AP CM compromising State’s interests

THE RAGING CONTROVERSY - SPECIAL CATEGORY STATUS

People at a loss

• CM says Special Package more beneficial to the State than the SCS.
• He says it is not good in state’s interests to confront the Centre
• He doesn't acknowledge how Tamilians brought Centre to its knees over Jallikattu.
• Jallikattu is just a cultural issue, whereas SCS concerns economy of State
• CBN using all his energies to subdue the emerging people’s movement
• He ignores that SCS is a question of survival of the truncated state
• Both Naidus vowed to get SCS for AP during the elections

On several occasions, it happened to me. When I go to market to buy fruits, the vendor quickly picks the fruits, while I am still sorting out, and fills the bag and ties it. When I untie it and replace the fruits of my choice, the vendor gets irritated and says while he has selected the best fruits for me, why I am removing them. I tell the vendor to keep the best fruits selected by him for himself and allow me to have the fruits of my choice.

In the above example, if we substitute the vendor with Chandrababu Naidu (CBN) we can understand the inherent truths in the simmering controversy of Special Category Status (SCS) for Andhra Pradesh. CBN says he has accepted the Special Package because it has been more beneficial to the State than the SCS.

In the same breath, he says that it is not good in the state’s interests (read as his political interests) to confront the Centre. To CBN’s dismay, the people of Tamil Nadu succeeded in bringing down the Central government to its knees with regard to Jallikattu. The whole of Tamil Nadu has united to achieve what they believed as an affront on their culture. The Prime Minister’s earlier assertions of sub-judice evaporated into thin air.

Thanks to Jallikattu episode , for it has stirred up the emotions of the people of AP to put up a determined fight for their legitimate right of getting accorded Special Category Status. Now CBN is in a fix. It has become a huge and risky task for him to defend his position. CBN is now focusing all his energies to subdue the emerging people’s movement. He reiterates that there is no comparison between Jallikattu and SCS.

Yes, one way Naidu is correct. Jallikattu is a small issue pertaining to their culture and identity. It has nothing to do with the State’s economy or the employment of the youth. Even then the people have raised like sphinx to the amazement of the rest of the country. But the SCS is a question of survival of the truncated state. Its economy and providing employment to the youth will be in doldrums without it. Then the question is how many times an agitation should be bigger than Jallikattu to achieve the SCS.

Special Category Status has been promised by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and supported by BJP in parliament. TDP and BJP before and during the 2014 elections vociferously drummed up the SCS issue to their political advantage. When SCS was proposed for 5 years, Venkaiah Naidu stressed that it should be for 10 years. And CBN as if to outsmart Venkaiah Naidu bragged that it should be for 15 years. Now both parties are in power. Still mysteriously the SCS eludes the State.

Now lame excuses are cropping up one after the other as to why the SCS cannot be accorded. They tried to bring in 14th Finance Commission’s objection as the cause for not being able to consider the SCS. Later, it has been proved that it has no role and the SCS does not come under its scope. Then they started stating obstacles in the law and the objections from other state governments.

The question in every common man’s mind is that why seasoned politicians like Naidu were so naïve in promising the “impossible” and letting down the very people who brought them to power. Are they not aware while they were talking about SCS that it was only a hollow promise.

Generally, an alliance political party will have an edge in getting the issues concerning the State solved to its advantage. And when the alliance is not working out in the interest of the State, what is the qualm in severing the ties and coming out of that alliance.

CBN, a senior politician with national stature, could have easily pressurised the central government to get the SCS for the State which would have been a boon. But he has voluntarily forsook the right even without putting a semblance of fight. Obviously, it looks like CBN has compromised the interests of the State for reasons best known to him.

Even now if CBN keeps all his political calculations and strategies of survival aside and keeps only the welfare of the state as a top priority, the Special Category Status is imminent. Otherwise, the now wizened, spirited people will go ahead with their stir to obtain what has promised to the State. And CBN will be missing the bandwagon which will be detrimental to him and his party. (Writer is Member-Advisory Council, National Alliance of People’s Movements)

By Bhupathiraju Ramakrishnam Raju