Editorial: "Once Again for Telugu Unity", in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 30 September 2013 issue, Vol. 9, Part 2, No. 18.

ONCE AGAIN FOR TELUGU UNITY

On the eve of the Andhra State Formation Day and Gandhi Jayanthi, paying our reverent tributes to the glorious freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Prakasam Pantulu and Potti Sriramulu, we once again express our firm commitment to the cause of Telugu unity. We recall that Gandhiji was all along a firm votary of linguistic reorganization of provinces and also believed that it would contribute to, not derogate, the unity and integrity of India. Though he had to temporarily compromise on the immediate formation of linguistic states post-independence due to the adamant opposition of Nehru and Patel at that time, Gandhiji had yet again, as if it were one of his last wishes, reiterated his commitment to linguistic provinces on 25 January 1948 saying, “The Congress had decided some twenty years ago that there should be as many provinces in the country as there are major languages. The Congress had also said that as soon as power came into its hands such linguistic provinces would be formed. …… Let all live as brothers. Moreover if linguistic provinces are formed it will also give a fillip to the regional languages. It would be absurd to make Hindustani the medium of instruction in all the regions and it is still more absurd to use English for this purpose.” Unfortunately due to the obstinacy of Nehru the precious life of Potti Sriramulu was lost; but the consequent massive conflagration forced Nehru to retract and declare the formation of the first linguistic state in free India. Later Nehru was equally adamant in his opposition to the just and popular demand of Vishalandhra arising from both Andhra and Telangana regions but once more he was constrained to bow down to popular wishes and declare the formation of Andhra Pradesh. We see no reason to break this cherished state into pieces on the basis of some wild sentiments and also note the massive people’s movement raging in Seemandhra for Telugu unity and the opposition of about 40-45% of people in Telangana even to bifurcation as expressed in some recent TV channel survey and once again urge all Telugus to remember the popular movements for unity of 1946-56 and the later periods of general harmony (1956-68 & 1973-2002) to save and develop this united state, at the same time according maximum autonomy to Telangana by way of a regional council as suggested by the Srikrishna Committee.   §§§