Andhra Pradesh: Why a state division?

Is there a state in this country that is stitched together like Andhra Pradesh? Can two siblings be permanently attached to each other on the basis of similarity in DNA? Can such attachment be called legitimate? Back in 1956, two separate entities, Hyderabad and Andhra states, have been stitched together with an expectation that they would develop into a singularity over a period of time. The only common reason of this attachment being the language - Telugu. But it resulted into an awkward ‘Siamese twin’ situation with both entities struggling to maintain it’s own identity.

 

Is there any other region in India that enjoys special constitutional provisions as Telangana? Why employment opportunities are categorized into zones only in Andhra Pradesh? Aren’t there any backward areas anywhere in any of the other states? Why constitution is not providing similar zonal employment rights in other states also? Why should the constitution provide special rights to Telangana people and how long will they continue to enjoy these rights? Fifty three years after a state merger, why are Telangana people still crying to implement those special rights? Can we ever see un-discriminated and equally treated regions (by the constitution) across AP? Will the Indian government ever dare to initiate such steps? If not, why not separate these two regions? - lift all the applicable special constitutional provisions across these two re-born states to bring them on par with all other states?

 

What is a state? After all, it is just an administrative unit! Self rule is what was conceived by Gandhiji and also by the Indian constitution. Unfortunately this is not being practiced nor implemented across the Nation (Centre consumes the states revenues, States consuming the district revenues, and districts consuming the panchayat revenues). When local bodies aren’t allowed to spend their own revenues, dominant power centers use the major revenue share according to their own advantage. That's what is happening across. One possible solution to slowly move towards 'sampoorna grama swarajyam' is to break down large administrative units (states) into smaller ones. A question then arises, “on what grounds should we divide a state?” It can be answered by looking at how states are formed\organized in our republic. It’s either on the grounds of logical administrative unitization (hindi speaking states) or based on ‘people sentiments’ (formation of linguistic states based on language sentiment). Formation of linguistic states that looked to be a great idea is slowly turning out to be a strategic national disaster on a longer term. Slowly linguistic fanaticism is growing – Few say, “None other than Marathas in Mumbai”, “no Hindi in Tamil land” etc. Instead of preaching nationalistic feelings, linguistic feelings are being provoked. May be it’s time to break these bigger linguistic states into smaller manageable units at the best interest of the National integrity.

 

Again, to divide these bigger states, the same old principle can be applied. 1. Identify the backward areas within a state to separate them and form a new state or, 2. Respond to the sentimental demands of the sub-region of a state to separate them and form a new state.

 

In the case of Telangana, both the above reasons look valid (with the later one being a stronger reason). Moreover the demand of separate Telangana is a byproduct of the union of Andhra and Hyderabad states. Time and again it has been ignited by the dejected Telangana politicians in the hands of their counterpart Andhra leaders. The issue has become a politicized handball for the opposition and ruling governments of AP with each one throwing it into others’ court whenever they wish to score a point each. With the advent of a dedicated third team i.e TRS, into this crooked political game, it turned out into an arena of sledging and mudslinging at each other. The atmosphere in AP is completely spoiled and there has to be a permanent closure to this political game. A virtual wall has been already raised across the regions. Hyderabad’s image as a ‘global IT and Pharma hub’ is being tarnished in the continuous ruptures between Andhra and Telangana people. Common man is now prepared to separate – only the nitty-gritty’s of separation needs to be worked out, disputed issues need to be addressed. The Indian government should not resort to the age old delay tactics. Unless majority of the people within a state identify themselves as a singular unit, it’s extremely difficult to contain them. Continuously ignoring the demand of Telangana people may lead to a much bigger and dangerous ‘separatist’ attitude.

 

The situation in Andhra Pradesh demands a permanent solution to all the mess created by juxtaposing Andhra and Hyderabad states! It’s better to resolve this now at the best National interests!! 

