Friday, November 16, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Landmarks in the movement for separate Telengana State
Eighth Book on Telengana
Landmarks in the movement
For
separate
B.S.Ramulu
This is the eighth book
in the monthly series of books
being released till the attainment
of
Publishers.
United forum
of
Artists, Writers, and Intellectuals of Telengana.
406, Usha Kiran Arcade,
Phone: 09391 036987
Review of Telengana Movement
Entry of new forces
The Challenges faced by the separate
Telengana Movement
Forging ahead overcoming the obstacles
· The victories registered by the Telengana Movement
The ongoing Telengana Movement for the last 12 years since 1996 has created a deep and ardent feeling in the minds of Telengana people, a yearning for a separate Telengana statehood. Further it has also imbibed a confidence. The victories registered by the TRS and the Telengana movement have already been dealt by me so far in seven books in the series. It is unnecessary to recount them here. Every body is now for a separate
· The Telengana Movment is social and cultural movement. But highjacked by the TRS,Congress, and the BJP
The movement for a Telengana state has progressed as a social and cultural movement and has acquired a plank and a platform. In 2001 the TRS, Congress and the BJP have popularized the demand and the slogan. As the political parties have progressed in this direction, the social struggles petered away under the political parties, and became their appendages.
Of late these political parties have been increasingly treating the demand as a means for achieving power and a means to get elected to political posts. In the hands of such parties, the aspiration for a separate
· Their vocation is politics. So what movement they can make and lead?
In fact, from the beginning, the TRS has less of the character of a social movement. TRS has been formed by the professional and full time politicians The politically unemployed have joined the movement and elbowed out the social activists. Congenially adapting to the needs of these professional activists, the struggles for the Telengana state are continuing in a state of hibernation. They are happy to continue and pass time from elections to elections. When their sole profession is politics what movements can they build and lead? Some consider it as a fault of the social activists, and the Telengana theoreticians, to believe that they knew how to build and lead movements, and they can be used for that purpose, and make people also believe it, They thus consider that the TRS has lost its character of a party of struggles, and has been reduced to a political party instead of assuming the leadership for the movement As a result the movement is facing new challenges. There was some inertia in the movement before the bye-election for the Karimnagar Parlianmentary consitituency. It has gained momentum after the Karimnagar bye-election. In the process, it is facing many challenges while progressing from one stage to another stage. The movement progresses, if only these challenges are reviewed and corrected.
· The Challenges faced by the Telengana Movement
What are the challenges before the movement now?
1. Lull in the Telengana social movement.
2. The Telengana cultural artists are to be confined only to the meetings of the poltical parties which are conducted only to suit the political purposes of those parties.
3. These xocial movements being unable to withstand before the money power and the man=power and the organizing abilities and mobilization abilities these political parties command.
4. The social activists are dwarfed into the role of mere advisers to the political parties and continue to be so. The social movement unable to gain roots among people.
5. The political parties comparatively enjoy more recognition among the people than the social struggles
6. There is no cohesion and unity among those working for the cause of Telengana
7. Though the Telengana movement is going on for the last twelve years, the projects and decisions detrimental to the interests of Telengana continue to be taken, and could not be resisted upon. Resources and wealth of Telengana including water, coal, is being looted and diverted more often than before. The Government and public lands and industries in Telengana are disposed of to private persons.
8. As a result, many people are wondering whether there is any movement or not, if there is at all, what the hell is it doing?
9. If Telengana movement has really got the vigor of a movement how come more injustices are taking place for Telengana ever than before? If these are not stalled, how this movement can be called a movement?
10. The movement is being supported or opposed based on the political capital made or marred. There is no desire to understand the social and historical processes evolved, for the cause of the people of Telengana and carry forward the movement and their aspirations.
11. On account of all these reasons, it is inevitable to get a feeling that the Telengana movement has become like a trade unionism and an avenue for the careerism of political professionals.
12. When a movement is going on for years together it would be necessary to find answers to the question of the catalogue of achievements.
· The Telengana political leaders want to defer the demand for a separate
Mr.KCR is taking measured steps neither surrendering nor fighting till the Velamas and Reddys recover the ground lost for the political ground lost on account of the Naxalite activity that has been taking place for the last thirty years. Such persons are happy if the Telengana is delayed as much as possible. They are proclaiming to putting up a sort of fight till they get their share in the Congress Government and the contracts and when their aspirations are met they are keeping mum. The TRS and KCR, after opposing the privatization of the Bodhan Sugar Factory, have cooled down after gaining more than the expected amounts from the buyers
· TRS has lost the trait of a movement and settles as yet another political party
Thus the information got for the movement and the struggles conducted are turning out to be bargaining tools for gaining money or power, and making it an opportunity for the petering out of the movement. Rumors and criticisms are prevalent every where, that TRS, KCR their friends relations and henchmen having got what should be got as cuts from the irrigation projects, they are not talking against those projects any more. Thus TRS has ceased to be a party of a movement, and is found continuing as a political party. For e.g.
1. Movement makes any one get elected. And tickets are given during a movement only for the activists of the movement.
2. Only candidates who are likely to win are given tickets, is certainly the perspective of a political party.
3. TRS gives tickets only to the possible winners. This is evident upto the recent MLC elections. That Dr.Jayasankar has not been fielded either for Rajya Sabha or for Council proves this.
4. TRS has settled as a party of professional politicians, and like cadre. The new entrants into the party are not activists of the movement. They are only political leaders and cadre. The activists of the movement are again polarizing themselves into building up of new organizational structures. They have mobilized the scattered fighters and started the movements afresh. This proves that the TRS is not conducting agitations anymore.
5. So the TRS is not a party of the movement. It is only a political party.
6. The struggles are only tools for the poltical parties.
7. TRS is not ready to co-operate with everybody with the sole aim of attainment of
8. The approach that our party alone should prosper and grow,clearly indicates that it has become a regional political outfit.
