The Visalandhra Mahasabha on United Andhra has been campaigning against the creation of a separate state of Telangana. What does it actually fear and why is it against Telangana? Now that the process of statehood has been set in motion, what will be the organisation's future strategy? Dr Parakala Prabhakar, founder-secretary of Visalandhra Mahasabha, joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the end of united Andhra.
Q. I am unable to comprehend why the Telenganists want to breakaway from Andhra Pradesh. It appears that GDP of Telengana is much higher than that of rest of Andhra. So it is not a case of exploitation by rest of Andhra. Could you explain please Asked by: T T Krishnan
A. You are right. As I said in an earlier response, all the economic and social indicators show that the region has registered impressive growth. There is a clear contradiction in the separatist argument. On on the one hand they say that their region remained underdeveloped because of United AP. And in the same breath they also say that their region contributes much more than the other regions in tax collection. I fail to understand how a region can generate huge tax revenues if there is no development and economic activity.
Q. Did we fail to consolidate the united AP support from the Telangana districts? Why public are fearing to slogan for United AP in Hyderabad and other districts of Telangana? Asked by: PVR Prasad
A. You see there are lakhs of people in the Telangana region who are not in favour of division of the state. But the agitation is led by a small yet loud and often violent crowd. They intimidate and muzzle voices of unity. I am myself attacked many times. So common people are afraid to come out in large numbers. But there are many who are very vocal and who are coming out. Last sunday many people from Karimnagar and Warangal and Khammam cme for an event near Telugu Talli statue. It was widely reported in the media. They took a pledge that they will work for unity.
Q. Other than Hyderabad, which was a result of united Andhra's effort, what else does Telangana has as a developed region? How can the results be enjoyed by them when they didn't alone develop it? I feel Hyderabad as UT is the only solution which seems beneficial for everyone. Your comments? Asked by: GMC
A. Unfortunately we followed a very wrong development model in AP and perhaps in India. In AP, other than Hyderabad no other town or city had any marked growth or development. In any of the three regions of the state. we need to revisit that kind of development model and think of alternative models where growth is not concentrated in one or two towns, but much more decentralised.
Q. Sir, I am from Andhra Pradesh, born and brought up in Jharkhand, erstwhile Bihar. For the last 9 years am living in Hyderabad. I find most of the leaders who have voiced against the creation of a separate state have not proffered strong and compelling logic which could convince the majority for or against the division. This seemed to me as a perfect case of centralised development as against decentralised development. Almost everything, from Health, Education to IT industry, Pharma , Film Industry, Engineering Industry, Engg Colleges, Management colleges, NMIMS, IMT, Symbiosis, GITAM, ISB, ICFAI BITS, IIT....and you can go on and on, came in and around Hyderabad. With a vast coastline, it would have been but natural for the industry to be set up in these areas. Decentralisation should have been the order of the day enabling people from one region to move to other, so that this thought of we versus they would not have come at the first place. Jharkhand too, faced the same plight, all the development, if any tool place in Patna, with some sparse development here and there in the rest of the place. POWER was produced in Jharkhand and given to PATNA, like wise in employment, and all other areas the locals of Jharkhand did not have fare share. I think in future, Organisation like Visalandra Mahasabha should work towards decentralised development whether they choose to be in AP or Telangana. They should highlight that this is a danger not only for AP as today, it can be even for other bigger states as well. In majority of the states you find it difficult to name developed places other than the state capitals. Asked by: S ESHWAR
A. Decentralisation in administration, devolution of powers, decentralised development and growth will address many ills that we face today in India. I completely agree with you. On the point of making a compelling case for unity or against division, I must say that we did make considerable effort in this. we brought out several publications, held many seminars and workshops. we tried to conclusively prove that the reasons advanced by the separatists have no force and their argument is based on lies, distortions and half truths. But every time one of their arguments or a set of arguments are refuted, they will come up with a different set. first it was economic backwardness. when that was proved wrong with data, they said it was culture. that was proved wrong. then it is self rule. I say in our parliamentary democracy we are having self rule. if i say im not haveing self rule because one of my people, caste, or religion, or region is not the prime minister today, what kind of a logic is that?
Q. You feel the decision can be rolled back? Do you such muscle and money power? I don't any other beneficial will do the protest longer. When your vms is left alone, you still fight for it? Asked by: Radhika
A. The decision is a party decision now. It has not become a government decision yet. remember, dec 9 2009 the announcement was by the then Home minister. it was a government decision. that was rolled back. this party decision can be rolled back. it shall be rolled back. it will be rolled back. these battles are not fought with money or muscle. they are battles peacefully fought by the people who are against the division of their state.
Q. Why is it such a big issue to have two states for telugu speaking people when we have 5 hindi speaking people? Asked by: Mahesh
A. that is a clever argument, indeed. i hope you will not extend it further and say, what is wrong in having more than one country for indians? hindi is not the same as telugu, bengalee, tamil, gujarati, malayalam, marathi. these are languages with long and deep roots intertwined with people, land and culture. whereas hindi is not a language in that sense. i am sure you know that hindi is an umbrella language for several such as mahdubani, bhojpuri, marwari, bundelkhandi, kanyakubji etc. if you look at the language statistics in census of india, you will have an idea of hindi is a collective language of several sub groups. unlike the other languages that i mentioned.