My Journey: From United Andhra to Separate Telangana

Though I know the history and facts of Telangana agitation, I never thought a separate T–State would be a solution. It only needed a committed leadership who could dare to address the regional issues like factionism and the leftist extremism of the state. The first 30 years of un-inspirational Congress leadership clearly lacked a vision and commitment for the state development. It was the entry of NTR into state politics that initiated the modern day state development. NTR was the first visionary of the state leaders. He totally relooked at the state situation, introduced many a reforms into administrative system, acted tough on Naxalism, tried to address the concerns of Telangana public (by initiating the 610 GO to repatriate all non local candidates illegally appointed in the Telangana region to their native zones). He is the man who invoked the self esteem of a common man daring him to hold his head high and at level to look straight into the eyes of Delhi administration. NTR initiated the modern age beautification of Hyderabad city and developed tourism plan around Hussiansagar. His successor, Chandra Babu Naidu carried forward a greater IT and Tourism vision for the state. Chandra Babu dared the common man to question the bureaucrats with tough administrative reforms combined with automation of administrative processes. He streamlined the electric distribution system by initiating a regulatory authority to streamline the process. But his vision grossly ignored the backbone income group of the state i.e the agricultural sector. Small and medium farmers suffered a lot due to the steep increase in electricity bills (especially from Telangana region). Difference between higher and lower income groups widened. Farmers and Handloom workers started committing suicides in Telangana region. Implementation of 610 GO was shelved, Creamy official posts, cabinet ministries, state development contracts and urban lands at cheap rates were allotted to the high income communal groups of Andhra and Seema regions. Many government recruitments in Telangana zones were suspended, filling such posts by the deputed employees of Seema-Andhra.

The KCR dissidence and TRS: When KCR started off TRS splitting from TDP in 2001, I immediately realized that this would not be just one of those other Telangana bearing passing clouds. The simple reason being, he was instantly welcomed by various sections of Telangana (Employee unions, farmers, communal sections, labor unions and most importantly, the intellectual support by University professors). 2001: I personally thought the state was already in a progressive path with visionary leaders (Chandra Babu talking about IT & Tourism vision and YSR about Agricultural and social reform vision as an opposition leader). Being a Telanganite, I still welcomed TRS and firmly believed that whoever would rule the state next, would be forced to address the issues of Telangana to pacify the demands of separate statehood. But what happened in following years has been an act of heinous demoralizing politics with both Congress and TDP trying to kill each other by holding the gun against TRS shoulders. Every shot that was being fired ended up only hurting the sentiments of Telangana.

Within 60 days of it’s birth, TRS stunned many critics by winning a handsome vote share in the local body elections and ramped up it’s organization strength encouraging huge gross root level dissidences that caused shivers to Congress and TDP. Funds flooded from various Telangana supporters and NRIs, KCR established himself as a reckoning leader of Telangana within no time. Congress saw a great opportunity to dethrone the TDP and the Telangana Congress leaders succeeded in forcing their high command to form an alliance with TRS in 2004 elections (otherwise their own political existence was at stake). The ‘substance’ of the Congress – TRS alliance during the 2004 elections has been a mystery ever since. But to the people of Telangana, any alliance with a party like TRS meant that Congress accepted a separate statehood to Telangana. None of the Andhra and Seema Congress leaders opposed to this alliance. They just succumbed to their political necessities rather than thinking about the feelings of their own people towards state separation. TDP leaders of all three regions strongly opposed the idea of state separation and contested the elections on the United stance. TRS – Congress alliance won the 2004 elections with a thumping majority across the state and Seema-Andhra people’s acceptance to TRS-Congress alliance meant that they voted for the state separation. 2004: Though I never doubted KCRs commitment towards Telangana, I never had any confidence in Congress’ trademark politics and also believed that the state doesn’t really need to be separated to address the Telangana issues. I voted for TDP in 2004 elections!!

