Guest post by SRIDHAR MODUGU
It is no exaggeration to say today that Telangana is burning. Nor will we be far off the mark if we suspect that a paralyzing fear has encased its ‘intellectuals”. Everyone is lost in providing testimonies to prove themselves to be pro-Telangana and everybody is a self-accomplished activist. In fact, the intellectuals have lost themselves as spectators. They have become immune to understand what is happening before them.
The demand for statehood for Telangana is undoubtedly a democratic and judicious demand. It has been held back since 1950s and suppressed time and again. No doubt Mr. Kalvakuntla Chandra Sekhar Rao (KCR), the President of Telangana Rastra Samithi (TRS) did maintain the public talk with occasional tactical moves and has been considered an icon of “Telangana vaadam” as last ten years of Telangana politics are referred to. Since 2009 November the movement could attract large mass of diversified sections of people from all walks of life and engage the attention of the people with hopes of achieving the state any day thanks to the enthusiastic role play of the media and political parties – in power or opposition. It is indeed noteworthy that since November 2009 the movement has been able to attract a large number of diverse sections of people from all walks of life in thousands. They have mobilized voluntarily and have conducted meetings in the most democratic way. That there has been considerable restraint among the people who have been dishonored, alienated and humiliated under the Andhra Pradesh rulers is without dispute. These people have mobilized democratically despite the war-like surveillance and suppression of both the para-military and the state police force. Historical injustice – political, economic and cultural of the people of this region is well highlighted.
There are many more people who addressed aspects of the ongoing Telangana movement – both positive and sensational issues lined with it. However, in all this there are certain undemocratic tendencies in the movement that are being valorized by both the media and political society. These should in fact be condemned in no uncertain terms. Let us for instance, examine the alarming damage that is been done in the name of suicides and illegal arrests in the recent past. It might well be that certain leaders have lost their control and have are upset with several atrocities that are taking place. But unfortunately, the media and political society is valorizing these acts of omission and commission as heroic and expressions of commitment. Certain leaders of Telangana region seem to have found value in the suicides in highlighting Telangana vaadam and portraying suicides as sacrifice of the someone who dreamt of Telangana and was incapable of reconciling with the reality but it does not square with what the leaders and intellectuals in the region say and do. This will have long lasting damage to the ongoing democratic process and will end up further widening the gap not only between two regions, but also its people. To build healthy democratic culture for the future struggles for justice there is urgent need for a similar restraint among the politicians and their supporting intellectual groups that the people of Telangana have been so far demonstrating.
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Since the announcement of indefinite fast unto death by KCR, the President of TRS [(telangaaNa voccudo, KCR saccudo) supposed to be the final agitation and mother of all wars], suicides for Telangana demand have become a regular feature. There are certain worrisome things that are happening in the region of Telangana. There is news that says there are more than 650 suicides (by self immolation, hanging, consuming poison etc) and both print and electronic media has exhibited great interest to make best publicity for these suicides through a variety of experiments to catch attention of the audience. Perhaps the “Pipli Live” cinema on farmers’ suicides would be pale. Dailies and the electronic channels competed with other papers and TV channels in making exclusive stories and investigative reports of the cause of suicide or the suicide note etc.
What happened in the aftermath of each and every suicide is that – there are protests, processions till Telangana Amaraveerula Stupam (Telangana Martyrs Statue, a memorial built to recall the people killed during the 1969 Telangana Movement by the then Government) by the various Joint Action Committees (JACs), civil society groups that have come together to GunPark, Hyderabad. The political parties are seen finding new reasons to blame the Central Government and Congress party for their indifference. Meanwhile, social activists, whole host of JACs, Telangana writers and singers have praised those who have committed suicide as Martyrs and have written articles and sung songs praising them. What bothers one after observing a spate of such incidents is that perhaps it is even worse than if two countries had been at war with each other.
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The incident that prompted most of the suicide attempts was when Mr. T. Harish Rao, a TRS MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly), Andhra Pradesh, threatened to immolate himself on a public stage by pouring petrol over himself for the cause of statehood of Telangana and in order to stop the State government from arresting and disrupting KCR’s indefinite hunger strike.
The next event was the suicide of Mr. Srikanthachary, who immolated himself and after four days of hospitalization, Srikanth died on 3rd December 2010. These events ignited a whole host of suicides. These were covered in all the media, both print and electronic, and also through MMS (Multimedia Message Service) in cell phones. We were shown the live documentation of self immolation of Mr. Srikanthachary. Mr. Bhuke Pravin, also committed suicide on the same day. The electronic media gave wide coverage to it by broadcasting over and over again for next few days or weeks and the print media with a life size immolation picture on its cover page. What the media did during this case was utter romanticisation (may be they have achieved the ‘sensation’ or required swell in TRP rates) and in turn led to multiple suicides.