9. Thus from all angles and aspects, bereft of all features of a crusading party, and lost its sole aim of achievement of a Telengana State, TRS has settled and continues to exist only as a poltical party.
10. They gained in the elections of 2004. Came to pwer. They are dilly- dallying the issue till the next elections. And they want to come to power again by dangling this bait of a separate
11. There is a yearning to convert this demand into a vote bank, and win elections for as long period as possible, is clearly evident in the approach of the political parties
12. For KCR and Narendra politics is their profession. For Gaddar, Pasam Yadagiri, and B.S.Ramulu, the struggles are their sole world. The people now face a dilemma whether to be lead by professional politicians, or committed activists.
13. Late Dr.Marri Chenna Reddy has already proved what will be the fate of movements in the hands of professional politicians.While he has cheated the movement for six years only, Mr.M. Satyanarayana Rao backstabbed it for thirty six years. KCR and Narendra have also proved it by sleeping for two years in
14. During the Karimnagar bye-election of 2007, they have crated a panic and mania that, if the election is lost, there will not be a separate Telengana at all, and thereby consolidated Velema politics. They stood as an example for the professional politics.
15. The defections and divisions in TRS amply prove this aspect that how it has become a political party.
16. It is imperative that a fresh movement has to be launched with people, social and cultural activists in the fore front.
· The limitations of TRS,BJP and Congress
The political leadership of the TRS, BJP, and Congress have used the issue of separate
· The people of Telengana has the sole aim of achieving a separate state. Gaddar reads the people’s pulse accurately
But the people of both Andhra and Telengana regions are desirous of the movement for the attainment of Telengana should progress and surge forward. The political parties and their affliates are not prepared for the same. However the people wish that, all the regional parties of Telengana and their affliates, without serving the political aims of the political parties, should unite along with the voluntary bodies, and work for the sole aim of attainment of the Telengana state. The peoples’ poet Gaddar has grasped the pulse of the people and desired that with the sole aim of attainment of separate Telengana State, should form into an all paries alliance ( on the lines of the all students alliance of the Assamese movement in the 80’) and has been suggesting the formation of a united front for the last few months Though all are agreeable for the formation of a Front in principle, none is prepared for it. Why this situation has arisen?
· The political parties are proceeding with selfish motives, and treat the movement for Telengana state as trump card
In order to win the elections, the political parties accept many demands of the people. They think how far the formation of a Telengana state will be beneficial for them. This is nothing but any political party attempting to strive for its survival and existence, and is not same as agitating for a separate state.
· To build a movement with the aim of achieving a separate
It is entirely different to strive for a separate Telengana, and to use the agitation as a tool for political gains. All the parties standing for separate Telengana are conducting themselves suitable to their needs of expansion and existence. This is the principal challenge facing Telengana to-day.
· The helpless plight of the social activists of the movement has become a strong point. Hence they could highjack it.
The social struggles should have provided direction to the political parties, and lead people, and should also ensure that the parties also travel in the same direction. However, it failed to do the same. The social workers and activists and the cadre could not withstand themselves before the monetary resources of the political parties and their cadre strength. They could not grow like Medha Patkar of Naarmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), through which she could attract the attention of the whole world, or like a Rajendra Singh, who stored water and made lush green fields out of arid deserts. Though they have not been defeated as social agitators, could not make an indelible impression, or protect their lead, and hold on the movement. Consequently they were reduced to the role of mere advisers to the parties.
· Why the social movement for Telengana state lacked the leadership of the strature of a Medha Patkar or a Rahendra Singh?
Dr. K. Jayasankar, R.Vidyasagara Rao, the Engineer, Kodandaram, and their ilk, though made a mark with their theoretical contributions for the Telengana movement, they failed as social activist leaders. They are advisers to their respective parties and their advices in different spheres are followed and respected, and programs are chalked out accordingly. Some organizations are doing many programs on their own. But they are also changing so much that to put in the words of politicians, “ as you go on tilling and sowing the seeds, the political leaders are reaping the crop”, and thus changing everything suited to the respective parties.
This organizational ability is absent among the social activists of the movement. So the social and cultural activists of the Telengana movement, and the political parties have dissolved into each other. This position continues however much they are independent. This is another major problem facing the movement.
· Why the theoreticians and the agitators of Telengana are unable to achieve recognition on a world scale?
Medha Patkar has conveyed a message to the world, through the Narmada Bachao Andolan, as a leader and as a theoretician, and has attracted world-wide attention. As a water conservationist Rajendra Singh has become a path-finder to the entire world. They both attained world renown. Why the Telengana Theoreticians and activists could not become famous similarly? Why it has got reduced to a mere political movement? Why it could not progress like the Assamese movement?
· How the basis for the Telengana state has come to shape?
Many people have nurtured the Telengana movement and provided a new theoretical foundation. The Telengana Information Centre and the Study Form were founded in 1989. Mr.Jagan Reddy has published a booklet for the need of the formation of a separate Telengana state under the pen name Bharathi Many articles and journals have been issued by Natyakala Prabhakar on the theory of Telengana and its basis. Many more angles of arguments have been highlighted by late Kaloji and Dasarathi Rangacharya. And provided elderly support. A meet has taken place in Bhongir of Nalgonda District, in 1995 about the need of a separate Telengana state. A big meet has also been conducted in the V.V.Hall in Kothi,
· The theoretical contributions provided by B.S.Ramulu
The social philosopher, and the founder of the Da Ra Ka Me has brought the bahujan perspective forcibly to the forefront. It is reiterated that always the demands of the forces in the leadership are brought forward, but the need for a separate Telengana state is much more than any one else for the backward, and the SC,ST, populations of Telengana. It was proved by him with facts that, if there emerges a Bahujan leadership, a demand will be made for more colleges educational institutions and opportunities for greater employment opportunities, as Ambedkar has done in the past. If the upper castes lead there will be demands for more irrigation projects and water, (which have scope to have corrupted earnings). As the land is in the possession of the upper castes greater benefit will accrue to them only through the irrigation projects, whereas if the G.O. 610 is implemented, and the slogan of “Non-Mulki Go Back” about two and a half lakh jobs will be available to the people of Telengana has been highlighted by him. And there will be bahujans also among them. If the movement is to gain momentum many unemployed youth and the students can be attracted and drafted into the movement. If the demand for the projects is only emphasized, the peasantry not unified, the leaders will reap most of the benefits, and the movement will go into the hands of political leaders. A leadership should be nurtured from among the populations who will be benefited most by the formation of a separate state. And their demands should be put in the forefront. Thus he has brought forward the slogan of “Bahujana Telengana” and propagated this idea state-wide.
