INJUSTICE DONE TO AP- WILL THE WOUNDS HEAL?
INJUSTICE DONE TO AP- WILL THE WOUNDS HEAL?
Earlier Andhra –Telangana
Agitations:
AP
bifurcation is the best example of how weak leadership can do irreparable
damage to the citizens and nation. In 1953 after demise of Potti Sriramulu (who
was on fast unto death for 50 days), separate Andhra state was formed by
separating Telugu speaking areas from Madras state with Kurnool as capital. In
1956 united AP was formed by combining Telugu speaking parts of Nizam state
with coastal and Rayalaseema districts with Hyderabad as capital city.
Though there
were separate Telangana movement (Jai Telangana) in 1969 lead by Late M Chenna
Reddy and Jai Andhra movement in 1972 lead by Tenneti Viswanadham, A C Subba
Reddy, Gouthu Lachanna, Kakani Venkataratnam, and others, they were
successfully put to an end by strong leadership prevailed in the form of Mrs
Indira Gandhi at centre and Kasu Brahmananda Reddy at state level.
After these
movements, there are no major disturbances in the state and AP took lead in
Industrial and IT sectors development without losing its predominant stake in
agriculture. Entire Telugu community across the state took lead in developing
Hyderabad Centric Andhra Pradesh. In no time, Hyderabad found prominent place
in economic development (GDP contribution) in India with 5th position after
Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore. Up course Hyderabad is always well known
for its rich cultural heritage.
Emergence of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS):
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar
Rao (KCR), who was politically unemployed in 1999, gauged the mood of
unemployed youth in Telangana parts of Andhra Pradesh and again raked up the
separate state issue. Till 2009 he met with little success and but able to
exploit both TDP and congress to meet his political ambitions.
In 2009
assembly elections, TRS contested as alliance party with TDP and lost mandate
to Congress. Within few months after assuming office as CM for second time, Dr.
Y S Rajasekar Reddy met with sudden death in an unfortunate helicopter
crash. Taking advantage of weak
leadership, KCR could intensify the issue of separate state and successful in
creating favourable political environment. Sri Rosaiah, who is politically weak
CM, scrummed to the pressures and sent an alarming report about KCR fast unto
death to centre. Sri Chidambaram who was the then home minister, on 9th Dec, 2009
made the statement “process of separate
Telangana is initiated” as advised by Mrs Sonia Gandhi. In comparison to
the movement lead by KCR for separate state, the earlier movements were much
stronger. But due to weak leadership prevailing in the form of MMS, Sonia,
Chidambaram, Rosaiah, Kiran Kumar Reddy, the state separation became inevitable
and it was against the wishes of larger public.
Conversation between Union ministers from AP & P Chidambaram.
UM: Mr Chidambaram you should not have made the statement of state
separation without taking cabinet into confidence.
PC: What can I do? AP CM gave reports that KCR fast unto death is
taking serious turns and situation is grave. Based on the reports, Sonia Ji
asked me to make the statement
UM: How will Rosaiah say no to you or Madam Sonia? He is filled with
gratitude of making him as AP CM.
PC: Sir we have to go by CM report and high command orders.
UM: You might be a good finance or commerce minister but not home
Minister. Home minister is expected to know the nation in detail. Had it been
Pranab Mukherjee, Chavan or Shivraj Patil, they would have listened to Sonia ji,
took some time and convinced her. Anyhow damage is done we need to find way out
to come out of this situation.
AP State Separation:
For reasons
best known, congress replaced Rosaiah with another politically weak candidate
Kirankumar Reddy as CM of AP. Union minister who was advocating for united AP
till then took U turn and started chanting the mantra of separate state.
Seemandhra MPs, MLAs and other leaders could not give effective resistance and
people got what they deserve for electing/selecting business men as people’s
representatives.
Congress and
BJP were instrumental in daylight murder of democracy by passing Telangana
bill without considering popular peoples voice, assembly resolution, by
switching off the cameras in lok sabha, by closing the doors of temple of
democracy and by completing the discussion in less than 15 minutes. 18th Feb,
2014 the bill was passed in Lok Sabha and moved to Rajya Sabha at jet speed and
passed there on 20th Feb, 2014 and President gave consent to bill on
01.03.2014. All these happened in greater hurry and the decisions are taken in
hasty manner without properly addressing the issues related to bifurcation
resulting in present crisis in residual Andhra Pradesh.