The media and political parties claim that there are more than 650 suicides that have taken place so far, and that they are still going on. However, the JAC leaders and teachers in Warangal District (both District JAC and Kakatiya University JAC) opine that this number is an underestimation because, only the politically aware villages and families declared the suicides, but it is not the complete number. (In fact, Warangal District, until recently known for revolutionary politics and for its political awareness, has sadly recorded the highest number of suicides and also illegal arrests in the present fight of Telangana). Most of the suicides took place in villages and nearby small towns; 90 percent belong to oppressed castes like SCs, STs, and OBCs. Except 8 or 9 people, all the suicide victims are non-educated. Age group of suicide victims is ranging from 12 years to mid-40s. Most of the victims are from single child families; and there may be personalized/individual reasons also for the suicides; since everyone is leaving a letter of suicide emphasizing that these suicides to be treated appeals or sacrifices for Telangana. One of the human rights activists observed that it may not be possible to ascertain the correct number of suicides or the reasons for these painful acts. With the December 23 announcement, the cases of suicide increased in steep rise, because political parties and leaders could not give confidence to achieve Telangana Statehood. That led to several protests and JACs that tried to provide militant type of movements to the agitation for maintaining December 9th announcement.
Further the TRS party cadre, consoling the victims’ families by covering the TRS flag over the dead; and announcing that the suicide is took place for Telangana’s Statehood.
Though it is well publicized that all the movement arrested people were released, it is a myth; no one knows how many people are arrested and when were they arrested and on what charges they are arrested. Some activists affiliated to certain political party were released. There are large number of youth and activists who are arrested by police without any information about their crime. As and when some agitation and event is declared to take place, police sent summons through the court to the people who are not aware of the cases that they have been arrested; and there are several families who did not get permission to meet their arrested family member, this shows highest form of police high-handedness.
***
When suicides of farmers and weavers’ took place, somewhat on the same lines, the rights organizations and similar groups raised pertinent question demanding the State to take responsibility for the suicides as they are failures of institutional supporting systems of the State. In these cases the media played a positive role by sensitizing the State, but somehow the same is lost while reporting suicides in the context of Telangana. In due course we have had certain alleviative measures and packages from the Government, that itself may not change the scene as we are evidencing suicides of farmers and weavers day to day till now.
Who is accountable for the spate of suicides that are taking place and for the illegal arrests that took place in the name of Telangana agitation? … Can we enquire about what these suicides are and who are accountable for these. Distressingly, what is in circulation are stories that lets the State escape, by saying that the Telangana agitators, activists, or sympathizers have been committing suicide for the sake of Telangana (as if it itself is an answer); our media knows everything; no one wants to go against the movement; formation of Telangana State is the only way to curb the suicides; these suicides are encounter killings by the state etc, In fact our mode is of self flagellation. Instead we should question of the responsibility of the State and Justice of the land for being pushing state of affairs to this end because it is not that only people of Telangana who are dying. Unfortunately, suicides in stereotypical way are treated by self-styled leftists that they are timid activity.
In the name of balance of opinions (where injustice should become a parameter for measuring what is balanced and what is not, unfortunately, number of news became criteria for the media) certain people, who never get a chance even in any corner of the newspaper or electronic media so far, have become main page central news with their insensitive statements that do not have minimum democratic spirit. These, in fact should expose the true face of these politicians and the “intellectuals”, who with their repeated propaganda, newspapers and electronic media tried to project these opinions are the only voices available and created confusion and havoc across by demonizing the other parts of the State. More sickening fact is that, its not only political parties (Congress, Telugu Desam Party, CPM) but also main Telugu newspapers (Eenadu, Andhrajyothy, Sakshi) are divided by region (Andhra and Telangana) and had ‘separate’ newspapers for both the regions (because news are completely different) and spread divisive information among the people. Now, all these media are pleading the individuals who vanished by leaving a note that they are going to commit suicide, to not to commit suicide and terming it as timid activity. With months of divisive propaganda, these are now acting as Sadhujeevulu, pavithrulu. The popular and democratic organizations professed through their pamphlets, songs, poems, speeches and cultural programs that all these suicides are martyrs for the cause of Telangana and we will stand by their aspiration and promised the same on the corpse of the suicide victims. Being silent about the happenings is also a crime, but all these organizations rather romanticized suicides (may be this will serve as a morale booster for their fellow activists in radical movements, where a person/ volunteer/ comrade or group of persons were killed, but one cannot apply the same logic for everything, we should be careful about our acts, if one do it so it’s either quite unmindful act or a selfish one)
