Central rule over Hyderabad unconstitutional

This measure is intended to protect landed interests of Seemandhra politicians and prevents Telangana from taking up land reforms to rebuild the new State. They have been against land reforms from the beginning. First, Burgula Ramakrishna Rao initiated land reforms as Chief Minister of Hyderabad during his term before Andhra Pradesh was formed. P V Narasimha Rao, as Chief Minister, made the agriculture land ceiling enactment which is regarded as one of the best measures of people’s welfare. But Burgula was sent out of AP by Andhra leaders like Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, while the Jai Andhra movement was engineered to oust PV Narasimha Rao. Even after a new State is formed, Seemandhra leaders do not want land reforms to be implemented by the Telangana government. Even if it wants, it can’t do it in Hyderabad.

As ‘Jai Andhra agitation’ was not for separation, Samaikyandhra agitation now is not for that. It is for Hyderabad or control over it to secure their ‘land’. Lakhs of acres of land in and around Hyderabad are under manipulated occupation of Seemandhra politicians, media owners and businessmen, and a few among them hold more than 10,000 acres of prime land. For them Hyderabad is not capital but a real estate hub. The land value rate in Hyderabad is considered to be on par with high rates the world over. Not just in huge tracts of land, but they are also interested in political power to retain that unjust enrichment.

While provoking masses on the sentiment of ‘United State of Andhra, USA’, they are clandestinely negotiating with powers that be to divest the Telangana State of controlling powers over Hyderabad. They are opposing Telangana’s control over land, law and order, land revenue, education, and urban development. They see a potential threat to their riches if Telangana State exercises these powers.

While separating, Seemandhras demanded Madras as their capital in the early 1950s, and when it appeared impossible, pressurized the Nehru Government to make Madras a Centrally administered city. Similar efforts are now visible. After their trials to convert Hyderabad into Union Territory, they are trying to somehow gain control over it.

Seemandhra leaders are staying put in Delhi meeting key persons to pressurize them to use Article 258A which enables the Governor to entrust key powers of State to the Centre without consulting or obtaining the consent of the State Government. The Seventh Amendment to the Constitution added this Article in 1956. It is undemocratic to leave this enormous power in the hands of a nominal head like Governor, undermining the representative government elected by people.

If the Union wants to allay the fears of Seemandhra for their lives and legally secured properties in Hyderabad, a team of officers who do not belong to Andhra or Telangana can be formed to take protective steps. So far such a shift of powers did not happen from any State to the Centre. Use of Article 356 or 258A against Hyderabad is unconstitutional, undemocratic and would certainly defeat the purpose of Telangana agitation for over 60 years so far.

If the Union succumbs to these lobbying tactics and leaders from Telangana accept these unreasonable proposals they will be unable to bring any reforms in land holdings, arresting land grabbing and last minute land assignments of Seemandhra government to the detriment of Telangana.

Suppose the Telangana government wants to limit land holdings, it will have to stand before Governor or Central Government and plead for them to make law and issue orders to implement it. Even a probe into land grab would meet the same fate. If any Telanganite realizes this and people agitate, they will be arrested and dealt with as Osmania University students were, again the State Government would have no control or power because this will be with Delhi where the Seemandhra lobby wields real power.

The revenue from that land and other related issues also would not be within the controls of new State. Any other activity for urban development which affects the interests of illegal wealth holders of Seemandhra cannot be taken by the Telangana State. If education also is handed over to the Centre, the Telangana State cannot even stop suicides under corporate educational institutions run by the Seemandhra entrepreneurs with strong political links.

All along Seemandhra rulers and rich politicians have treated Telangana as less than equal and strengthened their vested interests with the support of Government employees. Hyderabad city is going to suffer because of ego, desire to dominate, superiority complex and feudal mindset.

The anti-Telangana forces are out to stall the resolution in the Assembly and, if not, the Bill in Parliament. They are saying that they will do everything to prevent division. Very few know that they are not really interested in a separate State but their interest is in real estate.

Congress leaders from Andhra and Rayalaseema see no prospects of re-election because they created hype that Seemandhra cannot survive without Telangana. For the last two months they have propagated several false notions in these two areas and enhanced hatred against Telangana. Abuse divided people further. None came forward with any sincere and credible attempt to negotiate to keep Telangana as part of an integrated State. Perhaps no other region faced such strong hate and hostility as Telangana is now facing.