Emergence of New Andhra Pradesh:
Even after
grave injustice done to AP through most unscientific way of state bifurcation,
the Seemandhra people recouped quickly and engaged in the process of building new
capital city, Polavaram irrigation project etc. With some short term
interventions like Pattiseema we could effectively handle our irrigation and administrative
needs and proved to the world that AP people will come out victorious from any crisis
situation.
AP situation
is totally different when compared to states bifurcated in 2000. In case of UP,
Bihar, MP, the capital cities remind with existing states and in case of AP,
the newly carved state TG walked away with capital city Hyderabad, without any
tax sharing mechanisms. This is very big loss to AP and cannot compare with
other states situation. Bhopal, Lucknow, Patna are no way comparable to
Hyderabad in terms of size or revenue loss to the state.
Despite losing
stakes over Hyderabad we did not lose our heart or hopes and starting looking
at the opportunities of building new city. We moved forward with innovative
approach of land pooling which is being appreciated across the globe. GOI gave
us lot of hopes on new city and none other than PM made statements that Amaravathi
will be much better than New Delhi. Hopes were kept alive by encouraging us to
look at best cities in the world and plan for the best at Amaravathi. We moved
forward with confidence on GOI and came out with world class concept of a mega city
with integrated nine thematic cities approach. After four years of hard work,
now BJP Govt at centre is singing different tunes like where is the need for
such mega scale city, why can’t it be in lines of Naya Raipur etc.
Seemandhra
people engulfed so many insults in last four years and moving forward with
hopes that with good intentions and hard work, one can do wonders. But the Delhi
rulers are taking AP people for granted and continues to exploit. Friends and
well wishers across the nation are requested to internalise for themselves,
understand the ill motives behind stepmother treatment to AP and support the
cause of Navyandhra Pradesh. Join AP in its fight for genuine rights and
work for the spirit of federal democracy within the constitutional framework.
Special Category status (SCS) to AP, present
burning issue of AP and Telugus across the globe, is again a creation of
political parties and in the process, people are being made scapegoats.
Seemandhra people never thought that the state will be separated and never
raised their voice demanding ABCD.
Punishment to Congress and BJP:
Both Congress and BJP were hand in glove in
separating the state. Though the announcement of TG formation was made on
09.12.2009, political system was dormant for four years and few months before general
elections, both BJP and congress worked over time with unexpected efficiency to
betray Seemandhra people. The end result was loosely drafted state
reorganization bill, non democratic functioning of parliament in passing the
bill etc.
Congress high command was misguided by vested
interest political leaders from Telangana areas of united state, leaders like Digvijaya Singh, Jairam Ramesh and totally played into the hands of KCR. KCR
who was very submissive and gave impression of merging TRS into Congress till
the state separation, shown congress their place by refused even poll alliance
with promise of CM, forget about merging the party. Residual Andhra Pradesh
disgusted with Congress and first time in state history congress got zero seats
in 2014 assembly elections. Even in Telangana, despite projecting Sonia Ji as
architect and mother of new Telangana state, people rejected Congress and voted
TRS to power. The entire country rejected congress by giving them lowest ever
count in 2014 parliament elections and for the first time BJP got absolute
majority.
BJP, which advocated one vote two states
slogan in 1997 at Kakinada conclave, is keen to go for AP separation thinking
that they get huge advantage in communally sensitive Telangana. End result is despite
Modi wave across the nation, TDP, BJP combine could not do well in TG and BJP
performance in AP is far lower than its 1999 count despite alliance with TDP.
Had BJP contested individually they would have scored big ZERO.
Special Category Status (SCS)- AP
Right:
Sonia ji felt that injustice was done to AP
and advised Sri Manmohan Singh, then PM to make announcement of SCS for 5 years
in Loksaba. The SCS statement in Loksaba did not get media attention as the
parliament proceedings were conducted close doors. In Rajya Saba, Venkaiah
Naidu and Jaitley raised it as an issue and PM was on record stating that SCS
will be given to residual AP for 5 years and Venkaiah Naidu insisted for 10
years period.