One more anguish and cause of concern reported in news, that Hyderabad should be made Union Territory (may be Andhra Empire, in fact in Telugu Union Territory is Kendrapalita Prantam, now they want to turn it into Andhrapalita Prantham). Of course, Hyderabad has grown out of globalization capital and at the cost of blood and muscles and corpses of Telangana people by turning scores of neighboring farmers into paupers and beggars (whither Hyderabad). Those who make claims on Hyderabad appear like thousands and lakhs of YSR’s, who ran with TRS party with a promise that they will fight together for Telangana Statehood, but cheated cold-bloodedly, and during the 2009 elections once Telangana phase of elections were over, has shown his real face by shamelessly propagating if Telangana is formed all the costal Andhra people should require visas to visit Hyderabad. These undemocratic, feudal, separatist views became naturalized in the present campaigns against Telangana. These are not just apprehensions, but with their hate campaign, killed 650+ people of Telangana so far (and still going on)
There is an important intervention by the most renowned research institute (national research institute) in Hyderabad called Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) Andhra Pradesh’s only research centered institute for the last 3 decades (started in 1980) and produced several authentic reports on Andhra Pradesh’s economy and society. It came up with Andhra Pradesh Human Development Report, 2007 (published May, 2008), and reviewed state of economy and aspects of human and social development since the formation of Andhra Pradesh State to till date; but what amazes one is: why it did not respond or react to SriKrishna Committee report on the state of affairs in Andhra Pradesh, titled ‘Committee for consultations On The situation in Andhra Pradesh Report’ and published December, 2010 where it is an upside down exercise to what CESS has done over the years and to its Human Development Report. One should wonder and put the question, whose work is authentic?
Studies that have investigated the reasons for suicides, though listed many a reason for committing suicides, emphasised that the human reason – damage of self or humiliation as the main reason for the act. The suicides in the Telangana region seems to be from relatively younger, poor, and uneducated sections, who felt dishonor, alienation and humiliation, and end up in loss of hope and future (Telangana statehood may not be achieved) is actually instigated with political mediocrity, failure of intellectuals and sensational media reportage. Most of the suicides and its trends show that to further their cause for Telangana Statehood both locally and nationally, it was considered as the only weapon in the present asymmetrical struggle to achieve Telangana Statehood. Moreover, the mass suicides as phenomena started with the post liberalization and globalization of the economy and after people failed diagnosing the real enemy and forced them to choose suicide as a form of protest. Whether it is during the fight for reservations in education and employment by the Dalits of India, whatever is the issue; it only started after 1990s and after the State started disowning its welfare role. Telangana suicides also follow up of the spate of suicides that occurred during last decade and half period.
One thing should be told most authentically is, till to day since the inception of present struggle there is no single incident of hurting or damaging of Costalandhra region people or their property. Of course only one incident that led to lots of hue and cry is that when the Million March agitators damaged statues built by N.T. Rama Rao (former chief minister of AP), but the same hardly bothered about the provocation and drama by the Government by arresting the leaders of Telangana movement. The same self-claimed leftist (who is naming suicide as timid activity), Mr. Telakapalli Ravi, propagated irresponsibly that the Telangana people destroyed statues by address of the Teluluvelugulu, they even don’t care to cut the heads of the people.
More alarming now is that again KCR made a pronouncement saying that he is feeling like consuming poison by the way things are happening; Will cut his throat for Telangana; and there are spree of provocations like, die like Bhagat Singh; the Andhra region leaders are claiming, we will become suicide bombers if Telangana state is formed; there will be thousands of suicides if Telangana State is formed etc etc. We cannot give any guarantee that it is that simple to stop the spate of suicides in the context of spree of statements by ‘people’s representatives’ from both the regions who are spilling more and more vengeance.
If this modus vivendi continues, now, we are afraid, even if we think that it is only Telangana people whose lives have no value are dying, its going to turn into a civil war in no-time with the provocative politicians from both the regions, the sensational media and the political society who are playing a silent supporter role to these tendencies. Then who will be made responsible?
Central and State governments are acting as if they are watching a puppet show; who put the issue and thrown views by stating Telangana State process is started, it is going to be formed in a week, month or months; “we are trying to achieve consensus among political parties” etc etc. We should condemn and fight against these kinds of undemocratic tendencies from the Central and State governments who with their acts are provoking people and causing for the present state of affairs and should made these as responsible for this spate of suicides and illegal arrests.
KAFILA - COLLECTIVE EXPLORATIONS SINCE 2006 
How far-sighted was Dr.Ambedkar when he argued against a linguistic division of states. Division on the lines of administrative convenience would have avoided so many ills that our democracy has had to suffer in the years since independence.
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If Telangana agitators are smart they should demand rollback of all land allotments made since 1956.
Builders are giving 50% of apartment flats to land owner.
Industrialists should also give 50% of their profits to land owners viz Farmers.
