KCR’s fears over Hyderabad status

SECOND NATIONAL CAPITAL OR UNION TERRITORY?

There are two possibilities, which are doing the rounds and are surely giving anxious moments to TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is all set to form the first government in Telangana. The bone of contention is Hyderabad and people from Andhra and Telangana have contributed equally to its growth.

Rao has already asked the TJAC to prepare for another struggle, if his fears on the status of Hyderabad come true. He is worried that the Modi government at the Centre would be influenced by TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu to change the status of Hyderabad from a joint capital of the two states of Telangana and the residuary Andhra Pradesh for 10 years.

Hyderabad to be made a union territory or second national capital?

Dr Ambedkar's proposition that the city could become the second capital of India is being raised afresh by some non-Telagana leaders. Sometime back TDP spokesman Sudheesh Rambhotla had said, “None other than the architect of Indian Constitution, Dr B R Ambedkar, suggested long ago that Hyderabad be made the nation's second capital after New Delhi.” In the current scenario, it will be the most appropriate thing to do.

In his book 'Thoughts on Linguistic States', Dr Ambedkar noted, "The feeling of the southern people is that the Capital of their country is far away from them and that they are being ruled by the people of northern India.”

Hyderabad fulfils all the requirements of a second capital for India. Hyderabad is equidistant to all states. From the defence point of view it would give safety to the Central Government," said a Union Minister before the elections.

Talks are ripe that political parties, especially leaders from the TDP, will take this forward with the help of BJP at the Centre. Incidentally, the Telugu Desam Party was the first to raise the demand three years ago that Hyderabad be made the second capital of India, if at all the state was to be bifurcated.

Asked about the demand for making Hyderabad the second capital of India, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu had remarked that B R Ambedkar put forth this suggestion years ago. “The British had two capitals, one in Calcutta and the other at Shimla. People in the south also complain of distance to Delhi,” said another senior politician from the TDP a few days before the election results were declared.

Major P Narasimhulu of Madanapalle, in Chittoor district, an octogenarian ex-serviceman who fought the wars with China and Pakistan in the sixties, made a representation to the President of India suggesting that the second National Capital Region be developed as a sector, providing for a corridor to Rayalaseema via Mahabubnagar and Coastal Andhra through Guntur, thus ensuring contiguity, as Chandigarh has to Punjab and Haryana.

“Air Force, Army and Naval bases can be established in Telangana, Rayalaseema and Circar areas respectively, as required for the new capital,” he added.

Four hundred years of heritage belonging to all religions, and the equal proportions of Hindus and Muslims points to a secular culture that roots in the city over the past 60 years. Already home to a huge set of non-regional communities (Andhrites, Tamilians, Biharis, Gujaratis, Keralites and the indigenous Telangana denizens), Hyderabad might not face much regional opposition if selected as a second national capital, says a CPI leader.

The vast availability of government land in the Hyderabad Metropolitan Area (second largest in India) and the host of internationally recognised infrastructure firms that are based in Hyderabad, are also a plus point. The need for a second Supreme Court in India to enhance the judiciary system can also be addressed by building one in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad is also the Southern headquarters of the critical Central Paramilitary forces such as the Black Cats and the National Security Guards, says Gurumurthy of Hyderabad Bachao Badhao Andholan.

While the discussions on this issue are gaining momentum among various sectors of intellectuals and politicians, there is a very strong move to make Hyderabad as a union territory, a move which was rejected by the Centre before announcing the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

The fear in the TRS is genuine as the strong ties between the TDP and the BJP at the Centre gives every reason for a post bifurcation drama on the union territory status to Hydearbad. There are loopholes in the AP State Reorganisation Bill and the Chanakya of politics, Chandrababu Naidu, may take advantage of the situation and work towards the UT status.

Naidu performed equally well in Telangana and stood second which also adds to KCR’s fear. KCR says that he has authentic information about this and has called the TJAC leaders to be prepared for another agitation.

The troublesome part is the common capital, If Hyderabad is not a Union Territory plus joint capital like Chandigarh, it cannot accommodate two capitals at a time, says Nageshwar Rao, a lawyer from the AP High Court. Except as UT, Hyderabad cannot be considered as a joint capital.

This loophole in the Bill gives every reason for the TDP to try to make Hyderabad as a Union Territory with the help of the Modi government.

Perhaps, there is a need for the Hyderabadis to gear up for more agitations?