· The theoretical contributions made by the contributions made by Rapolu Anand Bhaskar.
Mr.Rapolu Anand Bhaskar, has established the Telengana Pragathi Vedika and conducted many meets from 1996 throughout Telengana. These meetings have brought forth a theoretical basis different from the one provided for in 1969.
· The theoretical foundations of 1969 are different from those prevailing since 1996
The Jai Telengana Movement of 1969 and the Andhra Go Back Movement has begun as student upsurge and spread out. Konda Lakshman Bapuji, T.N. Sadalakshmi, J.Eswari Bai, and others have resigned from the Assembly and came forward to lead it.
· The Jai Telengana Movement of 1969 is not Marri Chenna Reddy’s creature
After the movement has been going on for the last eight months, a court verdict has struck down the election of Marri Chenna Reddy and debarred him from participation in (electoral contests) politics for six years. Mr. Reddy has to resign from his Ministership of the Union Government and became politically unemployed. He joined the movement thus and hijacked the same. The movement that began in 1989 and which has taken a clear theoretical foundation under the leadership of Rapolu Anand Bhaskar in 1996, is different from the one of 1969 fundamentally, organizationally, conceptually and theoretically as well.
· The fundamental differences in both the movements.
1996 movement did not have Andhra Go Back as its plank For the movement of 1969 Andhra Go Back and the jobs for the Mulkis only are the only basis. But in 1996 various problems like water, employment, and the development of small states and their viability, domestic and internal colonization, language and culture of Telengana, political power, social and political discrimination, castes in Telengana, the issue of Hyderabad state pending in the UNO, have become the basis for the movement. Animosity against the Andhras or their repatriation has not become the issue. This was not done even after twelve years. Even some have brought forward these slogans in the name of militant struggles, but they have been outright rejected by the agitations. Hence the theoretical arguments for both the movements are different.
· The present day theoretical basis for the Telengana Movement in the context of Globalisation and Privitasation.
The Globalization and Privatization and Liberalization have spread throughout the world in 1995. There is also an inner strain in the Telengana movement of the present day, an opposition against the culture of the Globalization and the hegemony of the Wold Bank and the
· The hopes kindled by Deve Gouda
Prime Minister Deve Gouda has spoken in 1996 in favor of creation of small states, that has kindled new hopes all over the country. The intellectuals, and the political dissenters, and the educated people of Telengana have again spoken or Telengana and held wide discussions.
· The yeomen services rendered by the intellectuals of the
Against this background, with the encouragement provided by Kaloji, Rapolu Ananda Bhaskar, Dasarathi Rangacharya, a national seminar has been organized in the
· The contributions made by the Retd Chief Engineers, Nalam Krishna
Rao, and Prabhakara Rao on the Water problem for Telengana
With decades of experience aquired in the fields of irrigation and drinking water, these two retired engineers have made out a case as to how Telengana has been gradually becoming an arid desert, as the irrigation and drinking waters are harnessed and diverted out of Telengana through various irrigation and other projects. They also suggested the alternative projects to be taken up, and the struggles chalked out towards these ends.
· The contributions made to theoretical basis for Telengana movement the cultural front by Ambati Surendra Raju. K. Srinivas, and Kasula Pratapa Reddy.
The Telengana Cultural Front has been formed by the journalists Ambati Surender Raju, Kasula Pratapa Reddy, K.Srinivas, Jagan, and others. B.S.Ramulu, N.Venugopal, Durgam Ravinder, have brought to the fore, the theory of protection of the language, culture of Telengana and an opposition to the Globalization and native heritage. The cultures of Andhra and Telengana are different and distinct, they held, and explained that, whereas the Andhras suffered under the Tamil hegemony in the erstwhile composite
Similar services have also been rendered by Prof. Kesava Rao Jadav, Prof. K.Venkata Narayana, Prof. Bobbili, Prof. K.Murali Manohar, Gade Innayya, B.S.Ramulu, Mallepally Lakshmaiah Aula Bhumaiah, Cpt.Panduranga Reddy, Prof. Madhusudan Reddy, V.Praksh, Prof. Simhadri, Prof.P.L.Visweswara Rao, Dasaradhi Rangacharya, Pasam Yadagiri, Gaddar, Natyakala Prabhakar, Kodanda Ram, Mechineni Kishan Rao, Manda Satyanarayana Reddy, Dr. Cheruku Sudhakar, Nandini Siddha Reddy, Sunkureddy Narayana Reddy, Pachchunuri Narasayya, Lokender Reddy, Sabbani Lakshmi Narayana, Gopu Linga Reddy, Jivagadda Vijaya Kumar, Nandineni Ravinder, Posetty, B.V.Rao, for the Telengana movement besides providing theoretical contributions
B.S.Ramulu Pasam Yadagiri, Gaddar, Kodanda Ram, Nandini Siddha Reddy, Dr.Jaya Sankar, have been continuously backing up the various struggles for Telengana since 1996 and even upto 2001, playing vital role in the movement. From the next generation youth, we have the leaders of Telengana employees, Vitthal and Srinivas Goud, and from the social struggles stream Bellayya Nayak and Naligi Prabhakar have grown into leaders of their standing.
