Telangana Martyrs Memorial at Gun Park here was a reflection of the demand to empower people through decentralisation of power, said Lok Satta founder president Jayaprakash Narayan on Saturday.
Dr. Narayan, Lok Satta national president Surendra Srivasthava and delegates to the national council meeting of the party on its second day paid tributes to those who sacrificed their lives in the 1969 Telangana movement at the memorial.
While no one should encourage violence and suicides in the course of a movement, Dr. Narayan said it should become the responsibility of everyone to ensure the sacrifices of people who laid down their lives should not go in vain and measures be taken to see that such sad events would not recur again.
The recent Telangana movement however, witnessed similar incidents, he added.
Though the movement had erupted again with the demand for water, funds and jobs, even now there were neither able politicians nor administrators to fulfil the aspirations of people, he said, adding that the rulers have changed, but not the rule.
s The Telangana State was also competing with the neighbouring Telugu State in pursuing same old dynasty politics, centralisation of power, and corruption in administration, he said.
No action
The State government did not initiate any action to tackle unemployment that was the main cause for Telangana movement. Smaller States were ideal for decentralisation of power, but mere formation of States without change in politics would not benefit people in any way, Dr. Narayan said.