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why just go back to 1956? go back to september 10th 1948…. the day before the nizam’s army laid down arms in the face of the aggressor Indian army….
if we are in a rewind mode… we can rewind to any date….isnt it?
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If Telangana agitators are smart they should demand Govt/Private sector recruitment be based solely on written exam marks EXCLUDING personal interview marks.
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It is nothing but exaggeration , some disgruntled political elements and so called revolutionaries are trying to burn the state. really people are suffering with other burning problems.
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The provocation of the movement is the feeling in drought-prone Telengana that success has left them behind as compared to the people from the fertile coastal Andhra. Politicians who rose up from South Andhra and Rayalaseema have also been much more successful due to the ruthless culture there. The grievances are economic and of self-esteem in the face of “outsiders” taking over while incumbents languish. In that sense, the angst is simillar to the Marathi-manus angst in Mumbai where migrants from Gujarat, Punjab, Sindh and Rajasthan are the real affluents, but the Marathis take their anguish out of the weaker Biharis, UPites, South Indians and Muslims. Similarly, in Telengana, the opportunists are not always the SeemAndhras or simply Andhras but they have been made the skapegoats. The actual aim of forming the the Telengana state is to deprive the Andhras getting benefits from the State, to the extent that some Telengana campaigners believe that Andhras (who allegedly now own most of the realestate in Telengana) should be thrown out.
But the formation of the state cant actually do that – at most the limited posts which are reserved for locals in the State government and those seats reserved for locals in regional educational institutions in the present Telengana region will preclude those from Andhra if they dont have residence in Telengana. But the grievance is actually against those residents in Telengana but who migrated from non-Telengana AP since the 1950s. Surely, subsequent to the bifurcation of the state there can be no special benefits to those whose grandparents were residents of Telengana or some such criteria, nor can any Indian citizen be forced to give up property on the basis of where one’s grandparents were resident. Some claimed that once the new state is formed they will not release Krishna and Godavari waters to the more fertile coastal region.
The lower level bureaucrats of the state government are in favour because with bifurcation of each department they will get immediate promotions. The key issue is that political parties especially those in power has not figured out how to win the elections subsequent to the bifurcation of the state.
The movement is due to the failure of governance in providing even the basic needs of the people and in the face of continued neglect of real issues, the Telengana people have taken up the demand for a separate state in the hope that then their issues will be dealt with or at least they have less competition in grabbing benefits and opportunities. Unfortunately, the TRS if it does come to power in the new state is only for the benefit out its own politicians rather than the people – they just want less competition from the richer and more seasoned politicians from Andhra in making as many corrupt deals as possible.
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i don’t know where from Sridhar Modugu collected the comments attributed to me. i for one never made them. yes, i condemn vandalism of any kind but never use the kind of expression or language. Moreover i never take the self proclaimed(to use his own terms) Telangana crusaders for their face value and refer as Telangana people as a whole. to whom i had great respect.Accidentally I noticed this and responded briefly with out entering into any lengthy dabate with the writer. My views are well known. After all I am the editor of VEERA TELANGANA NADI book etc. Tks.
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If someone is interested in checking the kind of hate campaign that took place on aspects of Telangana and for Mr. Telakapalli’s article and his column in Andhra Jyoti telugu daily with a tag Gamanam is available in the following link
Click to access page4.pdf
further information see,
https://www.andhrajyothy.com/archives.asp
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Mr Telkapalli Ravi is a Self proclaimed expert on all matters( ranging from Afpak to American economy) , shuttling from one TV studio to the other. This guy is like the plague of the Telugu TV
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Did he just compare Telangana people to Statue destroying Talibans in his articles……..GOD!
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This suicides bogie is unconvincing. If you accept the so-called 600 suicides for Telangana, then what about the 1400 or so so-called suicides in grief over YSR’s death for which his son Jagan is to this day, after 2 years of YSR’s death, conducting ‘Odarpu yatras’? Do you believe those also? Have all these suicides or even the important among those been critically analysed anywhere, studied from all aspects. I don’t find any such analyses or studies. The so-called suicide notes seem quite unconvincing and rather fabricated – at least many of them.
Then the whole demand for a separate state for Telangana is quite unconvincing and given the development and necessities of the region concerned it is not needed at all. I think Telangana is an inalienable part of united Telugu nationality and in course of time Telangana people themselves will realize and stand for that, just as they stood for that cause in 1955-56, and again after the 1969-72 imbroglio.
Division on the basis of linguistic criteria has worked well till date. Are Tamilians or Malayalees or Kannadigas or Marathas demanding bifurcation or trifurcation of their linguistic states? Are Bengalis conceding Gorkhaland demand? Is Gujarat shedding its linguistic unity? Then why Telangana should alone agitate for unnecessary separation and put all Telugus to shame in the country?
