How Telangana Movement Spread

Most Andhras conveniently assume that Telangana Movement is a ‘purely political’ movement . 

This way they can ignore the protests, bandhs or strikes as an aberration that is sponsored by political parties, but not the norm. This way they can dismiss the entire movement as a mere blip on the radar, something that will fade away with time. And that’s why they are trying to buy time and stall the separation. They think that it is just a matter of time before this whole movement will be blown away with the next wind of political change. After that we can all live together again, like a happy family.

Telanganas do not think it is a happy family. They believe they need to find their own destiny, however harsh it is going to be, on their own. This they believe, not because their politicians have fed lies to them, not because they are suddenly caught in a bout of feverish regionalism, but because they have either witnessed the discrimination, experienced it, or they have understood this prolonged discrimination meted out to their people. In reality Telanganas are suspicious of their own politicians and that’s why they are taking the lead and forcing their politicians to follow through their promises.

Andhras do not understand this at all. They do not realize that this is a people’s movement. They do not understand what Telanganas believe or feel. They do not even think Telanganas have been discriminated. They ask themselves if they have ever personally discriminated a Telangana person and comfortably conclude that they assume that this whole discrimination stuff is a myth.

Andhras and Telanganas are on two different planes on this issue. Any talks with Andhras on separation of Telangana are meaningless. It is like talks with Pakistan on terrorism. India believes Pakistan fosters terrorism while Pakistan denies it completely. If you have not even agreed on the premise what’s the point of having talks? While Telanganas cite copious amount of discrimination, Andhras deny discrimination exists.

Andhras don’t understand Telanganas. Because they have never tried to understand them. Their love affair with Telangana was confined to opportunity – in terms of new jobs, real estate in Hyderabad, water that flows through Telangana, etc.


Regards
M Chandra Prakash
Karimnagar (Dist)
Telangana
E-mail : mchandraprakash@rocketmail.com