· The theoretical contributions Da Ra Ka Me forum
The united forum of Da Ra Ka Me has held that the Telengana movement should be lead by the BC, SC, and the STs, since they are the majority people. This slogan has been dinned out through the entire state. Not only proclaiming, Da Ra Ka Me which was under the honoray presidentship of B.S.Ramulu, and its members Mr. Kanakayya and Mr.G.Vinod have also questioned on the spot itself everywhere, the leaders like Jaya Sankar, who minced their words against these demands.
· The slogan of Democratic Telengana has made theoretical contributuions under Janasakthi Rajanna Akula Bhoomaiah and Maroju Veeranna
The leaderhip of the revolutionary movement also backed for a separate Telengana state. Rajanna of Jana Sakthi, Maroju Veeranna, Akula Bhoomayya, T.Hanumandloo, N.Venu Gopal and others have brought forth a democratic Telengana perspective, and made struggles. Branding them as Naxal sympathizers, and alleging that they are sheltering the extremists, the TDP regime of Chandrababu Naidu have tortured them and caused even head injuries, They have been subjected to the proverbial police treatment.
· Contributors for the leadership of Velamas and Reddys
The late Biyyala Jannardan has raised a question as to why Velamas need not be leaders. He argued that when the Kammas and Reddies of Andhra could be leaders for us, what if the Velamas of Telengana become leaders for us.
· The Contributions on the thoritical front made by Dr. K.Jaya Sankar
Dr.Jaya Sankar held that the caste question will remain state wide unresolved. Same is the women’s question. In the process of attaining Telengana the caste and gender issues should not be made hindrances for leadership. They shunned the leadership of the BCs and the STs, and didn’t allow it to grow.
· Perspectives guiding the Telengana Movement
Thus many streams of thought are united and working in union with the Telengana movement. They are mainly the following.
1. The need to form small states for greater development and viability
2. Democratic Telengana slogan
3. Velama and Reddy view point
4. Geographical Telengana concept
5. Cultural Telengana
6. The perspective of Telengana Students, Youth and Unemployed
7. The issues of drinking and Irrigation waters
8. The unique historical aspects of Telengana and the separate identities of Telengana Culture and Literature
9. Globalization and Privatization perspectives
10. BC,SC,ST and the Bahujana Telengana view points
11. The aspects of Muslims and the Minorities
12. Mulki, Non-Mulki, Local, Non-local issues
13. Self-Rule, and Self Respect, and the administrative convenience issues
14. Demanding besides implementation of the 610 G.O, creation of jobs of 3 lakhs, and the establishment of educational institutions
After the metamorphosis of the Telengana movement into a political movement, those that have been hailed by the professional politicians as the Telengana theoretical contributors, have been at the same time humiliated as also- ran non entities. They were compared with the dog that walks below the cart which thinks it is running the cart. The dog below the cart swallows the bones cleared by the master.
Thus for the last 12 years, the high priests of the Telengana movement, Dr.K.Jaya Sankar, Biyyala Janardana Rao, Kodanda Ram,Nandini Siddha Reddy Gade Innayya, and others have slowly and gradually have begun alienating the people who questioned or suggested the proper theoretical and leadership and the conduct and character of the movement. They began driving them out cleverly. And it is they who lost as a result. Those who should have become larger like Medha Patkar had to swallow insults like the dog below the cart. Instead of striving for converting the social struggle into its political form, they have become tails to the professional politicians and these insults were to experienced while converting the social movement into its political strand. Thus they missed the bus to become like Medha Patkar. Not only in the political arena, but also in the social arena as well, there will not be (political or social) murders but only (political or social) suicides. The Telengana think tanks have proved this.
Mention must be made of the contribution of Rapolu Ananda Bhasker, who, while remaining in the Congress Party, has strived for Telengana. In the process of converting his party favorable for the Telengana movement he has to face many hurdles from his opponents. Though his efforts have fructified he has been sidelined in the party. Thus such people have been sidelined in their respective parties, who have contributed and made a case for separate Telengana. In this rat race some people have succeeded or high jacked the movement and mounted into the saddle.
Consequently persons like, Dr.K.Jaya Sankar, R. Vidya Sagar Rao, Pasam Yadagiri, M. Kodanda Ram, could not attain world scale recognition like Medha Patkar, as the architects and promoters of the social struggles for Telengana. They could not improve their potential during the last 12 years. Thus the Telengana movement is understood not as the movement sponsored by the intellectuals but as the child of the professional politicians or the political parties. Late Sankar Guha Niyogi has provided theoretical basis for the state of Chattisgarh and the movement has continued even after his death with the inspiration provided by him and the state also has been formed as a result.
· While they don/t grow, but prevent others to grow as well
They could not grow like Medha Patkar or Sankar Guha Niyogi as the architects of the ideas and ideology of the Telengana social and political movement, and gain world wide recognition, as they lacked adequate potential for the same.
· Even the Social Activists are no less in this regard
It is historically inevitable that the new generation will have to come forward. But such an initiative is discouraged, obstructed from all sides and do not allow itself to grow by some persons. This issue has come as a result of the stooges, henchmen posing as the activists of the social struggles. They are neither prepared to grow in stature like Medha Patkar or Sankar Guha Niyogi, and become jealous of others who are likely to grow so. They obstruct them as well
· These social activists are not so manipulative but….
They are not scheming in this direction. Neither they are so capable as to conspire. They don’t inform the venues of meetings of these movements, and how and who is building them. They do not invite, or inform, But they go. And others stop after some time due to this lack of communication and contact. As the burning issues of the poor, women, unemployed, are left out of the respective social groups, from the agenda of the movement, the people loose interest in the movement itself.
Without leaving scope for those to grow, these people for the last 12 years are posing themselves as the whole and sole, and set up small and weak entities and organizations, instead of strong organizations that contribute for the movement to prosper. They are afraid of losing their existence if these people coming forward gain popularity as social activists. But their fear is meaningless and we have seen above how they themselves lost due to this senseless inhibition.
· The issues to be tackled by the social and cultural movement.