Those who say we are only demanding de-merger (this is a fashionable new argument to buttress the separate state demand since all others failed being proved irrational), let them create consensus or even powerful opinion in favour of restoration of the old Hyderabad State i.e. let them convince the people of Marathwada and Karnataka (Gulbarga, Bidar etc. regions of erstwhile Hyderabad State) to come together for restoration of old Hyderabad State. Then we will see, if really it can be a de-merger. One should note that those two regions are relatively less developed and more neglected than Telangana in Andhra Pradesh.
I strongly plead for the retention of the unity of the State with the sixth option of SKC put in practice. That is creation of Regional Council for Telangana to grant maximum possible autonomy, and if so demanded such councils for the other two regions also. But that should also be time-bound and time-limited program and not unlimited privilege. After 10-20 years that should also end and all the residents of the state have to be treated equal, feel like brothers and compete on the basis of equality. I think Telanganites have come up well and are in a position to withstand the competition from any candidates of other regions on almost all fields. Any inferiority complex or imaginary apprehensions on this count have to be shed, and ‘Telangana’ which means ‘Telugu Land’ should mean not just 10 districts but all 23 districts of AP and more. Telanganites have now more responsibility and also ability to maintain and strive for furtherance of Telugu unity.
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By administrative convenience, Jarkhand should have been the best ruled State. Why only Telangana Rajya, why not Relangana Rashtra?
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Pradeep : If state boundaries had been drawn on the basis of administrative convenience right in the beginning, who knows Jharkhand might’ve even been the best ruled state. But all that’s conjecture and best avoided in a debate. What does merit a deeper look though, is Ambedkar’s argument in favour of administrative convenience vis-a-vis linguistic division of states. It does provide us with fresh retrospective insights into a lot of issues that we’re facing today.
http://www.ambedkar.org/ambcd/05A.%20Thoughts%20on%20Linguistic%20States%20Part%20I.htm
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Sameer : Linguistic States – I believe – would have come from the concept of cultural and linguistic homogenity of people of particular regions. A feeling that people speking similar or same languages would understand each other better.
Administrative convenience – what does it mean – in terms of Telangana. As an ignorant man – is my question – Telangana is Telugu speaking. Andhra is also Telugu speaking. I may be wrong – you have to correct me. Now how you will divide Telugu speaking area by administrative convenience? By population or by the land area or by wealth creation?
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Pradeep : If you go through Ambedkar’s essay available on the link I’ve posted, you’ll get the answer to your question. You’re right about the interpretation of linguistic states – they were supposed to be based on cultural homogeneity. Ambedkar makes a strong case against states with populations speaking different languages ie. belonging to different cultures. Though at the same time, he makes a clear distinction between “One language, One State” (the dictum followed by the SRC) & “One State, One Language” (the dictum proposed for administrative convenience). The division is primarily on the basis of population with the land area also given adequate weightage. Would request you to take the time out and read the essay. Makes a whole lot of sense.
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May be there are expecting some big shot to commit suicide. I expect T.Harish Rao to be the first. Its he who has triggered the short temper of the youth and made them commit suicide. Had he not made such statements, I am sure many of them would have been still alive and living along with their parents. Sacrificing for the statehood, sounds great to all of you who can make use of the matter and write blogs, songs, stories and rallies. May I know why you or the politicians are not one among the 650?.
In the last 20years of telangana struggle, if we went on a planned manner we could have achieved a lot more. We are looking for democratic rights and make your demands straight forward. But you fight for statehood and handover the state to same old politicians, who took 20 years to sit on fast unto death, who goes into silence whenever they want to, who become ministers when they are in ruling govt & ask others to resign when they are not in opposition, who can open a daily or a channel in no time and who get a royal treatment even when they are getting arrested. You fought for clause 14f and you did win it. Fight for one by one and make sure you get all the things you want. How long you need to struggle, not long enough once you have the minimum things in place the rest will continue. But we never do that, we need state, we need state, we need state…come on guys, fight for you and your right and not for some politicians to become the CM of the new state and fulfill his dreams. I am sure we will still be struggling even if there is a bifurcation of the state.
5 year old boy grows to 55years old adult in 50years. There is no doubt in it. But a capital city of a state is not the same as any other city in the state. Every unemployed dreams and moves to capital in search of a job. The state budget for capital is separate and the earnings made of capital is managed separately. No city develops without the cost of farmer, since the capital was in telangana region all the impacted people are from telangana. Can you show a single city which developed without the govt acquiring land from the farmers and not investing them in real estate and industrial boom. Do you promise that you can develop Hyderabad without acquiring lands from the farmers in future? Speaking something which makes some sense.
