The people of Seemandhra are unhappy with the way the issue of Andhra Pradesh’s bifurcation has been handled by the Congress-led UPA government, the BJP and the national media (“Looking ahead on Telangana,” Oct. 5). Has the Centre done anything to allay their apprehensions since its working committee decided to carve out a separate State of Telangana? The editorial concludes by saying “the people of Seemandhra must press ahead with hope.” What can they hope for when the government paid no attention to them even after they protested peacefully for over 60 days?
Sastry Gadepalli,
Rajahmundry
The widespread protests for a united Andhra Pradesh may or may not achieve their goal but they are a slap in the State leadership’s face. The unrest in Seemandhra should prompt our countrymen to be alert against opportunistic, divisive politics of bifurcation. The people of Telangana would do well to remember that a government which can bifurcate a State today can divide the States further at a future date if political expediency demands.
Sambi Reddy Endreddy,
Hyderabad
By saying Andhra’s resistance to Telangana is linked to the access to Godavari, the article “Two states and the Godavari” (Oct. 5) has undermined the peaceful resistance of Seemandhra people. Their resistance is much deep rooted and stems from a number of issues, prominent among them the status of Hyderabad. There are very few families in Seemandhra whose family members are not settled in the city. They sold everything back home, migrated to Hyderabad generations ago to eke out a living. People are genuinely coming on to the streets and they don’t acknowledge and understand the issue of sharing Godavari waters.
Prudhvi Vegesna,
Chennai
The UPA government has ignored the sentiments of the people of Seemandhra. It is easy to divide but difficult to unite people. I am sure the divisive policies of the Congress for electoral gains will land the party in trouble in the forthcoming elections.
S. Sankaranarayanan,
Chennai
The word “residuary” has been used in media reports while referring to the status of Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation. Andhra Pradesh is the parent State from which a new State is being carved. Dubbing it a “residuary” as if it is a negligible portion of land is incorrect. In a chemical process, a residue indicates a small amount that remains after the main part is gone.
Ramateertha,
Visakhapatnam
The Telangana movement originated in the feeling of oppression among the people of the region. The movement has finally borne fruit with the Union Cabinet paving the way for the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. Many people, mostly students, have sacrificed their lives for statehood for Telangana. There are social, cultural, economic and geographical factors involved in the revolution. The concept of linguistic States lost impetus the moment some Hindi-speaking States were bifurcated.
N.V. Narasimha Rao,
Secunderabad
It is time to come to terms with an independent State of Telangana and work for the welfare of all. The Centre should dismiss the Andhra Pradesh government before things go out of hand in Seemandhra. Unruly protests should be put down firmly.
Devulapalli Chakravarty,
Visakhapatnam
The strike by electricity employees in Seemandhra has added to the woes of the common man already reeling under the impact of forced shutdowns, traffic blocks, and lack of public transport buses. With power supply being disrupted, trains are being cancelled. Such acts have led to the fleecing of passengers by private transport operators.
Y. Jagannatham,
Vijayawada
The decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh is laudable in view of the Telangana region’s long-standing demand and the uncertainty that has prevailed in the State since December 2009. The merger of Andhra and Hyderabad was conditional and the safeguards provided to the people of Telangana were brazenly flouted by successive State governments. A.P.’s economic development failed to translate into the social integration of Telangana and Seemandhra regions.
The Samaikhyandhra protagonists should cooperate in bringing about a smooth transition.
Karunakar Tadaka,
Warangal
The government is damned if it takes a decision, damned if it doesn’t. Telangana became part of Andhra Pradesh only after 1956. Its socio-economic condition reflects the unsuccessful journey of the poverty-stricken region. The best way to undo the injustice is to create a separate State which will lead to more attention and better governance. Unity lies in our mindset, not politico-geographical boundaries.
Ginny Gold,
New Delhi
