Naa Telangana Koti Rathanala Veena
History:
Telangana region ruled by Nizam’s till India became an independent country. Telangana people lived like slaves under the Nizam rule. The people of Telangana region were robbed by supporters of Nizam rulers in every possible manner. Most part of the land was in the hands of very few feudalists and large number of people lived like slaves. People used to live as daily wagers in their own farm lands. Even those people who have control over people and lands also used to pay heavy taxes to Nizam Govt. There was no formal education available. People used to be illiterates and used to live like slaves in their own mother land.
Evolution of Telangana Movement:
After India got Independence, Hyderabad region became the part of India after some force used by then Deputy PM Sardar Vallabhai Patel. The coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema region were part of the Madras state. There was a huge demand for a separate state for Telugu speaking people. A separate state called ‘Andhra Rashtram’ was formed in the year 1953 for Telugu speaking people after 48 days of hunger strike of Late Sri Potti Sriramulu with Karnool as its Capital city.
In the year 1956, then ‘Andhra Rashtram’ and ‘Hyderabad’ which were separate states till then, have been merged together and Andhra Pradesh state was formed with Hyderabad as its capital city.
Hyderabad city was geographically located to cater the needs of the larger Andhra Pradesh state and had all the facilities like assembly, hospitals, Universities, Roads, water facilities, Underground drainage system and various other important places which is convenient to form a capital city when compared to Karnool City. Then, Hyderabad was fifth largest city in India with developed infrastructure. Though many of the Nizam rulers ignored the development and uplifting of the people of then Telangana region, few of them developed Hyderabad City which was also their capital city.
Since then, Telangana, Andhra and Rayalaseema regions was under one state. Telangana was a backward region since they were under the Nizam rule, they were economically very poor, no education, no jobs, not enough food to eat. The people of Telangana was suppressed under Nizams and then existing feudal system. Major part of the population of Telangana survives on agriculture. Though it had finest soil (Black and Red soil) in India, there was not enough agricultural production due to non-availability of water resource. Two major rivers Godavari and Krishna flow from this region, but not enough actions were taken to build the projects to cater the needs of the Telangana farmers.
Rayalaseema which consists of four districts in southern Andhra Pradesh was also one of the backward area in the state. Rayalaseema has got a rich historical culture since the time of Krishna Devarayalu period. It was called as ‘Ratanala Seema’.
Costal Andhra region was developed region when compared to Telangana and Rayalaseema. It was located in such a geographical location where it has got sufficient water resources to cater the needs this region. Also it has got a lengthy coastal area which contributed to the development of this region.
When three regions were united and formed as a single state, The Telangana and Rayalaseema people were many expectations for their upliftment and development. Most of the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh state are from Andhra or Rayalaseema regions. The economically strong leaders from Andhra ignored the development of Telangana region since the formation of Andhra Pradesh state. There was significant partiality shown towards the Telangana region. The leaders who emerged from Rayalaseema were also needed the support economically strong leaders from Coastal Andhra to sustain their power, so they also did not do anything significant to develop Telangana.
After so much discrimination and partiality shown between the areas by Andhra political leaders, Telangana people who have been suppressed for ages, have started an agitation for separate Telangana state since around 1960, so that they can develop their area and uplift their lives. The movement got into full force in the year 1969 under the leadership Chenna Reddy. That movement was diluted by economically and numerically dominated Andhra leaders and their influence on Central Government. Since then the movement for separate Telangana state always existed through various forms.
The Voice for separate Telangana raised again by K Chandra Shekhar Rao who walked out from Telugu Desam Party due to differences with Nara Chandrababu Naidu who was then CM of the AP and formed a political party named “Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS)” and started a political movement for separate Telangana state in the year 2001. The people who oppose his party and cause (fight for separate telangana state) for formation of party say that he formed the TRS party because he was denied the ministerial berth by then Chief Minister N Chandra Babu Naidu. The cause could be anything, he might have been suppressed by Andhra region Telugu Desam party leaders, it could have reached an extent where he could not tolerate it anymore and went out and formed a party or may be purely because he was denied a ministerial berth. The reason could be anything, but the issue he raised was not a new issue, it was there in the hearts of Telangana people since decades. People may have questions about his intentions, but nobody can question the issue he choose which was genuine.
One thing I would like to emphasize here, People went after him because he took up a genuine issue, but not because of any other thing. It was not easy for a person who is like any other ministers in the Congress and TDP who can come out of those parties and start a political movement and win 27 MLA seats. He was no legendary NT Rama Rao (NTR), didn’t have any Rajeev or Sonia support, he was not so rich to influence other leaders or people by his money. I think he got a genuine reason, that’s what made him the face of telangana fight and he could managed to win few MLA and MP seats for him and his party. The two main political parties of Andhra Pradesh, Congress and TDP which were sharing the power since the formation of AP, realised his party’s cause and importance and went for an alliance with TRS in 2004 and 2009 elections. Congress and TDP did not want his alliance because he is Chandra Shekhar Rao, but because of the cause he took up and the impact and influence it had on people.