If only there is a cultural movement, then only the artists and the political leaders will be attracted towards the movement. But rhe cultural movement is not able to acquire the money and manpower that the political parties get, even in these days. To conduct a meeting it will cost any where between Rs.50 thousands to 5 lakhs and to mobilize this amount is itself the problem.
· Cadre for the social struggles.
Those who work in the political will expect returns in future and spend money. In Social struggles there are no such incentives. As a result people are not coming forward to foot the bill. Even to conduct four or five meetings is costing as much as fielding an MLA in the elections. Due to the paucity of economic strength the cadre are less in these movements. They are becoming the cadre of the political parties and becoming errand boys of these parties. The big question is, how to overcome this situation.
· Collection of resources is not new to social struggles.
This question is to be tackled by the political leadership which has to work as United Front with the sole aim of achievement of Telengana as a separate state, and the activists of the social struggle who are committed to the cause. Donations should be collected from the public. Lakhs of people should be mentally attuned to the goals of the movement by collecting donations and thus made partners of the movement.
If the movement is conducted under your leadership we will pump in even one hundred crores is the assurance that gives a great fillip. To make these assurances into a reality the social and cultural movement will be fructified. It is also a theoretical perspective to make the movement lean on the rich persons. The movements instead of sprouting from the people at the grass roots, the rich will adopt such strategies and tactics to prosper themselves in the social and political fields. This should be borne in the mind.
· Entry of new forces and the social and cultural struggles.
A new leaf has been turned in the annals of the Telengana social and cultural struggle with the united forum of action under the leadership of Allam Narayana. This was done after the general meeting of the Telengana journalists Forum in the first week of June 2007. The body has dedicated to the cause of Telengana once again, and pledged to hasten the movement in the direction of achieving the Telengana. The Meeting has elected new leadership with Pasam Yadagiri as the Convenor. A mammoth body has been organized on the occasion with hundreds of artists, singers and lyricists constituting the cultural front. The artists of TRS were also invited to join and the doors are kept open for their entry whenever they choose to do so. The Telengana writers, aartists, and intellectuals also formed into a United front along with 25 caste organizations pledging for Telengana under the leadership of Valigi Prabhakar.
· The role of caste ornganizations in the Telengana Movement and a new turn in its course.
Various caste orgnizations fighting for their rights in the society, like Yadava, Gouda, Vaddera, Poosala, Boya, Vansaraj(Pichchakuntla), Holia Dasari, Budaga Jangala, Mondi, Munnuru Kapu, Rajaka, Dakkali, Nayi Brahmana, Budabudakkala, Weavers, Lambadi, Madiga, Uppari, Mala, Mudiraj, Gangaputhra, Bhatraju, and other bodies have decided to steer forward the separate Telengana Movement. Under the leadership of Gaddar, B,S,Ramulu, Pasam Yadagiri, Allam Narayana, Valigi Prabhakar and others, and with the support from the social and cultural fronts, a new turn has taken place in the movement.
· The crucial support of BSP in the Telengana Movement.
With the victory registered by the BSP in the recent elections of the state of U.P. a new dimension has been added to the Telengana Movement in winning the support of the BSP. If the formation of a separate Telengana state is not announced by the Congress Government heading the UPA before October, 2008, the Congress will loose such an opportunity to announce it. Nothing can be done before the General Elections. There is no scope for the Congress in the state to win the Parliamentary poles of 2009, if the President and the Prime Minister do not announce on
The BSP is thinking that its country wide spread will make it gain at least 200 seats. Ms Mayavathi has announced that her party aims to size down the strength of the Congress and BJP to less than 100 seats each through an alliance or regional outfits which are weak on their own but with the crucial role played by the BSP, Even if the BSP continues in the Congress lead UPA coalition, even after 2009 General Elections, the support of BSP is very much necessary for attaining separate Telengana. The support of the BSP is much more needed than that of CPI, CPM, TDP, TRS. As against this backdrop, the state committee of the BSP has also decided to actively work in the struggle for Telengana. Thus new forces are entering into the Telengana Movement.
As per the forecast for the present, the party wise position may be as under
TRS -5, TDP-10, BJP-5, BSP-5to 10, Congress-10 and the rest may be won by the Left parties. As a result the Cogress presently having a strength of 135 seats in the Lok Sabha may be reduced as the win in the state may be 10 as against the 30 seats now. In the remaining states, especially in M.P. the BSP may annex some of the seats from the Congress and wrest some more seats from the BJP as well.
The BSP may thus gain and grow to 100 to 150 seat-strength in the next Lok Sabha. The BSP desires to achieve the status of a national party soon. For this purpose it may be necessary to field BSP candidates for the Assembly and the Parliamentary constituencies. Other wise the BSP may as well ask the Telengana people to seek their demand from the party they extended support in the elections, for support for the cause of separate Telengana state. So it is inevitable in the General Elections of 2009 entry of new forces and curtains will fall for the TRS and Velama politics. As a political party it would be a great feat if it salvages its present strength through its Velama and Reddy lobbies.
· A new and young leadership should emerge taking the guidance from the older generation leaders.
Gaddar, B.S.Ramulu, Pasam Yadagiri, Kesava Rao Jadav, Desam China Mallayya, and others have seen many summers and have the rich experience of working and leading many struggles and movements in the past, behind them. Though they are able leaders, they are all past 60 years of age. Their thoughts and age, health, and other filial relations, makes them unfit to be full time leaders for the movements. The younger generation should yield its own crop of leadership. But they are enticed like the easy money, into the easy leadership, easy struggles, and strategies. There is dearth of youth prepared to come forward with commitment and dedication. The leadership that has been coming forward with sacrificial motives in the erstwhile revolutionary movements is long back dead and gone. Others have been put to many privations. Thus there is the problem of leadership.
· The movement moving forward from its last post.
The Telengana Movement is at the cross roads for the last few months. Now it has taken another turn. The separate Telengana movements free from the clutches of the political leaders, has now come into the leadership which is moving forward with the sole aim of working for a separate Telengana state, and has become a social cultural Telengana movement.