When playing with sentiments of people make sure you use the right terminology, because of your article its not your life which is going to get sacrificed, but its the life of an innocent youth who takes his own life for telangana sake. Fight for statehood but please don’t go by the politicians or all party JACs. Movement can even start by a small group which Anna Hazare had proved. Plan things strategically and take a move. No longer any political party is involved in fighting for statehood the sooner the chances of you getting a state. Its all about politics and please don’t go behind politicians.
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4 lakh Telangana govt Employees are on Indefinite General Strike, 2 days ago lakhs of people gathered at Karimnagar in support of Telangana, All educational institutes have been shut for past 2 days, No mention of anything on National Media,suddenly 45 million Telangana people have become invisibile
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@lalit adithya –
హైదరాబాదు, టాంక్బండ్పై తెలుగు గౌరవమూర్తుల విధ్వంసం చాల బాధాకరం, తీవ్రంగా గర్హనీయం!
It was not done in the heat of the moment. It was deliberate vandalism.
అలనాటి సోమనాథ, తదితర దేవాలయ విధ్వంసకులూ, విగ్రహాల విధ్వంసకులు –
గజ్నీ గోరీ మహమ్మదులూ , వారి వారసులూ
బాబ్రీ మసీదు నేలకూల్చి
మతమారణహోమాలకు దారులు వేసిన
ఇటీవలి మతోన్మాద దుర్మార్గులూ,
నిన్నగాక మొన్న టాంక్ బండ్పై నెలకొన్న
తెలుగుజాతి గౌరవమూర్తుల
విగ్రహాలు పగలగొట్టిన ముష్కరులూ
అంతా ఒక్క జాతి పక్షులే.
Who are the sons of soil? That itself is a despicable term, commonly used to whip up parochial passions.The Shiv Sena in Bombay first brought this term to great currency, in recent historical times. All of us are sons of soil. I have only drawn parallels and perhaps it should have stung the guilty consciences. I have not spared any fundamentalists – religious (of any religion) or regional. Earlier I have stated that regional chauvinism is as dangerous as religious fundamentalism and that’s what happened today. Attack on statues is only the first step; Reports are coming that these chauvinists are planning large scale attacks on persons and private properties opposed to them and to terrorize people opposed to their demands and policies (a typical fascist tendency) and I can only rue the present lamentable situation in Andhra Pradesh, especially Telangana region, where once a totally secular, broadminded, heroic people’s struggle against oppressive monarchy and feudalism was conducted and also a great movement for merger of all the Telugu areas was conducted totally defeating the separatist forces under the feudal lords – KV Ranga Reddy and Channa Reddy, et al. The marching song of the people then was – Telugu talli biddalam, telangana veerulam, maatru desa mukti koraku poru salpa kadilinam; mukkalaina telugu nela okkatiga chesedam. (తెలుగుతల్లి బిడ్డలం, తెలంగాణ వీరులం, మాతృదేశ ముక్తికొరకు పోరుసల్ప కదిలినాం; ముక్కలైన తెలుగునేల ఒక్కటిగా చేసెదం). The irony is the so-called communists of various varieties in Telanagana have joined hands with such chauvinistic forces, and are conducting themselves in a ‘more royal than the king’ fashion. I was struck with anger and sorrow seeing red flags fluttering where the statues were being destroyed.It seems they are now moving in quite opposite direction to that of their heroic ancestors (because the great Telangana peasant and people’s armed revolt was led mainly by communists) and singing exactly the opposite: ” ఒక్కటైన తెలుగునేల ముక్కలుగా చేసెదం!” At least now the progressive and broadminded sections among Telanganites should come forward to forge a powerful counter-movement against this separatist frenzy.
@Telakalapalli Ravi – Before Gaddar has recently become overwhelmed by separatist frenzy he never thought of any Telangana Talli – a deliberate creation/sponsoring of KCR, himself of Uttarandhra origin! Watch this nice song of Gaddar singing about ‘Telugutalli Pallelu’ – http://www.oonly.com/video/gkcQJFbgfmo/Gaddar_Galam.html
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@sridhar
no general reference sir. pl quote my words that you have refered. tks,.
