DIVIDED
WE FALL!
On the eve of the Andhra Pradesh State Formation Day
we once again warn our readers as also Telugu people all over the world that
the hard-won unity of Telugu people after decades of people’s struggles in several
fronts and the credit of being the first reorganized State formed on linguistic
basis must not be dissipated on flimsy grounds and that deliberate distortion
of history exacerbates regional animosities all the more. Especially it is
sadly ridiculous to hear the slogans of ‘betrayal day’ hurled at that glorious
event which took place five and a half decades ago. Our intense search into all
the news items post 1 November 1956, or for that matter post 5 March 1956 when
the then Premier Nehru announced at Nizamabad the decision to form a united
Telugu State merging the then Andhra State and the then Telangana region of
Hyderabad State, did not yield us a single protest event/sentiment that such
unity was any kind of betrayal of people of any region. On the contrary, we
found the then MLA of Nizamabad, Mr Davar Hussain, exhorting the people of
Telangana to heartily work for unity, specifically observing that “though people of Nizamabad were till then
Telanganaites [he
meant ‘generally in favor of separate Telangana’], when Premier Nehru announced the decision in favor
of united Andhra [Vishalandhra] State, there was a general ovation with not a
single voice of protest from the people. It is in that spirit that Telangana
people should now work for the unity and progress of the country” and that is quite laudable and exhilarating. We also
remind our readers that the entire Telangana cultural and social renaissance
movement was conducted successfully under the illustrious Andhra Janasanghams
and Andhra Mahasabha and the star leaders of the Telangana renaissance and
Telangana peasant struggle were all dedicated to the unity and progress of the
entire Telugu people without any regional bias. The first Telugu book to bag
the Kendra Sahitya Akademi award was ‘Andhrula
Sanghika Charitra’ (Social
History of Andhras) by the great Telangana leader Sri Suravaram
Pratap Reddy, who always fought for Telugu unity and development. We earnestly
appeal to all the people of the State, especially of Telangana region, to
realize that in our amity and unity lie our progress and prosperity but nothing
but sure decline and fall would result from our mindless antagonisms and conflicts
§§§
8 comments:
Very Aptly Put. Strength lies in UNITY!! when we tell our children that, why then do we forget this as adults? How many MP's do we need to be really counted in the Centre?Isn't it shortsighted to further weaken ourselves? JAI HIND!!..P.T.Choudhary
AP was formed against the recommendations of first SRC. Negotiations took place, agreements were reached. People believed in agreements and may not have protested AP formation. People started realizing it was a betrayal day when agreement after agreement were broken! Latest betrayal is Dec 23, 2009! Please read the manifestos of political parties, listen to speeches by Sonia, CBN, Chiru etc in Telangana, making promises with thundering voices. Not being able to implement their promises and being controlled by a few selfish leaders is not a betrayal? The only solution to where we are today is the formation of Telangana! When complete trust develops between Telangana and Andhra states in future, if they want to be united, it can be considered. AP state totally failed in establishing that trust among people and that is the reason people are willing to call Nov 1 a betrayal day.
Anonymous, when? when people started realizing? 1956-1968 I never heard an allegation of betrayal. 1968 end to 1972 of course Separate Telangana movement and all the hullaballoo, all the curses, all the laments, etc. including allegations of betrayal. 1973 Jai Andhra movement and Andhras want to separate and a big and violent agitation; but all Telangana leaders oppose that; they wanted united Andhra Pradesh - all including the so-called 'Telangana Gandhi' (Konda Lakshman Bapuji) and Channa Reddy. 1973 at last a viable solution worked out. Mulki Rules abolished and 6-point formula devised. For 30 years it worked well - of course with all the defects, defaults and errors in working that will be there for any formula. 1983-2002 Telugu Desam NTR Rule, later Babu Rule with an interregnum of Congress Rule. Not a whisper of 'betrayal' allegations - not even any viable demand for separate Telangana from any quarter. Again the junoon/deewangi starts with the KCR betrayal of TDP and his own mentor NTR's ideals for his own selfish interests. And who broke the Agreements? Only Andhra leaders? Didn't the Telangana leaders break the Agreements by insisting on Mulki Rules when the letter and spirit of the Agreements was the speedy abolition of those Rules? It is easy to call names, blame peoples but very difficult to introspect and properly analyze. The future of Telangana lies in united Telugu State and Telugu unity. Separatists are only calling for the nemesis of Telangana. Telangana meant and means the entire Telugu land, not just the present 10 districts which the separatists claim - which is a historical accident that happened under the oppressive Nizam tyranny.
