measures to deal with it"

NAXAL VIOLENCE:

• Currently, the CPI (Maoist] violence is mainly restricted to the districts of Khammam and Visakhapatnam apart from sporadic intrusions into the districts of Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, East Godavari and Vizianagaram which are situated on inter—state borders with Udisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
• Almost for two and a half decades i.e. from 1980 to 2006, violent activities of the Maoists had been very intense in most parts of the Telangana Region and relatively less intense in some Parts of Seemandhra Region.
• During this entire period, none of the political executive, landlords A- could venture to stay in the villages. All of them vacated their villages and started living in the nearest towns and cities under police protection.
• There used to be a complete political vacuum giving way to the complete influence of Maoists on the voting pattern in these Assembl Constituencies.
• However, it was only from 2006 onwards, most of the rural areas have been freed from the problem of naxal activity and all the political executive have gone back to their villages after a period of almost two and a half decades.
• Since the successive Chief Ministers were representing Assembly Constituencies from non-affected areas, they have been able to take a strong stand against naxals forcing the Maoists to vacate the State through a multi-pronged strategy of development, pro-poor welfare, skill development and employment followed by strong law enforcement measures.
• Given the history of Telangana armed struggle by the Communists in 1946 in the pre Independent India, when Naxalism was born in 1967 in Naxalbari of West Bengal, the naxalites found a ready fertile ground in Telangana region apart from Srikakulam] and took off from where the Telangana armed struggle ended.
• From Telangana, the naxalism has been spread throughout Andhra Pradesh and to the neighbouring States like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Orissa
• Today all top Maoist leaders are from Telangana Region leading the Maoist movement all over the country especially in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra and Odisha which are highly affected with Naxal activities and which are bordering with the proposed state of Telangana and the residual state of Andhra Pradesh.
• Given the social, cultural, political history and relatively smaller size of the Legislative Assembly with 119 seats in the proposed state of Teleangana, there is a very definite possibility of political instability on a regular basis with several players from different political parties emerging as king makers in the formation of successive Governments.
• The Political instability in turn will lead to weakening of political will to fight naxalism, terrorism and communalism. This will be taken advantage of by naxals in reemerging themselves in Telangana.
• Moreover the limited resources of Law Enforcement in the proposed Telangana State will be another obstacle in effectively countering relapse of naxalism in the State.
• Given this background, once Telangana State is formed, the Maoist elements may force any Government in power to take a lenient view towards them and thereby re-establish themselves in Telangana area within no time.
• Once Naxalism reemerges in Telangana, it will automatically spread to Nallmala Forest areas of Seemandhra and from there to the entire residual state of Andhra Pradesh as it once spread in the past.
• Thus, in the event of a division, there will be resurgence of Naxalism in both the states and both will find it a herculean task to fight Naxalism due to reduced resources
• A statement containing trends in Naxal violence and police successes over the years is enclosed for ready reference in this regard.

Conclusion

• With situation being such, the expected political instability coupled with limited resources of Law Enforcement on account of smaller size of the Telangana state will have serious implications for countering the threat of Naxal, Terrorist and Communal violence.
• The reemergence of Naxal violence in Telangana State will, automatically lead to increase in Naxal activity in the Residual State of Andhra Pradesh too.
• The Law & Order situation in Hyderabad city will come under severe stress and strain on a regular basis.
• The division of the State has therefore dangerous implications to the safety and security of people of both the new states proposed, especially to the people of Hyderabad City.
• Therefore the division of the state is not recommended in the overall interests of safety and security needs of people of both the regions.