Nitish Kumar Says: Now its Telangana

Telangana: What’s this now? One more state? On what basics? How fair the demand is now?“ Dec 10, 2009, at 11th day of “fast unto death” by K Chandrasekhara Rao: the president of Telangana Rashtra Samiti resulted in ‘meltdown’ of Government of India announcing to initiate the process of state of Telangana in Andhra Pradesh assembly. ”

What’s this now?

Its not a new demand, but been here since independence, just like as we have issue of Kashmir. In fact, even States Reorganization Commission (SRC) wasn’t in favour of merging Telangana and Andhra due to the proportional distribution of resource-n-profit issues, just like Jharkhand movement. In fact, there was a "Gentlemen's agreement" to provider reassurances to the Telangana people as well to Andhra people in terms of power sharing as well as administrative domicile rules and distribution of expenses of various regions, which shows that it was not a minor issue from the start.

The issue rose again by 1969, when the guarantees that had been agreed on were supposed to lapse by Gentlemen's agreement. Student agitation for the continuation of the agreement began at Osmania University in Hyderabad and spread to other parts of the region. Government employees and opposition members of the state legislative assembly swiftly threatened "direct action" in support of the students. This movement, also known as Telangana movement, led to widespread violence and deaths of hundreds of people and students of this Telangana region. Approximately 360 students gave their lives in this movement.

One more state?

The movement got new wings in 1990, when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), promised a separate Telangana state if they came to power. BJP even created Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarkhand states in year 2000 as promised. But the BJP could not create a separate Telangana state because of the opposition from its coalition partner, Telugu Desam Party. These developments brought new life into the separatist Telangana movement by year 2000. As an opposition reaction, Congress party MLAs from the Telangana region, supported a separate Telangana state and formed the Telangana Congress Legislators Forum.

“ In another development, a new party called Telangana Rashtra Samithi (or TRS) was formed with the single point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state, with Hyderabad as its capital lead by Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Rao popularily known as KCR. ”

The point was “If we could have three new states added, then why not one more, which is equally demanded since long?”

On what basics?

Before the independence, India was consisting of around 500 states (I am not counting estates a.k.a. jagirs here), out of which list of around 200 could be found here. This long list somehow was managed to be shortened by Sardar Patel to 28 States and 7 Union territories. Among many other factors, the basics of combing many states into one, were linguistic. Although that was not very prominent or strict, otherwise, Telangana was a separate state since right then, due to its Telgu speaking community.

One more interesting comment was made about danger to national unity, if states keep on creating like this.

“ Out of the 35 states currently in India (28 states and 7 central possessions), 70% are smaller than Telangana. Telangana’s population is 30 million plus. There are 25 states that are smaller than Telangana. If these twenty-five don’t cause national unity issues, why would creation of a larger state be any dangerous? ”

So, there are basics, but the question is continuation. You take one right demand through and get more wrong demands in with more violent means.

How fair the demand is now?

As far as the demand is concerned, theoretically it was already approved, when on 9 October 2008, in a historical turnaround from its 26-year history TDP announced its support for the creation of Telengana and in February 2009, state government declared that it had no objection, in principle, to the formation of separate Telangana and that the time had come to move forward decisively on this issue. To resolve issues related to it the government constituted joint house committee. Ahead of the 2009 General Elections in India all the major parties in Andhra Pradesh supported Telangana state.

So, it was just matter of time and of a stone in pond anytime. Telangana movement also has a blog, you can check.

Conflicting issues:

If we talk about issues of conflict, then there are plenty and the biggest issue is Hyderabad.

Hyderabad: As per proposed structure of Telangana, Hyderabad: one of the most developed city is going to the about to be created state and this is sure a reason of agony among people of Andhra, who says that they built Hyderabad in the shape, it is today and snatching it from their hand, is plain injustice and none of Andhra people are ready to accept this.

On the other side, people from Telangana says, Hyderabad was a famous, richer, beautiful and developed city even then when Andhra took over it against the will of local Telgu speaking people there. Its kind of taking back, which was taken once, which seems no where wrong. Moreover, its just re-organization of political regime and machinery otherwise whomever staying where, will be continued to be there, whomever working where, will continue to work in the same way. If you wish to take profits from our resources, then should have given the same share back to our community as well.

“ In my opinion, this is sure a tough issue and that’s why many big political leaders from here (like PV Narasimha Rao, Marri Chenna Reddy , T. Anjiah) tried their best to stay away from it. In most of reasoning, it seems to be personal interests of Telangana Leaders as they will receive all the attention and powers, which they are not getting in proper proportion right now. But the trend is far more dangerous as the same reason is underlying many other fair/ unfair demands which gonna be flooded after this. Even it may push Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh movements in wrong directions as well. ”

so, here is another local vs migrates issue, even Indian-British, Bihar-Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh-Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand been of the same nature, will it be accepted?

Implications of acceptance for a new state:

If accepted, then the creation of Telangana is going to generate thrust for other demands as well like some already announced. Some majors are:

First come from Andhra itself, where not to be left behind on the statehood issue, politicians from Rayalaseema region have demanded separate statehood for the backward region, saying they would agree to division of the state to create Telangana only if their demand for Greater Rayalaseema is acceded to.
The next is Assam tribes (Bodos, Karbis and Dimasas) demanding Bodoland, Dimaraji and Karbi Homeland respectively.
Uttar Pradesh is also not behind in these demands with the names Harit Pradesh, Bundelkhand and Purvanchal.
From Maharashtra, its Vidarbha, who wants to be separated as a state.
Bihar has demands of Mithila state comprising of some part of West Bengal as well.
In Himachal Pradesh, GJM claimed to have its demand since 1907 for separate Gorkhaland.

“ We are about to invite some more movements, precisely ten of above at least with the announcement of new state for Telangana. Question is “Can we afford? and is it really that important for development of Telangana people? Cant it be done while being united? ”

I could have wrote that decision is yours, but I know common man can do nothing about it. These kind of politics will move on with their extreme necessity coz that’s their job. Here I am doing my part by writing a few facts about.

Comments are most welcome.