Congress strategically formed an alliance with TRS and managed to win 226 assembly seats in 2004 assembly elections and formed the Government as YS Rajashekhar Reddy as its Chief Minister. TRS became a part of Government and was holding few ministerial berths also. Chandrasekhar Rao and his party could manage to win 6 MP seats and became the part of UPA coalition Govt as Manmohan Singh of Congress as Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi as UPA chair person. Though he managed to get two Minister berths in Central Govt, he was realised that the Govt was not willing for a separate Telangana state formation which they mentioned in the UPA agenda. He and his party came out of both Central and State Govt’s and since then his party is fighting for separate Telangana state.
2009 elections – This time TDP contested elections with TRS alliance, though they could managed to win the majority seats in Telangana they fell short to form the Government as YSR has managed to win majority MLA seats with his charisma to form the Government . Telugu Desam party and then newly formed Prajarajyam party supported separate Telangana state formation. Significant thing here is TDP and its boss Chandrababu Naidu openly supported Telangana formation after almost 2 years of internal discussions in their party. Chiranjeevi and his party Prajarajyam also supported separate Telangana state. Chandra babu and Chiranjeevi openly assured people of Telangana that they will support the separate Telangana formation in almost all the rallies of 2009 elections and they were also challenged and questioned Congress led UPA which was in power in central Government why it was not ready to form Telangana. They also said they will immediately support the issue once the ruling Govt comes with a bill in state and central.
Things changed very fast. Grand Alliance (Maha Kootami- which was as an alliance of TDP, TRS, CPI & CPM) which was contested 2009 elections could not managed to win majority seats and Prajarajyam got only 18 MLA seats. Congress led by YS Rajashekhar Reddy came into power and after that all parties started neglecting Telangana issue. TDP and Congress said that the TRS could manage to win only 10 MLA & 2 MP seats in the region, they concluded that there was no more Telangana sentiment. They tried to encash the Telangana sentiment to win elections, when their cause was over, they ignored the Telangana and Telangana people.
People of Telangana who supported TRS earlier did not went and vote for them, cause they are fed up with these politics and they didn’t really know who to trust. It was the responsibility of the leaders to tell and convince people why actually we need a separate Telangana and what are the advantages and disadvantages associated with it. Actually nobody did that. Everyone tried to encash the sentiment, but none of them tried to understand the cause and tried to solve their problems.
People of Telangana wanted a separate state, because they were fed up with their living conditions, there were no development opportunities for them, no jobs, no water resources to cultivate their farms, hence farmers have to send their children to Gulf countries to work as labour. The ill treatment by economically dominated Andhra leaders at various levels time and again towards the region in many areas had drived them to own a separate state for them.
The Andhra leaders always ignored the voice of Telangana people, if somebody tries to raise this issue, they suppress those people saying that they are doing it for their survival or for selfish or political needs instead of developing the living conditions of these people. When they want votes they come to Telangana and play this Telangana sentiment drama, Once it get over, it is usual business for them, same ill treatment, same partiality, no funds, no projects, no jobs. They just won’t care about us.
Genuine Telangana leaders who are there in Congress and TDP are to live like slaves and have no say in those parties. They can say anything, but they should not talk about their area problems, they suppress those leaders who talk louder, like Chandrababu did with Chandrasekhar Rao and Devender Goud. They won’t let Telangana leaders survive in mainstream politics if they talk something to raise such issues. They will let you survive till you will be like a puppet in their hands.
I think, even KCR has realised his charisma fading out slowly and he can’t sustain the TRS party any more with same issue in same manner. One should agree that, though he managed to raise the telangana issue to extents, he failed to win the hearts of all the telangana people, due to reasons like his foul language, his fidelity, his leadership qualities etc. He was not completely successfully to convinced the people why we need a separate Telangana.
At the end he came up with a hunger strike to raise the same issue again. This time he managed to raise the Telangana sentiment to many heights which no body believed till a month ago that it can go to far extent and can shake the earth under the feet of people in Delhi. People of different categories like Farmers, employers, students, business people, different communities came forward and supported KCR.
ALL THE STATE PARTIES CAME AND SAID THAT THEY WILL SUPPORT THE SEPARATE TELANGANA BILL IF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT COME UP WITH A BILL IN STATE AND PARLIEMENT, AND ALSO THEY CHALLENGED CENTRAL GOVT LED BY CONGRESS FOR DELAYING THE ISSUE.
Immediately after all party meeting convened by The CM of AP Mr Roasaiah, The central Govt took a decision to start a formal process to create a separate Telangana state and announced the separate Telangana on 9 Dec 2009.
My Take 