In series of election meetings in AP (Tirupati,
Nellore, Vijayawada etc) during 2014, Modi ji praised Venkaiah Naidu as father
of spl status to AP and promised that if BJP is voted to power AP will be given
SCS for 10 to 15 years.
Once BJP was voted to power, Venkaiah Naidu
was felicitated all over the state and he took the credit for getting SCS to
AP. One year, two years passed there are no signs of SCS and GOI started giving
leaks like objections from NITI Aayog, 14th finance commission etc are
hindrances for SCS to AP . Also stated that SCS will not be extended further in
the states where it is already in force.
In 2017 Jaitley informed that spl package will
be given in lieu of SCS by suitably compensating the state. In good faith, CM of
AP accepted for the same and even downplayed the voices of opposition by
keeping coalition dharma in view. Again Venkaiah Naidu got felicitations all
over the state and he was given the title “father of spl package”.
Another year passed there is no legal status for spl package and no signs of
any funding and industrial reforms as promised. Like adding fuel to fire, SCS
is extended in all the states where it is in force already.
AP people really felt betrayed and the
opposition leader Sri Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, who is always vocal on SCS, now on padayatra,
started exploiting the situation and projecting BJP-TDP combine is responsible
for present status in AP. Sri Chandrababu Naidu, APCM waited for four years with
patience, expecting some positive budget announcements and it was another big disappointment.
CBN is left with no option than withdrawing ministers from GOI, leaving NDA and
protecting the interest of people who elected TDP to power with good faith.
As AP cause is genuine and people have faith
on TDP government, CBN could muster majority of opposition parties’ support to
no confidence motion and NDA is shied away from facing NCM on floor of the
house. Political parties are welcome to play politics with other parties,
certainly not expected to play with lives of people. AP people are demanding
delivery of what was promised and reinstated time and again. SCS IS AP
RIGHT. AP PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE THEIR FIGHT TILL THEY GET IT.
Sanction of Educational
Institutions to AP:
After
bifurcation, the residual AP got Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at
Tirupati, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at Visakhapatnam, National
Institute of Technology (NIT) at TP Gudem, All India Institute of Medical
Sciences (AIIMS) at Mangalagiri, Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT)
at Kurnool. BJP is making tall claims about these allotments and their top
leaders got series of felicitations for these so called achievements.
If we look
into the facts with rationality, AP deserves all these institutions on the
principle of natural justice and there is nothing BJP did and favoured AP.
United AP is 5th and residual AP is 10th populated state with potential to hold
any institution of national importance due to its advancement in agriculture,
enterprise, education and geographical advantage.
There are 23 IITs,
20 IIMs, 31 NITs, 23 IIITs, 20 AIIMSs, 17 NIFTs, and 20 National Law Schools of
national importance in India. AP got most of these sanctioned in 2015 along
with few other states which are much smaller than AP. AP is yet to get NIFT
sanctioned for the state.
BJP’s claim
of these institutions as their tall achievement and projecting it as part of
reorganisation bill looks like over presenting the facts. Other than these institutions,
there are over 100 institutions of national importance specific to core area
and their presence in AP is negligible. Though one or two such institutions are
promised for AP, they are yet to see day light.
AP is first
in allocating land for these institutions and exhibited its will to establish
them at the earliest possible time without compromising on quality. But the BJP
government did not allocate more than 15% of resources in three to four years
time frame. These type of actions of BJP leaving doubts about the very basic
intentions and AP people are feeling betrayed. Today it’s AP; tomorrow it might
be some other state, all the states have to unite and fight for their rights
within constitutional frame work and keep the spirit of cooperative federalism
at its peak.
During
bifurcation of the state, it was decided to pass on debt burden on population
basis i.e., 58% to AP and 42% to Telangana. The same logic is missing when it
comes to resources allocation and asset distribution. The last CM of united AP,
Sri Kirankumar Reddy gauged these problems, particularly in water and
power allocation and advocated against the separation and he was not taken
seriously. Now the way projects are being conceived and executed in both Telugu
states, it can lead to disputes in future like Kaveri issue.