The heinous political game of YSR: Post 2004 elections, riding high on the thumping majority granted to Congress and the high command’s appointment as full term CM, YSR showed the true colors of Andhra political leadership. Instead of convincing the people of Telangana towards maintaining a united statehood, he resorted to heinous political games. On one side, YSR not only encouraged new separatist demands by Northern Andhra (Uttarandhra) and Rayalaseema, but also frequently encouraged the demands for an impractical Second State Reorganization Committee (by MP, Lagadapati RajaGopal) to further complicate the process of Telangana state formation. He further resorted to cheap backstab politics by supporting dissidence in TRS MLAs and frequently encouraging them to tarnish KCR’s political image. No Telangana Congress MLA was allowed to talk about the Telangana issues either in the House of Assembly or outside. Those few leaders who dared to speak (eg: Madhu Yashki, Uppunutala, Venkata Swami) were either countered by politically motivated allegations by Congress colleagues or were silenced by luring them with nominated posts. All controversial Telangana issues like Farmers’ and Handloom workers’ suicides, implementation of 610 GO, Controversial Hyderabad Free Zone issue, Allocation of fair share of Krishna water to Telangana region, reversal of ‘On deputation’ government officials in Telangana region; were all conveniently ignored. Instead, YSR initiated major water projects in Rayalaseema under Krishna riverbed, sold / allotted valuable urban properties to Andhra Industrialists at throw away process in spite of stern protests from Telanganites.

The best successful contribution of YSR governance to Telangana region happens to be curbing of leftist extremism aka China sponsored terrorism. Whatever the other popular welfare schemes introduced by him like ArogyaShri, 108 Emergency service, old aged pension scheme, Rs 2/- per kg rice etc were all targeted to entire AP state from the state budget. Telangana never got any special package from the budget. An age old conceived Devudula project phase-1 was also completed, at the inauguration of which, Sonia Gandhi was unable to show up her face to the public of Telangana for having not met to the people’s expectation on separate statehood. A group of very senior Telangana Congress leaders had to face utter humiliation at the Delhi doorsteps with the ‘high command’ not even granting them an appointment. Such was the influence of the Seema-Andhra lobby on Congress high command. All the above happenings brought in a metamorphosis in my vision towards the AP state. I started realizing the fact that it is impossible to fill the gap between highly regional oriented Andhra leadership and a diversified Telangana leadership that cannot lobby in unity to achieve any progressive goals of Telangana in a combined state. Neither Chandra Babu nor YSR would ever speak anything against the interests of Telangana, nor would they act at the pending demands of Telanganites that would lower the systematic Andhra dominance on Telangana region. The worst political offence committed by YSR was allowing the TRS dissident MLAs who violated the whip, to sit in the floor of the assembly for almost two and half years by holding their case pending with the Speaker until one day before what seemed to be an inevitable Supreme court’s judgment. 2008: First time I voted for TRS during the by-elections, in protest to the humiliations met with the Telangana leaders and with the people.

Thus a United Andhraite became a Separate Telanganaite! Thanks to YSR and Congress for making me realize the humiliating realities of a Telanganaite!!

All for None, None for All (Part-II)

“All For One, One For All!” was the motto of the famous Three Musketeers of Alexander Dumas. Andhra Pradesh was also formed on similar lines by merging the three regions, but let’s see the general relations among them…

Public Relations: A common man always searches for some common interest like Caste, Religion, Region, etc while establishing a relationship with another man. Usually, in AP, caste is the dominant factor that decides the cardinality of a relationship between any two people. Regional feelings become the second priority. (Interestingly, the dominant Reddy and Kapu communities of SeemaAndhra do not consider the Reddy and Kapu’s of Telangana as their true counterparts. Reddy’s of SeemaAndhra feel they are a superior class than that of Telangana region. Kapu, in Andhra region is a Forward Caste and in Telangana it (Munnuru Kapu) is defined as a Backward Class). Telanganaites, in general, do not wish to relocate themselves to any part of Seema or Andhra regions. The public integrity of SeemaAndhra region intimidates the Telangana people and they feel that they cannot withstand to the aggression of SeemaAndhraites. However, the Telanganites on the other hand, rarely show any resent towards the settlers of Andhra region. This has encouraged a lot of Andhra settlers (especially from the districts of Guntur and Krishna) in Telangana region and most of their offsprings today identify themselves as Telanganites (with an exception to Hyderabadi settlers).

**Telangana people always consider both Seema and Andhra regions as a single unit and refer to it as Andhra region in toto. They are least bothered about the further regional splits like Seema and Northern Andhra (Uttara Andhra) and they think that it is an internal matter of Andhra region.