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Mr. Sridhar was just said and foreclosed his note by saying “Historical injustice – political, economic and cultural of the people of this region is well highlighted.” But what is much more important is and to the perusal of readers, it is to be noted that, as it was circulated and predetermined in ‘media’ and as was ‘identified’ at large in national audience, the Telangana statehood movement is not just based on backwardness or development and under-development divide, but being against – neglected and orgnasied discrimination , exhibited and naturalised by the Andhra rulers for the last 55 years, to the best of the meaning of the terms. And Pandit Nehru rightly believed at the time of formation of Andhra Pradesh State and crave for it as the sheer expansionist imperial design, that is well proved. To put it straight, Telangana movement is against the structured ill-treatment and humiliation that has been entrenched in the adamant, undemocratic institutions of society and the State since the formation of Andhra Pradesh State. Because it is against discrimination and negligence, it became widespread across the sections of not just in Telangana districts but beyond it. Late Professor K. Jayashankar and poet Kaloji Narayanrao raised struggles against these through their writings and speeches during the last half a century. Then the questions of “Telugu Nationalism” and “Telangana crusaders” etc, that are expressed by some of the respondents to Sridhar’s appeal for democratic atmosphere are seems to be sheer middling with vested interests, antagonistic and anti people. If someone notices on this page, only incident out of 22 months of struggle that has been targeted and anchored their hostility is damage to the Tank Bund statues. Sad thing is that it did not touch their ‘civilised’ mind that there are more than 600 suicides took place for the Telangana statehood cause and many more are illegally arrested and lying in each and every police station in Telangana districts and are undergoing third degree punishments. And many more are suffering with false cases filed against them. One can check news reports for it.
please see following links for further information,
http://www.etelangana.org/reports.asp
http://telanganamatters.org/
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I love Telangana people, but I hate their political leaders. What they are doing while in power, they need chief minister post, this present generation youth are very competent, Leaders are spoiling them in the name of Telangana movement, I live in Mumbai, I have several friends from t-area. My children studied in Mumbai, they are also working here,that too service of maharashtra Govt. so what’s wrong if Telugu speaking people of that state migrating to Hyderabad. Is it a prohibited area? Anybody can reside anywhere in India, we are Indians first. Their politicians and teachers from primary to university level are teaching HATE ANDHRA lessons. Why should we hate one another! Because its state’s capital, people will come to capital, what millions of my fellow men in Mumbai are from other parts of this state and also from other parts of India, Is it a crime? Delete Mumbai from Maharashtra, then what Marathis will eat in this state, similarly 40% of the state’s income generates from HYDERABAD. I hope all educated people should think wisely b4 making nasty statements. Had AP were divided in 1972 it would have been a different story. Now people should live peacefully. Respect other people’s opinion in democracy. Pls do not chop off tongues or became suicide bombers!
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@Kanakaiah. It is regrettable that when we discuss one point another point is unnecessarily brought in. First of all do you condemn the destruction of statues on Tank Bund or not? Answer that. Regarding suicides I have already said, that bogie is not convincing. Are you prepared to accept the so-called and so-claimed 1400 suicides at grief over YSR death are really for that reason and end? Answer that. Then conduct your own impartial and scientific study into suicides of at least 10 out of the so-called 600 suicides and you yourself will see the light. The sorry plight is that even investigation and study into such psychologically motivated offences is not done in this frenzy and is being forcibly threatened and prevented. Yadi Reddy who is supposed to have committed suicide in Delhi for Telangana cause and said to have left a very long and doubtful suicide note has specifically written about a family grouse “That one Andhra woman has come into their family and she caused the deaths or murders of some close relatives and also bent on killing some more, etc.” Who is that Andhra woman (obviously close relative of his) and what is the truth in those allegations and what was the family conditions of his which prodded him towards death and whether he is capable of such writing, go and study and you yourself will realize. No point in crying hoarse and citing numbers of people in support. After all entire Germany solidly supported Hitler (but for a minority and then inconsequential opposition) for more than 15 years and even brought ruin upon itself. Mussolini (from whose movement the word Fascism is derived) was quite popular in his heydays, and Franco though now and then opposed continued his dictatorship fairly well and with sufficient popular support till his death, etc. Regional chauvinism is as bad as political fascism of those sorts.
Even if some persons have genuinely committed suicides for the separate Telangana cause, such developments should not be encouraged and only, personally, condolences can be expressed to the bereaved families and nothing more. What if some other persons commit suicides for Samaikyandhra cause – there may be some cranks there also. And then would you call for a race of suicides between the two regions? All such mess should be detested and avoided.
