Telangana: Long road ahead.

Rise of Telangana Movement:-

It is pertinent to recall a famous statement of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru at Nizamabad meeting soon after a decision was taken to merge the state of Hyderabad with the State of Andhra. He said that the merger of two regions is like marriage between an innocent girl (Telangana) and a naughty boy that it was a marriage on trial and if it does not last they could part ways. The co-existence has never been based on trust, equality and respect as the history of relationship shows between the two regions since 1956. The apprehensions expressed and cautions issued by Fazal Ali proved prophetic.

The merger was conditional inasmuch as the people of Telangana were offered certain safeguards such as local jobs for local people; revenue generated in the region to be spent for the development of the region and equitable share in the political power and so on. However it is a historical fact that these safeguards were observed in breach. History is also witness that unbridled exploitation of resources of the region such as river waters and coal for the development of coastal Andhra region. Further denial of employment and educational opportunities to the youth of Telangana resulted in the famous 1969 Telangana agitation, which took away lives of 370 young men and women. The formula divided the State irrationally into six zones for purposes of education and employment and a new concept of 'local candidate' was invented in place of 'mulki'. This is once again a gross dilution of guarantees that were given at the time merger in the year 1956. The story of deception did not end here. Many perverted interpretations were given to the definition of local candidate. As a result many local youth were deprived of employment opportunities. When these injustices were snowballing into a potential discontent and were threatening to take the shape of an agitation the Andhra leadership once again doused the ire of the people and blunted the discontent by issuing Government Order No.610 directing that the six point formula shall be implemented in letter and spirit. However this was not to happen. It took many more years for the State leadership to get the matter examined and a committee headed by Mr. Girglani, a retired Civil servant was appointed. The committee in its voluminous report asserted the violations in job appointments and transfer of employees. The report is in fact a vital indictment and censure of the government. However the report has not stirred the conscience of the Government. The government tried to hide its embarrassment by issuing more government orders to implement G.O.610 but withdrew them in the wake of strong protest by the Employees Association. These were all happened just because of pressure by the people's movements and demanding for the separate statehood

Major Issues for the Movement:-

Separate statehood movement for Telangana Region come up with only two issues

1) Jobs and

2) Unequal Water distribution.

Even now, most of the Decision making Government posts of Telangana are occupied by other region officers irregularly on deputation basis, later they were made permanent in the same post with various reasons by political influence, which causes loss of promotions for Telangana Region Employees. Even though main rivers of Andhra Pradesh float from Telangana region, water is not distributed equally between regions, caused drought in this region even now.

Political Decisions:

Coming to political aspects, The Central Home minister Shri Chidambaram announced formation of Telangana on 11.30pm of December2009 on behalf of UPA when K.Chandrashekar Rao of TRS MP was on Hunger Strike, but backed-up later when agitation from other regions suddenly came on December26, 2009. While so, all other local parties are divided into Telangana and Seema Andhra regions, leading UPA government to announce SreeKrishna committee to study the issue in both regions in various aspects. But that committee gave 6 options, upon which UPA cannot take any decision. Now consultations on this issue are going on statewide and central wide upon which UPA government may take Decisions. Anyway decision of UPA government is important as Economic growth of Andhra Pradesh is in unstable condition due to agitations and strikes in both regions. Every one of both regions is eagerly waiting for UPA government decision.

Conclusion:-

"Annadammulla Kalisi Undam Pranthiyamga Vidipodam"(Be united as brothers,Seperated region wise) has been the soul of this movement, but what we also believe that united we stand & divided we fall,history tells us that every separation leaves behind a seed of grief. But if Andhra and Telangana people will truly stands on their believe of being united as brothers then it will be a golden example to the whole country and will pave the way for the formation of more new small states for better administration.

S. Prabhakar

M.S (Cyber Law and Information Security)

Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad