Paramount of excellence

To commemorate the birth centenary of Konda Laxman Bapuji, which was on September 21, Dr Vangara Bhumaiah penned the biography of this mounting personality, which reveals the unknown facets and nuances of his life and political career

Konda Laxman Bapuji was born in a remote village Wankidi in Adilabad on September 21, 1915, his saga of political journey starts with Indian freedom movement and struggle of Telangana agitation in first phase of 1969 and the recent Telangana movement. He should be remembered with all gratefulness by this region for the contribution he made for his people.

To a person born in the then Nizam state, to enter into Indian National movement is a double folded task. In Bapuji’s instance it was three folded layer. In 1939, he joined in Padmashali Yuvajana Sangham, a group of his social caste hierarchy. The socio-political dimensioned struggle started in a way with this. He strictly stuck to his roots, when he moved further to fight against Nizam at state and participated in Indian freedom movement at National level.

The fight began at village, taking care of his backward community at grass root level and participating in various activities against Nizam rule, and actively participating in Indian National Congress, and freedom movement. All these activities, chiseled a niche for him of respect and gratitude. Bapuji a lawyer by profession; when he entered into direct politics it was challenging for him.

He was first elected in assembly in 1952 and the journey went on till 1978 and he held different positions such as cabinet minister and deputy speaker, Chairman Telangana PCC (1969). The newly formed Telangana State always salutes his ventures towards the state formation. He was the first minister to resign from his post in 1969 in favour of Telangana agitation. In his letter to then Chief Minister Kasu Brahmananda Reddy he mentioned that he needs his freedom to take up his responsibilities as per his consciences towards his land.

Bapuji, in a real sense felt that it was his duty to respond for Telangana. A compilation of all his pamphlets related to Telangana agitation appeared as ‘Telangana Affair’ in 1969. He very clearly mentions about Preventive Detention Act, which was used on people of Telangana in agitation very elaborately. The small compilation stands as a document of movement holding a true mirror to political agonies of Telangana people.

Bapuji with his straight forwardness created his own place. Had he been stooped to compromises in his political career, it would have been brighter than what he entertained. He was ‘cause’ oriented, not person or parties oriented one. To commemorate this mounting personality on his birth centenary, which was on September 21, Dr Vangara Bhumaiah, a political science post graduate from Kakatiya University, Warangal, wrote a biography titled ‘Konda Laxman Bapuji: A Political Biography’.

The book is honest representation of Bapuji’s political profile. Bhumaiah could project the multi-faceted personality of Bapuji- as a freedom fighter (at State level - against Nizam and national level - against the British), as a Member of Legislative Assembly, State minister, deputy speaker of Andhra Pradesh Assembly on political levels.

Bapuji was founder of Weavers’ Cooperative Societies, and focused on the problems of weavers in the meetings and conferences pulling and catering the attention of the people to the weaver’s problems. Vangara Bhumaiah in his book with a simple presentation puts forth Bapuji’s role and place in state of Hyderabad with the backdrop of veteran leader’s childhood influences.

The book also discusses about political profile of Bapuji and his role in separate Telangana movement. Political profiles and biographies are a part of imperial art of history writing also. This biography is good example for this well received canon. The historical events and movements are well marked in this biography. The book also focuses on the people and incidents related to him.

Bapuji’s persuasion for weaver’s cooperative societies date from the Nizam’s Government in 1945 for procuring and distributing years to the coupon holder weavers speaks a lot about the persisting problem of weavers till the date. The biography records the meetings (Mahasabhas) organised by Bapuji at Sirisilla, Karimnagar and Warangal, in 1946.

Padmashali Bhavan turned into students’ hostel in 1949. It further was developed to meet to the needs of students from that community. The mention of All India Weaver’s Movement provides many rare and useful details. The role of Konda Laxman, against Nizam’s rule reveals and opens many facets of that regime beyond history writing.

This is the very typical angle of biography writing, which unravels many hidden layers of the same event and incidents when a biographer is set on narrating an episode or event; he is bound to rewrite the incident from a total different angle. Nizam Bomb case (P.53) is one such incident, which had more add ups to the incident beyond Bapuji’s sincere financial help and assistance to the case.

It is not to say that the biographer had been deviated from the work very adherently sticking to his political biography speech Dr Bhumaiah did not attempt to list out the personal details of Bapuji other than his childhood influence, with an elaborative account of Adilabad district.

Biographies on people like Konda Laxman Bapuji are necessary for research and also for information for further generations as his contribution to the state and nation is commendable and his service to the society and community is unparalleled. His vision of backward communities is very deep penetrating one.

It needed more focus and Bapuji deserved more attention. Social and political works complimented each other and he strived for them in unexhausted way. Writer is an Associate Professor in Palamuru University

By Dr Guduru Manoja