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My sincere thanks to kafila group for publishing my write up. Thanks to Andhrajyothy telugu daily for starting corrective measures by restraining itself idealizing events and publishing more sensible analyses and I hope they will maintain it. Regarding most of the views that are expressed to my write up on this page are, in fact, much at the back than the demonstrative politics that we are witnessing today. Sadly, they could not get a measure of what it explains and urge for. Post writers views revealing more and more of their brazenness, this I could put in one single term is: anti-democracy mania. These views would only result in the violation of democratic rights and the destruction of democratic values in society. Ours, as Balagopal has rightly observed, is a determinedly inhuman society that promises a human visage on all fronts. Innocuously named telugu identity is just an added stained argument, that is nothing but a worst fascist and imperialistic creed. Certain statues (of the so called telugu velugulu) on Tank Bund that we are talking about are in fact struggled against idol worship throughout their life, ironically those became idols. Now these writings made me to think that the Million March protesters did a good job by damaging the idols over stinking tank bund, they helped us know the true faces of the many. Thanks to them. I wonder when the Indian communists turned to idol worship. Suddenly commentator on Sri Sri turns shabby with another self-defeating claim (who is yet again naming brazenly ‘Telangana crusaders’). In fact, these are just provoking desperateness; I feel these tendencies are dangerous to any kind of demand and enough damages are already took place out of it. The ease with which these posts are made is amazing in itself. There is perhaps no issue on which we are such HYPOCRITES as suicides – and became untouched and immune; nor any other which brings out all that is worst in us with such shameful ease (so far it is with reference to Caste). It is pity to say that; here we heard many kinds of knavery and charlatanry of all kinds. Instead of reviewing ourselves about how/why these alarming things (suicides, illegal arrests) took place and where it leads us. Given the kind of views that are expressed here, I feel that, we are far behind understanding democracy (not just parliamentary democracy), may be addressing it is a distant dream.
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Unable to effectively counter rationalist Telugu nationalist and integrationist rejoinders Sridhar does the usual trick of blaming all those who disagree with them as imperialist anti-democratic etc. While he lampoons Telugu identity, strangely he sticks to and glorifies the so-called Telangana identity even without knowing what Telangana is, what it means and what it can mean. He drags Balagopal into it, as if Balagopal or Gaddar or Vimalakka, inclined or pronounced separatists, decide the case one-sided. He laments as to when communists began to glorify idols and glorifies the destruction of statues on Tank Bund saying they helped us to know true faces of the many – whom he hints we don’t know but his own face is revealed amply by supporting this vandalism. So if you were opposed to idol worship or installation all along then why are you demanding installation of Komaram Bhim [who by the way is not Telugu at all but a Gond, and tomorrow he may be, most probably will be, the star icon of the people demanding Gondwana (resulting in further division and separation of some present Telangana districts or parts)!], Kaloji, Ailamma and who not? What about the installation of Telangana Talli statues created by or at least sponsored and encouraged by the Uttarandhra descendant and rabid separatist chauvinist KCR? What about the destruction of the same statue by the followers of KCR themselves to throw the blame on integrationists? He laments much about suicides without doing a single scientific and all rounded study of a single suicide and forgets that all scientific studies into suicides till now point to wholly personal psychological problems as the main motivating force. Also that tradition as well as law condemns suicides and especially in our country, it is considered a ‘great sin’ (‘Atmahatya mahapatakam’) and he wants to reward ‘sinners’ and ‘offenders’ against law and at least make use of them for his misguided fascist oriented movement. Does he know or did he forget that Nagam Janardhan Reddy openly threatened the police officers not to investigate into the purported suicide of Venugopala Reddy, in OU Campus, which was made as one main plank for reviving the then sagging separatist movement, and about which some near and dear of Venugopal Reddy even cherish doubts? If Yadi Reddy’s letter contained the salient passage that “Andhra woman entering our family behaving demonically and caused murders of some of the near and dear and may also get some more murdered” and then if it is true, how about the possibility of or suspicion against that ‘Andhra woman’ for engineering the murder of Yadi Reddy who is so much opposed to that and getting passed it off as suicide? Is any thorough investigation made into all these aspects – on the contrary, rowdyism and hooliganism is rampant beating up innocent employees in this regard and also threatening the police even against post mortem, etc. Sridhar’s attempt to cover up his fascist thinking and glorification of a parochial chauvinist movement under the garb of progressive phraseology will not deliver any goods.
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@ sridhar
after all the lengthy discourse why not reproduce the words you attributed to me sir? i know it is impossible because i never made them. you in your wisdom discovere the non existent comments. tks for making that clear . bye.
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the telangana agitation will in future bring people to the fore since there wont be sufficient jobs and already IT sector has hit very badly.if they uproot their companies from hyderabad and other regions in telangana they will never ever establish once again.if telangana statehood is formed then it would become a backward state in terms of economy ,finance,industryand people lose their job opportunities since companies plan to move their headquarters to other cities.the dream of nizams and the most preferred destination of india for industry(hyderabad)will lose its identity.united we stand divided we fall.but in this case telangana will fall and coastal and rayalseema remains the same in the economy since they developed well in industry and sea trade.because hyderabad is the only far developed city in the whole of telengana, the economy goes down.i dont understand why they need telangana as there is no dictatorship or kingship. its not fair.why didnt TRS contest in the elections , can any one answer me ? corrupt politician-KCR. how could he rule a state with his party consisting only 12 MLAs and 2 MPs.thats crazy.he is playing with the minds of the people and inturn putting them into trouble. so beware.
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