One senior
politician felt that the state separation is like settlement of dispute between
two brothers. Elder brother wanted to continue as joint family and younger one
wants separation at any cost. Both approached mother for dispute settlement and
unfortunately mother proved that she is a step mother to AP.
The joint
family did well, generated surplus and built a Twin tower palace named
Hyderabad and Cyberabad and made one as seat of power and the other as seat of
knowledge. As the palace was built on land inherited by younger son by birth,
mother decided to allot the same to him. Similarly injustice was done to elder
son even in other properties and he was asked to leave twin tower palace
literally with what he had on hand. Other elders and so called well wishers
remind silent and endorsed the division. The whole episode just reminded me of
“KAURAVA SABHA”. The elder son was
allowed to stay in the palace for ten years without any administrative powers.
But within no time unfriendly environment was created to ensure that the elder
sibling leaves the palace immediately. The step mother and elders who promised
all support to elder son to build his empire with AMARAVATHI as seat of power dragged the issue for four long years
and finally even the elders proved that they are no way better than step
mother.
I will share
one example of asset sharing for better understanding of audience. APSRTC, a
public sector transport company with HQ as Hyderabad built huge infrastructure
and have considerable Real estate base in Hyderabad. As estimated, about 75 % of
APSRTC fixed asset base is in Telangana and its clear injustice to AP, if
allocation is finalized on location specific basis. If logic prevails over
authoritarian powers being exhibited, residual AP should get 58% share after
proper valuation. In some other case, may be more valuations will be in AP and
in such case TG have to get its due share. Above all these, the loss of AP in
Hyderabad revenue sharing is major loss and AP shall be compensated suitably to
ensure proper justice.
Some of us in
a position of influence in political parties shall prevail, bring all political
parties, intellectual forums, employees groups etc to a common platform
irrespective of their political affiliations and ensure that equal justice is
done to both states based on sound logic.
Continued Injustice to AP:
Polavaram
irrigation which is life line of Andhra Pradesh is declared as national project
and the responsibility of project completion was entrusted to state Government.
The most crucial part of any project of such scale i.e., environment, forest,
interstate disputes are cleared and nothing is pending for uninterrupted
completion of the project. Despite best efforts the project is much beyond
schedule due to insufficient fund allocations and strained centre-state
relations.
The other
important commitments in state reorganization bill such as Railway zone at
Vizag, Steel plant at Kadapa, Sea Port at Dugarajupatnam, and Two industrial
corridors just remain on paper and non starters.
BJP party at
state and centre, instead of delivering the genuine promises and fulfilling the
commitments, attacking the state government with false and baseless allegations
like funds were not spent properly, utilization certificates not submitted and
treating AP as unwanted child.
Join Hands with AP and Fight for Rights:
As all of us
are aware, due to lack of political will, perceived notions and insufficient
pressure from civic society organizations, the division was done without proper
debate on issues and reorganization bill was drafted in hurry. Let us not
repeat the same mistake again and become pawns in political game. It is time
for civic society to mobilize public opinion on rationale to be followed in
reorganization and see that all political parties are left with no option than
tuning to public voice. Let AP take their brothers and sisters from Telangana
into confidence. AP is not here to grab their bread and butter, just asking for
its fair and legitimate share.
Sections 8,
few other sections in state reorganization bill, are more of political in
nature and people are requested not to get into such issues and dilute the
real cause. Our goal is to get the best out of division for both states. Let us
move with a clear action to accomplish the goal.
Brothers and
sisters from all states in Indian union, today it might be the issue of AP and TG,
tomorrow it can be a division in TN, Maharashtra or Gujarat. We have to ensure
that sound logic prevail over our emotions. Let us fight for our legitimate
rights and create strong nation.
PRATYEKA HODHA ANDRULA HAKKU –
SPECIAL CATEGORY STATUS AP’S RIGHT
B Guruva Reddy-9866889246
grbonthu@gmail.com
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