Sharma, You are just stuck on the word 'betrayal'! You may not have seen this word between 1956 and 1968. If they did not feel betrayed why will they start 1969 agitation for Telangana? At NO point did Telangana feel as an integral part of AP. Throughout the period since the merger, there were issues raised, discussions took place, committees formed, GOs passed, tribunal cases, court cases, presidential orders etc. The protests/agitation went through peaks and valleys. A valley does not mean that people are happy, it is because of various reasons including lack of leadership, fear of govt suppression, feeling powerless, 'betrayal' by leaders like Chenna Reddy etc. So, if you thought for 30 years it worked well, sorry, you are wrong. Do we still want to continue with packages, further agreements, more GOs, presidential orders etc? It is a waste of public money and effort! Both Telangana and Andhra can utilize their resources for better purpose! Forget about the history, don't you think Dec 23, 2009 was a betrayal day after all dramas played by parties for almost a decade? How do you justify that? Can we call ourselves a democracy? All Telugus living together is an 'ideal' situation, for that matter we want the world to live like a single family, 'Vasudhaika Kutumbam'. But that has to come from people, should not be 'forced' on people in face of massive discontentment. I say again, AP state failed in establishing trust among people, Andhra could not take its unequal partner together (yes, Telangana agreed it was not an equal partner and suspected there would be exploitation and that was the reason for agreements and protections), the experiment failed.
Experiment? for about 60 years? Then India itself is experiment for 60 years or more. Khalistanis want to break up India, they say Sikhs and Indians cannot pull together; they have no freedom and power. Assamese (led by their extremists)want to secede. They say Assam was never part of India, not even under Mughals. So let India be broken up and after some decades if all wish to unite again, let it be united again! Just as India may be dear to you and to suggest such danger may be blasphemy to you, the unity of Telugu people is dear to me and people like us and to canvass its break-up is a big wrong for us. All the hullaballoo started on the issue of development and backwardness, and with the accidental declaration by Chidambaram on 9 December 2009 everything changed and they now canvass the 'self-respect and dignity' of Telangana, forgetting Telangana's self-respect and dignity lies in Telugu unity. You must be knowing that in 1968 the agitation started only as a "Protection of Telangana rights" movement and that too with the blessings of Jalagam Vengala Rao and that in Khammam. Later, when it turned separatist, Jalagam Vengala Rao distanced himself from the melee. So there was no talk of betrayal till the 'madness' ripened later. Simply there is no 'betrayal'; there have been violations of agreements no doubt but that happened on both sides. More important after 1973 Telangana developed enormously and faster than other regions due to conscious remedial measures by whoever in the rule at the periods, for their own reasons. For temporary gains and for regional chauvinist ends if you want to divide states, then perhaps the restoration of all the 580 or 700 Native States one by one will also come on the agenda. All Telugus living together is not an ideal situation; it is already there, though not so ideal. Please do not break it up.
This talk about India breaking up is scare tactics brought up when someone cannot think of good argument to oppose Telangana formation! What Telangana people are asking for is within the constitution of India. Let us have some respect for our constitution. Talking about restoration of all native states is another scare tactic. Several states were formed after independence and none of that caused any issue. Again I refer to our constitution, if state reorganization is not good for our country we would not have had that provision. Yes, family members may feel sad or sentimental when a family divides but they understand it is in the best interest of all. You say Dec 9 declaration was accidental! It is a culmination of several years and decades of work. It is a culmination of what parties and their leaders said for past several years and it is the most important event for people of Telangana. If you say the parties and the govt did not handle it with the seriousness it deserves, you are doubting govt and all parties' wisdom for not only that day but for several years preceding that. I do not agree with your assessment but in any case Telangana people are not to blame for that and should not be punished. It is the most important event for Telangana after AP was formed and any U-turn from it is a clear 'betrayal'. We need to find ways to implement it instead of coming up with scare tactics and causing further divide. Hope you understand.
Well, I think we have no common basis to agree, and can only agree to disagree. Let us see what course history takes. For our part we only wish that the State should not be divided, and short of separation some solution has to be, and in my opinion, can be worked out.
Thanks for agreeing to disagree. We are in a democracy and you have a right to your opinion. I fully respect your right as long as your opinions are not abusive of other's opinions. I just want to add one point and conclude. 'short of separation' solutions were worked out before but could not resolve the issue for various reasons. I feel the only viable long term solution is to divide AP and for two states to coexist cooperatively. A 'conditional' co-existence as one state is difficult to sustain. Thanks again and let us see where our democratic process takes us.
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