The bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh will have a serious impact on the other States where there are similar separatist demands, feels Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, the State committee secretary of the CPI (M)’s Jammu and Kashmir unit.
The CPI (M) not only opposed the bifurcation tooth and nail, but also cobbled up an alliance for the general elections with Jai Samaikyandhra Party (JSP), founded by former Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy. Mr. Reddy is not only pinning hopes on the judiciary to declare the division void, but has also made ‘unification’ his poll plank.
Talking to The Hindu on Saturday, Mr. Tarigami spoke on issues ranging from communalism to regionalism. He squarely blamed the Congress for not exhibiting enough foresight in handling the sensitive issue. It will indeed encourage aspirations in other States, where similar demands are being heard. “A mechanism has to be evolved to address the democratic aspirations of different groups. A word of caution from our side is that the situation should not be allowed to get out of hand,” he pointed out.
Mr. Tarigami said he saw a vast difference between the separatist feelings in Telangana and that which is witnessed in his State. In both the cases, developmental agenda should have been prioritised. He attributed the present situation in J&K to the ‘wrong policies’ of the Union government, while indicating the need to step up efforts to win over people.
Similarly, he sees communal forces emerging to destroy the country’s secular fabric. “A divisive feeling is all-pervasive across the country,” he said, referring to the Sangh Parivar adopting discriminatory policies. “They are not sporadic incidents, but reflections of the divisive mindset,” he warned.
