Paralysis is not an option [Telugu: Prathishthambhana abhilashaneeyam kaadu] Editorial, October 2, 2012. Translated by V.R. Subrahmanyam, presented by Srinivas Ghantasala
Paralysis is not an option [Tamil: Seyalinmai enbathu theervu alla] Editorial, October 2, 2012. Translated by D.I. Aravindan, presented by T. Arvind
Deferring a decision on a contentious issue can be a short-term tactic, but never a long-term strategy. If the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government were looking for further proof of popular support for a separate State of Telangana in the region, it came in the form of the Sagara Haaram rally in Hyderabad on Sunday. As tens of thousands gathered to demand statehood for Telangana, the Congress government reacted as if it were another law and order challenge, nothing more than an evening’s headache for the police. Quite astonishingly, even years after the revival of the Telangana struggle, and evidence of growing support for statehood demonstrated through by-elections and mass agitations, the Congress and the governments it heads at the Centre and in the State are still hoping they can eventually wear down the movement by their inaction. The Congress tactic is, of course, engendered by the fear that any decision either for or against Telangana could set off violent reactions, either in Telangana or in Coastal Andhra, where large sections of the people are opposed to any division of the State. But inaction does not guarantee peace; indeed, there is no alternative to dealing with this political issue head-on. Instead of trying to find a consensus on the basis of the B.N. Srikrishna Committee report, which offered various viable options for it to consider, the government was happy doing nothing at all. However, there is a price to pay for being reactive and defensive. Those on the streets are now the agenda-setters, with the government constantly in crisis-aversion mode.
The Sagara Haaram must be seen as another opportunity to engage with the advocates of Telangana and explore the way to a solution on the basis of a structured consensus-building process started with the help of the Centre. But both sides need to give up their maximalist positions. For instance, questions relating to the post-bifurcation status of Hyderabad — which is within the Telangana region but is a cosmopolitan city with links to the whole of undivided Andhra Pradesh — will have to be sorted out through broad-based consultations. What the Centre and the AP government ought not to do is equally clear: make a solution part of a political deal between the Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti. Irrespective of whether the offer of TRS president K. Chandrasekhara Rao to merge his party with the Congress in the event of statehood being granted to Telangana is a political ploy or not, the dangers in such a barter deal are self-evident. Political exigencies and electoral compulsions should not be allowed to decide the future of Andhra Pradesh.
"If the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government were looking for further proof of popular support for a separate State of Telangana in the region, it came in the form of the Sagara Haaram rally in Hyderabad on Sunday. " is this unbiased statement?? remember we are 100+crore population, more than such huge crowd can be gathered for any ministers meeting or election compaign, Hindu is talking about only one side of coin which has not been its practice so far.
So paralysis is not an option, so is it cutting off good.
Putting of this issue is not good, but even bifercation of state is also not good.This issue was called before two decades ago when there was a need of bifercation, but it is not needed now as Telagana region is most developed than other 2 regions in the state.This is just a polatical drama driven up TRS for elections.
As regards the question of Hyderabad as Capital in the event of State Split, only 2 rational possibilities are considerable.One is to carve out telengana with Hyderabad ceded and the second option being hyderabad the capital of 2 states akin to chandigarh.If the former option was resorted to the Andhra Government will have to be provided with Economic Package( Combined Revenue Assistance by Centre and Telengana) to develop a New Capital for Andhra.With the latter option a structured consensus between the political leaders of telengana and Andhra that would see some of the Areas of the districts Mahub Nagar and Nalconda exchanged for Areas from Kurnool and Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, so as to be rational for Andhra to Border Hyderabad atleast in the fringes.
The assurance given by the centre to telangana people for a separate statehood has not been fulfilled. The Government , instead of
lethargic, should work within the ambit of krishna commission's report
and sort out for any differences among people of andhra and telangana
people.delay is not condisive for the state. since it is a congrees
ruled state uPA should use its party,s influence and work seriously
for an amicable solution. If UPA 11 cannot do it, none else can
The city of Hyderabad is the main stumbling block on the way to creation of a new State of
Telangana. The city being in the Telangana region should naturally form part of the new
State. But it is not only the Capital of present Andhra Pradesh, but is also the largest and
most developed city of that State. The Andhra Pradesh after the split will therefore resist the
handover of the city to Telangana. Statesmanship being a rare quality of our politicians
today, one doesn't see an early solution of the problem.
None expects that any demand by anybody be accepted by the government at the drop of a hat.There has to be thorough examination of the pros and cons of a demand before conceding or rejecting it. In the case of the demand for a separate Telangana State, it is well past the stage of examination of the justification for it.The considered action should be only conceding the demand for the simple reason of there being no alternative.The sticking point would only be the post-bifurcation status of Hyderabad city.This may be overcome by keeping the city as a Union Territory like Chandigarh or awarding a fair cash compensation to Andhra State for building a new Capital city.Anyhow the Telangana issue should not be allowed to endlessly drag its feet.
When the Centre can take an unpopular decision that of FDI in retail overnight without carrying out an elaborate parliament exercise, and stick to it stubbornly, why can't it show the same decisiveness in taking a popular decision of forming the state of Telangana, the demand for which first raised perhaps, in the year 1970 and the decision in the matter lingering on since then. The people of the state have since suffered a lot and paid a heavy price for the indecision by the respective governments. Last few lines of the article particularly are of much importance, and the message contained in these lines must be taken into account as and when the governments take the decision of carving out the state of Telangana from AP.
The time to act was in the first two years of UPA-II. Having wasted those years in inaction and indicision, now whichever way the decision on Telangana is made or not made, the Congress stands to lose.
The longest standing demand for separate Telengana State is a popular one barring of course coastal Andhra. No more proof is needed to recognize the ground reality. The more the procrastination or inaction on decision making the more the possibility of the people in the region having to face the never ending violent agitations with attendant consequences for all.The Congress party at the Centre which calls the shots should know that indecision is no decision and act right now to carve out Telengana State by adopting come- what- may attitude there being simply no alternative. Is not the Centre adopting such an attitude in FDI ?
The Hindu deserves full praise for its totally unbiased, logically most pertinent and truly well-intentioned editorial views on the long-pending vexatious issue of creation of a separate state of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh. While the government's contention will be that delay in taking a decision in this regard was inevitable for a variety of reasons, it should not have failed to realize that delay alone cannot solve the problem. Turn of events, in the form of intensified agitations at regular intervals, has given the clear indication that the protests are likely to become more violent in case of any further delay. As for the future status of Hyderabad, in case the Telangana demand is conceded, making it capital for both the states - like Chandigarh for Punjab and Haryana - might provide a satisfactory solution. The warring groups will have to be brought to the discussion table and convinced. Any other mutually agreeable proposal can also be considered.
Congress in the state as well as at the Centre have been playing a waiting game on the issue of Telangana. But this issue is more complicated than it looks on paper. The demonstrations of 10's of 100's of people last Sunday shows this issue needs broad consultation and negotiation between the stakeholders to solve the problem. The crux of the problem lies where Hyderabad should end up. Is it going to be a part of Telangana as geographically it is in Telangana or it is it going to be part of Andhra. This will be a contentious issue as there are many people from coastal Andhra who have set up industries in Hyderabad. Time will tell how this will all pan out but centre and state governments dilly dallying the decision process has more Con's than Pro's.
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