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The agitation that is going on in Andhra and Seema (Rayala seema) is against the formation of separate Telangana. They say that formation of Telangana will deprive development of the region. The struggle for statehood of Telangana is more than 50yrs old. It is the struggle against the injustices done to the region and people and for having self governance. This is the struggle of the deprived for survival and security of life. People of Telangana had put up with various modes of struggle, armed struggle (against rajakars), agitations against the government of Andhra Pradesh (1969), ballot, naxalism, ballot and political lobbying and finally culminated into fast unto death of KCR. Every time, politicians after gaining power have forgotten the issue. At one stage people in Telangana doubted even KCR’s integrity in working towards statehood of Telangana.

When KCR started fast unto death, thinking it is one more way to express aspirations of Telangana people, every Telanganite supported it. When, for reasons best known to him, KCR had given up fast the next day itself, Telanganites felt it was an outrageous act of deceptive politician. The immediate reaction of distraught students, employees and non governmental organizations is a decision to take up the struggle and bring it to a logical end. Once aware of the reaction of the people and involvement of people in the struggle, KCR had to continue fast unto death. He felt, “bathiki chahche kanna chavatam melu”. Knowing he will be branded as worst Telangana ‘drohi’ in the history of Telangana. He risked his life and sincerely continued fast. Fortunately, the Government of India had given a positive signal towards statehood of Telangana. This is a long process which may take a year or two.

Telangana issue had been a hot topic for all political parties since the formation of Telangana Rashtra Samithi in 2001. During the elections in 2004 Congress leadership promised to fulfill the wishes of Telangana people. Even during the elections in 2009 the congress leadership has reiterated its stand on T issue. The then start campaigner of Congress, Shri Y.S. Rajashekhar Reddy also said the leadership’s decision on T issue will be implemented, when he campaigned in Telangana. Once the elections in Telangana were over in the first phase, in his campaign for second phase in Seemandhra, he made U turn on the issue and scared people of Seemandhra that formation of separate Telangana is almost like secession of Telangana from the nation and people from Andhra cannot live in Telangana and they need a passport to come to Telangana. Telanganites were shocked to hear this. YSR, who deceived Telanganites did win elections for his party and became CM of Andhra Pradesh for the second time. Destiny has brought and end to the rule of YSR in AP.

T issue being a prolonged struggle which every seasoned politician in AP is aware, so do YSR. I think, being aware that one day or other Telangana statehood is imminent; YSR had done his best to divert all possible resources to Seemandhra region or to the people of Seemandhra. Vizag had seen a very fast development during his tenure, maybe he thought that it will be the capital of Seemandhra when Telangana attains separate statehood. Many projects that were beneficial to Seemandhra were taken up to be completed at a faster pace within a time frame. He played a key role in developing so called Greater Hyderabad and laid road to make it a ‘free zone’ for employees with a view to claim Greater Hyderabad a Union Territory status in case Telangana is formed.

The diversion of funds depriving development of Telangana has once again made the Telanganites to take serious agitations for a separate state. The addition of free zone issue had strengthened the struggle as the employees were up in arms to fight against the AP government acting simply as Andhra government. Being a seasoned politician KCR had immediately readied himself for one more struggle in Telangana. He decided to take up fast unto death. People say that if KCR hadn’t been there there wouldn’t have been this raking up of T issue. Continued suppression will definitely lead to revolution. When survival and security for life is questionable leaders will arise to lead revolution. Time was ripe. KCR grabbed the opportunity won every Telanganites blessings when he wanted to fast unto death. People were prepared for long agitation. That is why the moment they had seen KCR breaking up his fast unto death on the second day there was sense of deception by the politicians and people have taken up the struggle into their hands and were ready to sacrifice their life in this struggle. So, the positive response of the Government of India is not just because of KCR; T issue was a long pending issue, it was unfulfilled promise of the Congress leadership which is at the helm of affairs at the centre, and the issue had become peoples’ movement.

When KCR was fasting, and every party felt that the issue is no more a political affair, but peoples’ movement, every party expressed its concern and supported the statehood of Telangana. The moment it was announced, within ten hours, every non Telangana politician turned volte-face on the issue. There is no party principle, political ideology. The only thing they all wanted is ‘NO’ to statehood of Telangana. All these politicians who were mum when students in OU and various other universities were lathi charged, never tried to pacify students or the people in the region of Telangana, now say that their people are more important for them and for their sake they not only give up party posts and go against the party leadership, but ready to sacrifice their lives. Living in the state of Andhra Pradesh they never had concern for the people of Telangana. They are only concerned about the Seemandhra people. Now aren’t they openly discriminating the people of two regions? This itself is enough reason for people of Telangana some of whom were neutral to statehood, now strongly desire for separate statehood. The discussions that are going on in the media are enlightening every Telanganite about their desperate state and the strength of people multipled to fight against Andhras till separate state is carved.

Certain intellectual forum, who agreed that separation is must for peaceful living, and promised to start Jai Andhra movement shortly have disappeared from the scene and only those politicians with vested interest are agitating against formations of separate Telangana. In their view development of AP state is development of Andhra and Telangana their fief and Telanganites should live in their serfdom. They cannot be liberated and have their own development.

The discrimination in the government is obvious when it arrested Lagadapati Rajgopal (14-12-09) under a simple section 151, an unlawful assembly, when he wanted to fast, and send him safely to his home in Jubilee hills and allowing him to take up fast unto death at Swaraj maidan in Vijayawada. Whereas, when KCR wanted to fast at his place on 29-11-2009, he was arrested under various sections incriminating crime against state, sent him to jail, kept in C–class in Khammam and at one time it did not allow even his family members to visit him in Khammam hospital. We also can see the lathi charge that had happened at OU where scores were injured and one student died. Now we see the when the police want to disperse the students at SK university, the tussle between the police and students and lathi charging resulted in injuries to eight students and nine policemen. When KCR said he will fast unto death to achieve the goal of statehood of Telangana it is termed as inflammatory speech and a case booked against him, but when one of Andhra leaders said “If the police lathi charge the students, I ask the students to take that lathi into their hands and chase the police. I repeat and give call to the students to take lathi and chase the police”. This was conveniently ignored by the Andhra government. This sort of discrimination is there in all fields and Telangana people put up continued struggle for many years against these injustices. Hopefully the decision of Union government of India will very soon start the process of Telangana formation.

I wish that people in Seemandhra to know the history of formation of Andhra Pradesh and the way the Telangana people robbed of their rightful share in the governance and development and subjected to socio-cultural subjugation and treated as second grade citizens in their own land. Identity crises can be settled only by formation of separate Telangana state
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Let good sense prevail and people work towards friendly separation than with animosity.