12/4/13

Dangerous opportunism - The Hindu

Opinion Editorial
Dangerous opportunism
Telangana is now close to statehood on the strength of an untiring, intense mass struggle that had its basis in the
assertion of historical political identities. To allow electoral calculations to decide the contours of the new state is to
undermine the legitimacy of the aspirations that fuelled the original demand for statehood. Nothing but sheer
political opportunism explains the new proposal to enlarge the proposed state by adding two districts of the
Rayalaseema region, Kurnool and Anantapur, to create what in popular parlance has come to be known as RayalaTelangana. This idea that has sprung out of cynical political calculations is ill-conceived, militating as it does against
considered rationale for state formation. The proposal for Telangana in its original form includes only ten districts of
Andhra Pradesh. That there is no popular underpinning for this concept either from the Telangana movement or the
two districts shows that it is a politically-driven calculation. To think such a forced political union could solve some of
the difficulties in sharing water resources post-bifurcation is nave. If anything, the merger would add to the existing
difficulties arising out of the bifurcation.
Although the backwardness of the Telangana region and the perceived political neglect were among the reasons that
sustained the statehood demand, the redress sought by the Telangana movement was political, and not economic.
Both Kurnool and Anantapur are backward like most of Telangana, but this is no reason for the people of the two
districts to share any regional affinity with those in the proposed state. The people of Telangana insist on the
implementation of the Mulki rules that specify domicile conditions for recruitment in government services. The
differentiation between Mulkis (locals) and non-Mulkis is deep-rooted in Telangana. Thus, the forced union of the two
districts with the new state of Telangana can only leave the peoples of both regions unhappy. While fast-tracking the
creation of Telangana, the Central government seems to have placed a heavy emphasis on the interests of the Congress
as a party. The proposal for Rayala-Telangana is evidently meant to help the Congress make gains in the next election
by undercutting the popular support of its main rivals, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the YSR Congress. Indeed,
the Cabinet cleared the statehood demand only after the Congress Working Committee passed a resolution favouring
Telangana. The government is tailing the party. Rank political opportunism and sordid electoral calculations must not
be allowed to undermine the serious institutional process of state formation, and put in jeopardy the lives and
security of the people.
Keywords: Telangana, Telangana issue, Andhra Pradesh bifurcation, Telangana agitation, statehood demand, Andhra
Pradesh politics

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