Notwithstanding the fast pace of the exercise it is undertaking to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh, the Centre is worried over the long-term security implications in Telangana as well as residuary AP.
It views the Maoist menace, Jehadi terrorism and communalism as the foremost concerns for Telangana while residuary AP would have coastal security as an area of prime concern.
In a note titled ' Andhra Pradesh: Emerging concerns following Cabinet decision to divide the State' submitted by senior Security Advisor to Union Home Minister and Task Force on security issues on bifurcation chairman K. Vijay Kumar, Andhra Pradesh came in for lavish praise for creating ‘excellent organisational structures’ in police like Greyhounds and State SIB for fighting the Maoist menace, counter intelligence cell and OCTOPUS to handle the Jihadi terrorism and a strong intelligence network to deal with the communal situation.
It said the State Government has a policy of posting young IPS and Group I officers to Greyhounds and Maoist-affected areas for grooming them as leader.
Consultations
The five-page note was prepared on the basis of consultations that Mr. Vijay Kumar, former CRPF Director-General, held wide-ranging consultations with senior serving and retired police officials and bureaucrats here last month in wake of the Centre’s decision to divide the State.
The Task Force said that Telangana and residuary AP would need to create similar structures/policy framework in shortest possible time, to ensure that Maoists were not able to take advantage of the transition phase and share each other's experiences.
Sharing of intelligence
“A formal mechanism of coordination and sharing of intelligence on a regular basis between both the States should be a priority area, besides augmenting strength of the said units within police of both States to meet the long-term challenges of internal security in the post-division phase.”
It wanted the existing structure of coastal security to be further expanded with increase in number of marine police stations and augmenting resources like staff and requisite equipment such as patrolling boats.
Significantly, the note refers to the concerns in the organised and unorganised sectors. Employment, physical security and harassment to quit and return to their respective State of origin could emerge as a critical area of worry.
“As Hyderabad remains the most promising place with its burgeoning economic growth in the entire State, a suitable mechanism shall be in place to ensure that there is no discrimination against people of Seemandhra region in matter of job opportunities in the private sector after division,” the report observed.
It said a similar type of mechanism should in place to safeguard the interests of professionals such as doctors, lawyers, consultants, educationists and those in the world of entertainment, who may not be in a position to shift their concerns/source of livelihood, on both sides of the divide.
The note said there is a fear psychosis in Seemandhra professionals in Hyderabad that they would be driven out and forced to sell their concerns under distress after division. “Pertinently, most of the private educational institutions and hospitality sector in and around Hyderabad are owned by people of Seemandhra origin,” the report mentioned.