Political Relations: Political relations have never been any cardinal between the SeemaAndhra and Telanagana leaders. Political Power is such a cake that every dog fights to get it’s own major share. Telangana leaders, who are economically and communally weaker than the SeemaAndhra leaders, are always deprived of the power (especially, the CM post). Congress ruled this state for more than 36 years out of which, Telangana leaders got a fair share of 10+ years of CM rule. On the other hand, TDP ruled the state for 16+ years and no one else other than from the NTR’s family can dare to think of the CM’s post. To sum it up, the T – leaders got an opportunity to lead the state for only 10+ years out of 53+ years and the past 30 years, recorded only two Chief Ministers from Telanagana that too for just a period of about two and half years.

Why there are less CM’s from Telangana? If we analyze in deep, we would realize that it is not the dearth of leadership skills of Telangana leaders that produced less CMs’ to AP but the reason is something else. Majority of Telangana population consists of Backward and Scheduled classes. For the past many years, the political parties have been balancing their overall seat allocation quota to Backward and Scheduled classes by allocating to the leaders from T – Region. As a result, Andhra region has majority of Forward class leaders and T – Region has majority of (assorted) Backward class leaders. It has become a simplified task to the Forward class leaders to divide the assorted Backward class leaders of T – Region. This lack of cohesiveness and acceptance of unique leadership among the T-leaders on the communal grounds failed to create a strong political lobby for any T-leader to become a candidate for a CM post. As a result, the T – leaders are always on look out for ‘some strong political reason’ that could establish them as a strong leader with a mass backing. Raking up the Telangana sentiment and projecting the backwardness of Telangana has been becoming the constant weapon for the Telangana political leaders.

Thus the forward caste domination, caste based politics and disbelief of Telangana people in Andhra leadership has finally made it a “All for None, None for All” situation in Andhra Pradesh.

The Three Musketeers of AP (Part-I)

Yes! The Three Musketeers in reference here are the Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana regions of the united Andhra Pradesh state. Let’s have a quick glance at them:

Andhra Region:
Definitely the most developed region of the state. Except for Srikakulam and Vijayanagaram districts, this region can be considered as the power center of AP. With abundant water flow from Goadavari and Krishna rivers, the plains of the Gunturu, Krishna and Godavari districts are extreme fertile lands that regularly yield three crops an year. Further, the coastal line is is a very good natural resource of sea products and ports, that lead sea trade to flourish. For almost a century, the literacy rate of this region has been high (as compared to the other two regions). This resulted in sharpened soft skills of the Andhraites. 

Kamma, Kapu, Reddy, Kshatriya, Velama, Kalinga and a (politically)diminished Brahmins are the predominant ruling communities. People of this region are politically very motivated with strong communal feelings. People know the strength of unity and generally identify each other by their communities and align within themselves accordingly. Over a period of time, Kammas’ have clearly established their supremacy over the rest. Kammas of Godavari, Krishna and Guturu districts have become such a strong ‘power center of AP’ that the industrialists of these four districts can topple any ruling governance over night.

Rayalaseema Region:
'Seema’ as it is called in short, is equally as backward as Telangana region. Most of the region usually records a very low rainfall. Though Krishna and it’s sub-rivers flow through this region, the overall catchment area for cultivation is very minimal. The Srisailam dam is a Hydro-electric power project and hardly addresses any agricultural needs. Parching summers force people of lower sects from Kurnool and Anantapur districts to relocate themselves as daily wage coolies to other major cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore and even as far as Bombay and Surat.

Alike Andhra region, people of Seema region are also politically very motivated with strong communal feelings. Reddys dominate most of the scenario, Kamma(Naidu) being the second dominant caste sect. Any discussion on Seema backwardness without a mention of ’factionalism’ shall be incomplete. For more than a century, the economically strong feudalistic families of Seema are nurturing their own private armies (faction) to maintain their supremacy over a village (or their own defined region) and on the opponent groups of the region. With their huge convoys, armed private personnel and a blood for blood policy, the factional leaders’ usually project a larger than life image among the public. Thus they develop a hero worship among the people. Post independence, politics became the natural arena for these factional leaders to safe guard their own interests creating constant peace disruption. Thus public welfare took a back seat. The outcome of the factionalism has been the development of mass adorned powerful leaders from this region. Almost 25 of the 53 years of the state are ruled by the Chief Ministers from Seema.