But now the leaders of this social struggle should be politically vigilant. In its journey all the parties including the Congress, would like to garner the votes in the name of separate Telengana. As a result instead of attainment of the Telengana state, the respective political intentions of the parties will gain primacy. Therefore like the social and cultural movement, the 12 party United Front has become one political front with the sole aim of getting Telengana.
· The immediacy of the elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
As an immediate program it has been taken up the task of fielding candidates on behalf of Telengana movement, for all the 150 municipal wards, only votaries of the cause. Like the Peace March by Gaddar, the social and cultural front of the Telengana is contemplating to take out a procession of hundreds of the artists of the Telngana Cultural Front, in the Greater Hyderabad Area.
The Telengana Cultural Front has emerged fulfilling the dreams of Gaddar, on 10th, June, 2007, at the rally conducted at Indira Park, Hyderabad and the relay fasts undertaken for the implementation of the G.O.610, under the aegis of the 12 Party-Front. It has his blessings. They had conducted a night out with their art performances under the leadership of Prahallad.
· The social and cultural movements under the leadership of Gaddar.s
Reviewing the past experience, Gaddar and others after deep deliberations have proposed the formation of the social and cultural strains should move hand in hand and form themselves into a united front, and march forward with the sole aim of achieving a separate state of Telengana. But the writers, intellectuals, journalists and people of Telengana proposed Gaddar that, if only you accept the role of leading us this proposal should be brought forward. Gaddar has been equivocal for this proposal. He said he will work in the collective efforts of such a front. But they wanted that he should be prepared to lead the same and commit specifically for this. At last Gaddar said that he will be one with them and move, thus accepted to be the Honorary Adviser to them.
· Our Lanours and Your Seats is no more allowed
Thus another land mark has happened when the movement made its sail under the captainship of Gaddar, along with the social activists, BSP, the co-ordination committee of the caste organizations, the Telengana Journalists Forum, Telengana Jana Parishat, The Telengana Bahujan Front of Educated Youth, and the Telengana United Front. Calling for a halt to the feature of leading the struggles by some and the gaining of posts and seats by some others, the struggle leadership has put the political leadership in the dock, and pledged to provide political leadership also. The leaders of the Assam Movement have been the political leaders of the movement. On the same analogy they have declared that the same as their model, and on its cue, the All Students Front, Cultural Front and Political Front have been formed. In every ensuing election, and without regard and reference to the political leaders, the Telengana Social Movement leaders alone will contest in the elections and support the activists and win and make others win. Our jobs to us only and others should be repatriated should have been the slogan for the movement started in 1996 and had the movement continued in the same vein and gusto, the movement would have got new leadership and acquired vitality. It is heartening that at least after 12 years, the movement for separate
Review of Telengana Movement-2
The march forward of TDP and BJP
People have no use for parties
who do not take up their problems
· The concern of the TDP and the BJP on the issues facing Telengana
Recently the TDP and the BJP have moved into action for the stoppage of the construction of the Babli Project across the river
· The TRS that lags behind in showing concern for the people’s issues.
It is regrettable that the party, which has formed ostensibly to work for the people of the Telengana is sluggish in its concern for the problems of Telenganites. Further it is improper to label other parties of politicking, when they are raising these issues. In fact the TRS should have been in the lead and forefront of these agitating parties. Instead to talk about Beedi workers after the other parties raised the issue and to conduct a meeting on the issue very late, and to talk about stopping the construction of the head regulator on Pothireddy padu diverting water to the Kadapa and Rayala seema districts, and Dummagudem and Polavaram projects is trailing behind but not leading before.
· TRS failing in stopping perpetration of injustices to the people of Telengana
From the inception TRS is failing to show adequate concern for the problems of the people of Telengana. That is why though the movement is going on for the last six years, whatever injustices are being done have been going on uncontested, on a scale that has never before happened. The unenviable reputation of making the otherwise virile people of Telengana into mere hapless and incompetent onlookers certainly goes for the credit of TRS. The issue of Beedi workers has been lightly taken by the TRS from the beginning as if it is very small issue that doen’t merit its attention, and shows the lack of respect for the livelihood and life problem of so many workers. If the party had clarity on the issue, it would have discussed the various aspects of the problem in favor of the workers, and stood for their cause. The meeting conducted in the Nizam College Grounds at
· Even before the beedis there should be skull sign on the liquor bottles and cartons. The cultivation of Tobacco crop should be banned like the Ganja crop.The liquor industry should be closed down in the country.
If the smoking of beedis is injurious to public health, immediately the tobacco cultivation must be banned like the Ganja cultivation. The skull warning and the image should be imprinted on all the tobacco products like, cigarettes, gutka, kimam, jarda, and also the same should be printed on the bottles of liquors and cool drinks like cola etc., First it should be affixed on the liquor bottles, and can be considered to put on tobacco after two years. Without doing any of the above, why they are particular of putting it on the beedis only? These are certainly attempts to serve the interests of the imperialistic multi national companies. They have abolished the cheap liquor and allowed he spread of the whisky and the brandy outlets.
· If the handicrafts are ruined and allow the growth of the multinational companies, how the people can have their livelihood.
The cottage industries have been ruined, and industrial products are promoted. The village trades of various castes are lost. The retail trades like vegetables and the groceries have also been going into the hands of these large corporations. These corporations are profiting themselves, quite unreasonably, by annexing every area of trade and operation, displacing the village vocations, and ejecting out the small and petty business, thus making them into the hordes of the unemployed rendering themselves devoid of any sustenance. The unemployed are being treated as the surplus population, such description of human beings is nothing but highly cruel and inhuman. Wealth is created by men, who labor with their hands and mind, which the source of all progress of the humankind so far. But to describe humans as surplus population is only the perspective and the prescription of the industrial capitalists.
Ten cattle yield 10 litres of milk. Thus ten persons can work in ten ways and create wealth. The population of
· The skull emblem should be put on tea coffee and liquor and such products.
