Thanks to the Centre’s announcement of starting the process of a separate State of Telangana, the situation in Andhra Pradesh has reached a flashpoint with MLAs, MPs and Ministers turning into two warring groups. The urgent need of the hour is to defuse the situation and remove mutual distrust. Even bureaucrats have identified themselves with this or that camp. Any delay in addressing the problem will worsen the situation.
K.M. Lakshmana Rao,
Visakhapatnam
It is depressing to see politicians and the so-called intellectuals indulging in verbal duels, following the hasty announcement by the Centre. India is a diverse country. Any decision to divide a State created earlier on linguistic basis, perhaps the most logical template in a country like India, must be made after detailed discussions.
A party which was in the forefront of fighting for Independence must show the same vision in making important decisions.
K.S. Ram,
Hyderabad
The reaction of Congress MLAs is puzzling. They first said they would abide by the high command’s decision but once the Centre announced the formation of Telangana, they started opposing it. The TDP too supported a separate Telangana state earlier. But it now claims the Centre’s decision is hasty.
Those who have taken to the streets to protest the Centre’s decision should have protested when TRS leader K. Chandrasekhara Rao raised the slogan “Jago Telanganawale, Bhago Andhrawale” and declared that the people of Andhra were “settlers.” As a person who was born in a coastal area but spent most of my life in Hyderabad, I feel some grievances of the Telangana people are genuine. But I sincerely wish Telugu-speaking people will stay united forgetting the bitterness generated in the past few weeks. No region will emerge a winner if the State is split.
V. Sekhar,
Visakhapatnam
The logic behind bifurcating a State may be better administration and governance. But there is no guarantee that the objective will be achieved. Jharkhand, which was separated from Bihar with high expectations, is an example of failure. Sardar Patel would have never thought that a long race for separate states would start barely 60 years after his great attempts at unifying them.
Naveen Shekhar,
Siwan
The UPA government is at a crossroads. It took a hasty decision by announcing the process of forming a separate State of Telangana without factoring in the people’s sentiments. The developing crisis in Andhra Pradesh shows that language cannot keep people united. As a responsible citizen and the country’s well-wisher, I request the government to form a Second States Re-organisation Commission to address the demand for smaller states.
K. Mallikarjuna Reddy,
Anantapur
The lopsided development of certain regions in some States is mainly due to the neglect and inefficiency of elected representatives hailing from those regions and the attitude of the political leadership. The bifurcation of bigger States will not solve the problem.
The growth of a few powerful regional parties in some States is mainly due to the weakness of the two major national parties and the absence of a strong and dynamic leadership at the Centre.
T. Ramaswamy,
Chennai
Leaders should desist from making pronouncements which may aggravate the already fragile situation. At the same time, a sincere effort should be made to heal the wounded sentiments of the affected population. It would be good if the Centre announces that the interests of both the regions will be well protected; no hasty decision will be taken unilaterally; Union Territory status will be granted to Hyderabad; two independent committees will be constituted for the management of the backward regions of Telangana and Andhra; and Andhra Pradesh will be renamed Telugu Nadu.
Dilip K. Settaluri,
Hyderabad
The situation in Andhra Pradesh is taking a serious turn with people from a cross-section of society joining the united Andhra agitation. Film stars seem uncertain on which side they should join. The Centre should take a bold decision immediately so that the uncertainty is removed and normality restored in the State.
H.S.R. Sharma,
Chennai
There are many backward regions in India which need to be developed economically and in terms of infrastructure. There may be many ways of addressing the problem and bifurcation is one way of doing it. Development can be achieved under a better leadership. A small state can achieve better overall development. The people of Andhra Pradesh should accept the Centre’s decision.
Ravindra Biradar,
Bidar
The main issue revolves round the ownership of Hyderabad. Both the Telangana and non-Telangana leaders claim their right over the only city that has seen astronomical development over the last two decades. The leaders of the non-Telangana regions are not ready to accept a second-grade capital city.
Development has not been replicated in the other cities of Andhra Pradesh.
Governments should at least henceforth focus on the overall development of all regions in a State.
Raghuram,
Hyderabad
The continued indifference of the Centre towards the mass protests in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema against the formation of a separate Telangana is worrying. It looks as though it finds itself isolated on the issue. Equally to be blamed for the present crisis are the major political parties of the State — the Congress for its one-line resolution authorising its high command to take a decision on Telangana, and the TDP and the Praja Rajyam Party which favoured Telangana at some time or the other.
V. Chandra Mouliswara Rao,
Tirupati
Had the Andhra Pradesh government implemented GO 610 issued in 1985, the people of Telangana would not have asked for a separate State. The people of Andhra and Rayalaseema should ask themselves and their leaders why the Gentleman’s Agreement, GO 36 and GO 610 were never implemented. The agitation for a united Andhra Pradesh is the handiwork of rich politicians of the Andhra region and Rayalaseema.
P. Kiran Kumar,
Warangal