Telangana Region:
Situated at the heart of Deccan Plateau, Telngana is filled with hillocks and forests. The northern part of Telangana is the southern edge of the ‘Dandakaranya’. Northern Telanagana is (was??) a dense forest area with a good decent tribal inhabitation. Most of the Godavari and it’s sublets either flow through the forest or through hillocks that too much below the ground level of the surrounding inhabitant area. The riverbed of Krishna covers a part of the southern Telangana.

Inhabitation: The forest area is majorly inhabited by tribal population that, even till date, depend on the forest products. Far from basic amenities like drinking water, hospitals, road connectivity, basic schooling etc, they live in dire state. Ironically they don’t even know that they have a right to have them. Off late, a bit of efforts are being put up to uplift the tribal living conditions.

Rural Telangana is majorly inhabited by backward caste sects like Munnuru Kapu, Yadava, Goud, Viswa Brahmana and also Schedule castes and Lambada tribes. The ruling communities, in general are Reddy, Velama and assorted BC leaders from Kapu, Yadava and Goud communities. Due to the assorted leadership, political cohesiveness is minimal. Rainfall based agriculture and traditional caste based jobs are the main source of livelihood. Females from lower middle class and lower classes work on daily wages during the crop harvest seasons and or as Beedi making labour. A little decent number of males are also employed at the Singareni coal mines. Thanks to the APSRTC's inability, many a youth are also making a livelihood by providing private transportation like Auto Rickshaws and light motor vehicles. Most of the youth are either high school drop outs or ‘Plus 2’ drop outs. Family compulsions to earn livelihood and early marriages are the forcing factors for education drop outs. Lack of awareness on various job opportunities is causing the middle class youth, after completing their Bachelors level education, are settling down either at private educational institutions or running their own little assorted business. 

Agriculture: Due to severe deforestation and global warming, monsoon rainfall has been taking a severe beating over the state for almost two decades. Dependence on lift irrigation increased considerably due to which the ground water levels have diminished over the region. Farmers started depending on less water consuming commercial crops like ‘Mirchi’ and Cotton. Overall agricultural investment has been increasing year after year and returns hardly yielding any profits. Due to heavy debt repayment pressures, thousands of farmers have committed suicides over the past decade.

 
Industry: Nizam government’s established Azam Jahi Mills at Warangal and Sirsilk Mills at Sirpur helped the Textile industry to flourish in Telangana. But lack of vision by the subsequent governments of independent India has brought down a closure of these two mills. Telangana, that could have become a potentially powerful textile corridor like Surat, sadly became a suicide paradise of textile labor. Further, the general public awareness on Beedi usage has significantly pulled down the ‘beedi rolling’ cottage industry. Rural Telangana is desperately looking for some industry to flourish over the region. 

Leftist Extremism:The early ‘Armed Farmer Revolution’ (Saayudha Raithanga Poratam) to claim the agricultural lands from the feudalist Watandaars appointed by the Nizam King, gave an opportunity to the so called new age Communists of that period to instigate the idea of Communism, in the name of ‘liberation of motherland from the hands of feudalists’, into the innocent minds of Telangana farmers gave birth to the ‘Naxalite’ extremism. Lack of educational and employment opportunities, failure of the state governments in distributing agricultural lands to Telangana farmers and the oppression of the ‘Telangana Movement’ in 1969 further consolidated the Naxalism in Telangana. The dejected student participants of the failed ‘Telangana Movement’ followed the path of extremism believing that ‘only a gun barrel can win the right to rule’. Availability of thick forests and support of the Tribal and Dalit sects backed by an inexusable passive approach to the issue by the state governments, further consolidated the Naxalism in Telangana. Naxalites almost established parallel governance in Northern Telangana districts obstructing even those little developmental initiatives of the state governments.