Let Telangana enjoy the fruits of Independence

Seemandhra people say they have developed emotional bondage with Hyderabad City. Well, they can love the city and live in the city as usual even after bifurcation as millions of people from the rest of Indian States live in Hyderabad

When Telangana state is about to be carved out of Andhra Pradesh, it is unwise on the part of Seemandhra leaders and APNGO leaders to continue the agitation. Instead, they should have prepared the people of Seemandhra psychologically for the bifurcation and place all their grievances/ apprehensions/ fears before the nation. APNGOs slogan is “We want Justice”. But nobody knows what justice they are seeking from the government and simply going ahead agitating for the continuation of AP State which is out of question at present.

When the people of Telangana are not willing to live in the united state of AP and relentlessly engaged in the movements for the last 60 years for being exploited, discriminated, marginalized in all fields, how can unity is possible? When the people of the state have been vertically split at all levels on the basis of regions, can unity be possible? Can living together be possible without the willingness of the other partner? Can wife and husband live together without mutual consent?

Similarly, business in joint ventures, organizations, political alliances, federations and so on shall function when there is a mutual consent of the partners. It is the primary requirement for any kind of alliance. Here, in the case of United AP, this mutual consent is lacking since its formation in 1956. The people of Telangana were against the merger and the merger was not unconditional. Emotional integration among the people of two regions of the state has not been developed. The state had experienced movements for separation in 1969 (Telangana), 1972 (Andhra), 1985 (Repatriation of non- locals from Telangana) and the present one since 1996.

Seemandhras too know pretty well that people of Telangana want a separate state of their own but they do not want to forego their dominance on the resources (natural and man-made), like water, power, coal, revenues, educational and employment opportunities and above all they don’t want their control over the city of Hyderabad to slip.

It is pertinent to note that they don’t love Telangana, but they want Telangana resources and Hyderabad which has been the political power centre and cultural centre of Telangana for over 500 years. They are aware that without merger of Telangana, control over resources and Hyderabad is not possible. That is why they want continuance of AP state. Telugu Jati, what they preach, is just for public consumption and not out of love for Telangana. The speeches delivered in September 7 meeting and the banners erected in the Seemandhra areas during the present Samaikyandhra agitation are sufficient to prove the above statement.

From the letters published in Hans India, we may come to a conclusion that the Seemandhras have some apprehensions about the employment, educational, and business opportunities in Hyderabad if the state is bifurcated and the city goes to Telangana. The TJAC leaders and political leaders of Telangana have issued statements innumerable times that Seemandhras can live in Hyderabad and elsewhere in Telangana with all rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India.

As far as Hyderabad is concerned, there will not be any major changes in the lives of people residing in Hyderabad. Employees in private sector and Central Government establishments and institutions will remain in Hyderabad. Industries and business establishments of Seemandhras, if they wish, can remain in Hyderabad and do business.

Telangana will be happy if the film industry, print and electronic media houses established by the Seemandhras function from Hyderabad even after bifurcation. Seemandhra people will have employment and educational opportunities as usual even after bifurcation.

Then who will go? What changes will take place? After bifurcation, there will be two Secretariats, two High Courts, two Assemblies and so on. State Governmentt employees will invariably have to go and work in their respective government offices as per the rules and regulations in force. But the present batch of employees of Seemandhra may continue to work, retire and settle in Hyderabad as Hyderabad is going to be a joint capital of both the states for 10 years till the capital city for Seemandhra State is built.

Seemandhra people say they have developed emotional bondage with Hyderabad City. Well, they can love the city and live in the city as usual even after bifurcation as millions of people from the rest of Indian States live in Hyderabad. Telangana has a great culture (Ganga Jamuna Tahzeeb ) which can easily assimilate people from different places having different cultures and speak different languages. So is the case with Seemandhras and will be the same even after bifurcation.

Then why the Seemandhras are demanding Hyderabad be made a Union Territory? The Andhras launch agitations to take away benefits of Telangana. In 1972, they did take away special protections of Telangana which were guaranteed under Gentlemen’s Agreement and now they want to snatch away the City of Hyderabad from Telangana. The people of Telangana are not prepared for this to happen at any cost.

Seemandhra people should understand that we separate geographically and politically as two states and remain united as Telugu speaking people. Let the people of Telangana enjoy the fruits of Independence which had been denied all these years.

(The writer is President, Telangana Vidyavantula Vedika , Hyderabad City Unit, and Co-Chairman, Telangana Engineers JAC)