Whatever harmful ingredients are there in the beedis are also present in tea, coffee, cool drinks, etc., The whisky, liquor and beer etc., contain more poisonous substances and those are all should be banned. Pending the same the skull emblem should be imprinted on these products. Without going to do any of these things, it is nothing but declaring a war on the lives of the people, to attempt to put the skull emblem on the beedis only.
There are six lakh beedi workers in the state. This as much the strength of the NGOs employed in the state government and its offices. Only 1.25 lakh families are dependent on the Singereni collieries. After agriculture it was weaving that was the livelihood for many in the past, and the weaving industry has been devoured by the textile mills. The beedi industry has been a prop for the displaced labor of the weaving industry.
· If the courts and the Government are seriously concerned for the public health, they should prove by taking up as under.
Half of the activities are to be banned if the criteria is the public health. The cracker industry and the match box industry in Sivakasi has to be banned. The tobacco, liquor and cool drinks have to be sent out of this country.The industries of gravel, sand and cement,clay, cotton, yarn and leather, hardware chips, fertilizers, are all hazardous to the health of the workers of those industries and to the people in general. The agricultural inputs cause harm to the farm labor and the farmers, and to the people who consume such products raised through inorganic manures. The sanitary workers cleaning the toilets of the babus attract easy infection and decease. The safety of the entire humankind is at stake through the consumption of petrol and diesel and other petro-products, through their emissions. It may be necessary to ban all these things, nut is it possible and feasible. During the struggle against the nature man encountered many hardships. People still die of snake and scorpion bites for want of ready medical help. Machines are causing so many accidents. Only road accidents are taking out life out of a lakh of people. Perhaps this is the inevetible price of the development and civilization, and is it possible to end these things?
· If there are alternatives why people continue in all these nasty trades?
If proper employment avenues are there people will leave all the hazardous occupations. As there are no other ways they are working in danger and ill health for years and die in their working. It is common to notice the rag pickers in the human waste produced in our towns which are no paradises of health, and they contact infection and decease. This is the situation world over. The entire humankind is facing a lethal danger to their lives because of the avarice of the profiteering imperial industrial and capitalist set-up. Hordes of populations are deprived of their livelihood and sustenance and continue to die of hunger, poverty, and mal nutrition. If the spread of this imperialist virus is not stemmed a civil war may be inevitable in the country. The people are now conscious and they have the instrument of vote in their hands. They may change soon these anti-people governments.
· TRS must change its perspective about people’s issues.
Development should be de-centralized. Local industries should be encouraged.
The Governments should promote local industries. Development should be de-centralized. Greater avenues of employing labor should be devised and the role of the machines should be reduced. The political parties should take up people’s problems and conduct struggles, and become eye-openers to the state, and see that the anti-people verdicts of the Supreme Court are revised and re-pronounced. To accuse TDP of politicking by the TRS, for the agitation of the skull emblem on the beedis, and the struggles on the Pothyreddipadu and Polavaram and the Babli Projects, is not correct. There are politics always and every where. If these issues were not fought out there is no reason de tare for the existence of these parties.
· The people of
But the Maharashtra Government is not diverting the water from the Telengana area to itself, whereas the Congress and the Y.S. Regime are diverting waters from Telengana to Andhra and Rayala Seema areas.The Congress and TDP leaders can prove their sincerity only by opposing and launching movements against such diversion of the waters from Telengana.
The rainfall of a region belongs to itself. However the water agreements provide for diversion of waters after utilizing 60% in the region. It has to be probed and accounted for whether the Maharashtra Government is constructing its projects within their utilization limits.
Without going into these aspects of water sharing it is not in order to rouse the passions of the regions. Presently the project area is dry land raising only maize and millets. The people of the area may prosper a bit by harnessing the water resource there. One should think of the people of the area as well.
· TDP, TRS,BJP should conduct agitations in regard to the projects of the Telengana, and prove their commitment and sincerity, and oppose diversion of waters of Telengana to other regions.
In the name of the same state, same region, the waters and the rivers flowing through the Telengana are diverted to the other regions. Without undertaking projects to irrigate Telengana waters to the lands here, diverting them to Andhra and Rayala Seema regions is nothing but bland treachery and trampling of the right to life, and transporting wealth without causing to crate it.
· TDP, TRS parties should prove their sincerity by opposing the Pothyreddipadu and Polavaram projects. Big Tanks and minor irrigation projects should be constructed locally.
At least hereafter the TRS should bother for the issues affecting the people of Telengana, and lead agitations on those issues. The TDP also, in its turn should stop being equivocal on these issues and trying to improve its support base, may as well come forward favoring the formation of a Telengana state and prove its credentials. The waters should be estimated on the basis of the rainfall. I have dealt on this already in detail. The Telengana requires a rainfall of 1000 ml. The recorded rainfall is well below that.
The water sources in the Telengana should be harnessed to the optimum levels. Storage arrangements should be made village or block wise. There should be continuous supervision and arrangements for de-silting. Irrigation tanks like Pakala and Ramappa tanks constructed by the Kakathiyas should be our role models. The large irrigation projects and the related bickerings are making us waste the waters flowing into the sea in the meantime.
The TDP should undertake to agitate on the Pothyreddipadu and the Polavaram projects that are detrimental to the interests of Telengana. It is meaningless on the part of TRS to vegetate without leading agitations. Without agitations it just becomes another political party, and ceases to remain as a fighting party for the interests of Telengana and bringing justice to its people. What is the use of these parties which have least concern for the people’s issues? Is it for merely collecting votes in the name of Telengana? All parties should stand before the people to depose on these questions.
Review of Telengana Movement-3
The tasks before the
Employees, Teachers, and Workers
The side tracking struggles
Of the The Telongana Social Movements
The social movements are side tracking leaving the struggle for the attainment of the separate Telengana state as their principal aim.
