Justification for Telangana State

In the annals of Telangana, July 30, 2013 is a Red Letter Day as it was on this day the Congress Working Committee decided to form Telangana State to fulfill its promises made on many occasions in the past and more particularly on December 9, 2009.

For taking this historic decision, the Congress High Command held many rounds of talks with all sections of the State Congress as well as other political parties in the State. In this context it may be recalled that a similar decision was taken by the Central Government on December 9, 2009 and the same was announced in Parliament on December 10, 2009. But following the violent demonstrations in the Andhra region against the bifurcation of the State, the Central Government had taken another decision on December 23, 2009 to keep the December 9 decision in ‘abeyance’ to hold further consultations with concerned parties and people in both the regions of the State.

Accordingly the process of consultations lasted for more than 3 years before the ‘final decision’ was taken on July 30 by the Congress High Command. But history seems to repeat itself with regard to dissent and disagreement by all political parties. As a result there is an outbreak of public protests in the form of rallies and bandhs in the Andhra Region. What is more significant is that Andhra Congress leaders, Ministers, MPs and MLAs including Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC President Botcha Satyanarayana made public statements that they would abide by the final decision of the Congress High Command.

But surprisingly the same Congress leaders had gone back on their word causing much embarrassment to their party High Command. In fact it is Andhra Congress leaders who are now in the forefront of the ongoing agitation in Andhra. In the above context it may be stated that before taking this momentous decision the CWC noted the various assurances, opinions and public statements made by the State and Central Governments, Congress Party and other political parties.

It is thus seen that CWC has taken into account various assurances and commitments made by the President of India, Central Government, Congress Party, and views and opinion of leaders in AP, in making the decision on July30. In other words, the decision was based on wide ranging consultations and opinions of all political parties in AP and majority parties including BJP at the national level in the past 3 ½ years.

In the above circumstances the opposition from Andhra Congress leaders to the CWC decision is highly regrettable. Moreover, they should realize that it is the ‘Congress High Command’ in 1956 which decided merger of Telangana in Andhra State much against the recommendations of the States Reorganization Commission. In other words, merger was imposed on Telangana Congress leaders by the Congress High Command in 1956.

Obviously, without such a decision by CWC there would not have been enlarged state of Andhra Pradesh. But after knowing the persistent violations of Telangana safeguards by Andhra rulers and the untold hardships suffered by Telangana people in the past 50 years, the same Congress High Command has taken the final decision on July 30 only to correct the grave mistake committed by it in 1956.

Merger of Telangana with Andhra
It is pertinent to recount the historic facts and events which brought about the merger of Telangana with Andhra State. As it took place over 56 years ago the present generation of leaders and their followers may not be fully aware of the circumstances of merger of Telangana with Andhra. For this reason an attempt is made here to present the main reasons for ‘two independent states’ coming together in November 1956 under an agreement which contained many conditions to safeguard the rights and interests of Telangana people who constituted a minority (34%) in the population of Andhra Pradesh.

This merger took place against the recommendations of the States Reorganization Commission as well as wishes of the Telangana people. But this has happened on the intervention of the Congress High Command which persuaded Telangana leaders to accept the merger with Andhra state with safeguards given to them under an agreement which was made on February 20, 1956 in Delhi.

This agreement is known as Gentlemen’s Agreement. It was a ‘conditional merger’ which would become void if stipulated conditions are violated by Andhra leaders. In this case Andhra leaders started violating Telangana safeguards from DAY 1 (November 1, 1956) and continued these violations causing utmost injustice to Telangana people.

In the circumstances there was a big Telangana agitation in 1969 demanding separation from Andhra. In this agitation more than 370 youth died in police firing during the regime of Andhra Chief Minister K. Brahmananda Reddy. And in the next election held in 1971 Telangana Praja Samithi candidates won 10 seats in Lok Sabha out of 14 on the slogan of separate Telangana.

Why Andhras wanted merger
In 1953 when Andhras came out from Madras Province they were awfully handicapped by lack of resources in all sectors for undertaking development activities on a large scale as described below:
(a) Their annual budget was only Rs17 crores with Rs 5 crores deficit.
(b) No capital city of their own.
(c) Very little electricity in different parts of the state.
(d) No coalmines.
(e) No new irrigation projects for want of sufficient river waters and finances.
(f) No employment opportunities to educated youth.
(g) No scope for industrial development for want of finance and infrastructure.

Telangana Agitation in 1969
Taking note of the unprecedented Telangana movement in 1969, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi held talks with Dr M. Chenna Reddy and other leaders of TPS and agreed to provide further safeguards to Telangana people and assured their implementation in all respects. Accordingly she announced 8-Point Plan which provided further safeguards and other measures for the implementation of Telangana safeguards.

Jai Andhra movement in 1972
It may be recalled that on October 3, 1972, the Supreme Court gave a landmark decision reviving Mulki Rules declaring them as valid and enforceable in Telangana region. There was a big protest by Andhra leaders and employees against the revival of Mulki Rules and they demanded abolition of Mulki Rules and all Telangana safeguards. And to achieve their demands Andhra Congress leaders started Jai Andhra Movement in November 1972.

In support of this agitation eight Cabinet Ministers including BV Subba Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister, resigned from the cabinet and joined the movement. Similarly, MLAs, MLCs, MPs and other leaders of all parties from Andhra region participated in the movement demanding Separate Andhra state. In these circumstances the President Rule was imposed in the state on January 18, 1973 which continued up to December, 1973. During this period the powers of the Legislative Assembly were taken over by the Parliament in all matters including passing of the state budget.

Abolition of T safeguards
During the President Rule, all Telangana safeguards were abolished by the Congress Government at the Centre by amending the Constitution. As a result Mulki Rules and other Telangana safeguards given under the Constitution were abolished to satisfy the demands of leaders of Andhra region. As a result Telangana people lost all safeguards given to them at the time of merger of Telangana in Andhra in 1956. Similar situation has arisen now warranting President Rule in AP to ensure implementation of July 30 decision in support of Telangana State.

Thus the grant of Telangana State by Congress High Command is fully justified. In the past 56 years of Andhra Pradesh, the People of Telangana have lost their immense resources as well as Telangana surplus funds and also many opportunities to develop their backward region due to the violation of Telangana safeguards. It is, therefore, hoped that Seemandra leaders would not only accept the decision on Telangana State gracefully but also extend their fullest cooperation in the reconstruction of Telangana under Telangana leadership.

M Narayan Reddy

(The author is former Member of Parliament)