· Organizing a meeting and then becoming complacent as if it is by itself an achievement. This is the principal defect of these social struggles.
The social activists are feeling that the organizing a meeting by itself as a big achievement, and the cultural fete of artists is by itself Telengana state. They are thinking that they are the torch bearers to the Telengana movement. The activists of the social, cultural movements are feeling elated about themselves. They are thus getting isolated from each other and getting divided. They are suffering from self-love, and this trend for petty identity is harming the larger interests of the movement.
· The social movements are not even reaching the lengths of the movements of the TRS
The political movement going on for the state of separate Telengana is progressing by taking up many aspects. Maha rasta rook, Telengana Jatha, Telengana relations, Telengana Run, Telengana Mammoth Profile, the struggle for the water projects of Telengana, the issue of skull emblem on the beedi bundles, Pothyreddypadu, Polavaram projects, and the tail pond of Dummagudem project, the struggle against the problem of floride free drinking water in the Nalgonda Distric, are a few of the many examples in this regard. These political parties are taking up some or the other issue and progressing in their fight. To that extent the efforts of the TDP,BJP, and TRS are laudable.
The political parties are contributing their lot in the direction of separate statehood of course for their own political and vote bank compulsions. After garnering the votes these parties should intensify and diversify the movement. But they are not doing so. Worse than this the social activists are remaining contented by merely organizing a meeting or two.
· Why the social struggles are weak? There should be theoretical study sessions and sessions on the social and cultural history of Telengana.
As a social movement the social struggles of Telengana are remaining very weak. The learned and the intellectuals of Telengana are doing every thing except what they should have been legitimately doing. These writers and the intellectuals should organisze study sessions on the social, cultural and political history of Telengana. They should write extensively on these subjects, and prepare propaganda material by way of brochures and handouts and posters. They are alone are capable of doing this.
· The Workers Teachers and Employees of Telengana should organize strikes in their respective spheres for the attainment of a separate Telengana
The Teachers and Workers and Employees should adopt various forms of trade union struggles including an indefinite strike for the cause of the separate Telengana state. Presently they are undertaking action only for their service conditions and improvement of wages and salaries. It is very much necessary that these dharnas and pen-down strikes and actions of protest should be organized for the intensification of the Telengana movement. Then only it will grow into a Telengana national movement.
· The people cannot be made into scapegoats for the weaknesses of the educated and the intellectuals of Telengana
Without attending to their lot these sections of the society are commanding others to do things. After organizing a meeting they are feeling their task is over. Even in these meetings puerile discussions of who should be invited on to the stage, and who should not be, and thus creating avoidable divisions. They are trying to keep the situation in the grip of their clan and henchmen.
Of late a new trend has been observed, that on the lines of 1969, they are trying to revive the slogan of “Andhra Go Back” and thus intend to lend tempo and vigor to the movement. Thus they wish to have innocent human casualties as 370 people have died in the 1969 agitation. It will take a law and order turn instead of a peaceful political movement. Such people should activate the members of their respective organizations in this direction, as charity should begin at home. They have to conduct struggles and first come forward to make sacrifices. Instead they are behaving diametrically in the opposite direction and contradict themselves.
Those that are provoking on these lines are secure in their jobs and prospering themselves in their personal lives. They are not even capable of even convincing their respective trade unions and organizations to move in the direction of a struggle and program for the attainment of a separate Telengana state. It is not proper for hese incompetent leaders to provoke the people without themselves first leading and sacrificing through militant struggles programs and actions.
· The Youth should be organized into action for the provision of 3 lakh jobs, and should be harnessed into action under control and check
There is discontent among unemployed youth. They are itching to struggle and fight it out. They are forgetting the consequences that have been for the last 35 years of the movement. The educated, and the intellectuals and writers and artists of Telengana may better stop provoking the masses and do play their legitimate role honestly.
· Those who are incapable of taking risks themselves will preach the others to take resort to violence and guns.
Some people are enacting on the stage scenes preaching violence and taking to guns. These people are not taking mass leaves in their jobs, nor leaving them, nor resigning them. They are not dedicating and bequeathing their wealth to the cause but mobilizing people to the meetings and enacting such boastful dramas before these audiences. They should first themselves set an example and leave their jobs. Launch and conduct struggles where they themselves should first jump into. Then they can preach others. It is nothing but cowardice to ask others to take to guns without themselves doing so.
· It is peaceful methods alone that push the regimes into tight corners.
The governments do come down through peaceful methods, and push them into awkward positions. They desire that the peoples’ surges should become into law and order problem so that they can be crushed down mercilessly. Actually the governments themselves will infiltrate into such situations through the anarchist and anti-social elements and the police in civil dress, and ensure that the situation takes a law and order turn and become worse to put down with an iron hand. This tactic has long back been recommended by the Koutilya in his Arthasastra the treatise on statecraft.
· The employees are getting every thing through peaceful methods only.
The employees are achieving their lot through the peaceful means. After exhausting the peaceful means in the armor only, and if necessary then the militant forms must be considered. Hence there is a great task on the shoulders of the employees and the workers, and Teachers. They should be the pathfinders and leaders to the society as such.
A strike of one month at least is necessary for achieving the separate Telengana. Thus the employees of Power Transport and other walks of life, along with the intellectuals should undertake the said strike and reflect the aspirations of the people for a separate state of Telengana.
After doing such things as above, initially, then, there may be, if needed, suggestions for violent methods, through posters, speeches and slogans. It is not in order to do it before.
· An appeal to the artists, speech makers, employees, journalists, and the social activists.
Please do not provoke the youth
Enough damage has been done so far in the Telengana
It is not patriotism to preach violence and resort to guns, and become nostalgic about the fight of 1969, without themselves leaving their cozy homes or leading even a procession, or a strike.
Many more peaceful struggles have to be conducted in the coming days.
Only after getting equipped for those struggles and gaining necessary strategy and the tactics can one grow into an effective social activist. or a leader.
They can only lead the people of Telengana for a separate state
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