Q. Mr Prabhakar, Why don't you wish all the best to the newly formed two states? The state of telangana existed for about 8 years before being merged with Andhra State. The domination of one region over the rest cannot go on for ever. Don't you realize that? Asked by: Suraj
A. This is another distortion put into currency by the separatst propaganda. Telangana state never existed. it was Hyderabad state. it consisted of three linguistic groups and parts. Telugu and Telangana; Marathi in Marathwada; and the Kannada speaking region. that was Hyderabad state after nizam surrendered to the union of India. when states were reorganised, marathi speaking areas went to the then Bombay province; Kannada areas went to then then mysore state; and Telugu speaking areas went to Andhra state. I don't have to congratulate the new state because it is not created. It is the announcement by a party. and not more than that.
Q. Don't you think the government of Andhra Pradesh failed integrate this state for the past 56 years? we saw a possibility in 1983 during NTR's time for one year. However the vested interests have taken over, and Telangana region is further alienated. what was your organization doing to integrate the people of both the regions for the past 57 years. Why do you think integration failed? and please do not deceive yourself and others by saying there was no alienation of Telangana population. Asked by: gottimukkala raju
A. Integration has not failed sir. Please don't labour under that impression. except for a few unemployed professional agitators who are violent and shrill and often backed by extremist elements, there is no wedge between the people of different regions in our Andhra Pradesh.
Q. Development is biased, that leads for creating smaller states. Will creating smaller states address this issue? So far, Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh hae failed to justify the division? As compared to USA which has fifty states and trice as much as our area? India is approaching 28 +1 + 7 UTs. Asked by: Pankaj Singh
A. There is no causal relation betweeen the size of the state and its economic performance. some big states do well; and small states might not do well. development and growth are a function of many other factors. if smallness is the criterion, i am afraid someone would one day come up and say let us have small countries for speedy economic development! we need to look at it much more comprehensively and address the issue of the model of economic development.
Q. I see the water (Krishna & Godavari) is a bigger issue in the future than Hyderabad. Is it simply this worry keeping Andhra people sleepless? Asked by: Rengarajan
A. Those who are worried about the future of Andhra Pradesh are not worried because of water or capital or coastline or coal. they are worried that there are no sound reasons for division.and we achieved the unity after decades of struggle by the people of all regions for a Telugu state.
Q. Why your organization is not considered by the Seemandhra ministers? Asked by: surya
A. Sir we are not a political party, or a political organization and we are not a 'Seemandhra' organisation. We are Visalandhra Mahasabha. We have members from all the regions of the state. We are not parochial. We are an organization of integrationists.
Q. Is there any precedent in the Union of India where the region of the state having the capital city of the state is carved out as separate state on the demands of the people of that region? If not, do you think Telangana would set a bad precedent? Why? Asked by: Srihari
A. There is no precedent like that. In fact LK Advani sometime back said that while disapproving of a demand for Telangana state. but that is not an issue in my mind. the issue is whether the reasons advanced by separatists for division are sound. they are not. they are flawed. we cannot allow a few loud and often violent people to ride roughshod over the silent majority and divide the state for their selfish goals.
Q. What will be the capital for divided state from TG ? Asked by: Nariz
A. The state wont be divided sir. let me assure you. therefore we don't have to agonise over that issue.
Q. Why People are still voting those parties like TDP though they have gone for Division? Asked by: PVR Prasad
A. You perhaps know that the TRS which is spearheading the Telangana agitation fared pathetically in the local bodies Panchayat elections. not even in one district of Telangana region, it stood first in sarpanch wins. Is there a message there?
Q. On what basis AP is divided? Seems it is mere merji type division. If states divided on feelings, I am having a felling of Noida as a state. 'Jai noida'. I sit on hunger strike, provoke people, manage Media & fetch state in 3 years. :) Asked by: singh senapathi
A. You raised a very important question. we cannot go on dividing states just because a groups agitates here and another group goes on a fast there. We should have a clear cogent policy on how to draw the political map of India.
Q. Looks like a hasty decision. For a simple job as transferring an employee, I will need to do my homework and justify my actions. Here UPA seems to have done only political calculations and nothing else - is this the way states are divided? Asked by: Srikanth
A. Very true. I think it is a very cold and diabolical electoral gambit by the congress party.
Q. You are going to fight openly on street! Asked by: Radhika
A. Yes, peacefully, democratically but effectively.
Q. Sir, don't you think that Congress has taken the decision with eye on 2014 election? Asked by: Shyam Vadalker
A. Yes, clearly. There is no other reason that I can see for this indecent haste in going back on congress policy of linguistic state.
Q. Why Kiran Kumar Reddy is not resigning? Is the party comes above the people? Asked by: Srinivas
A. I don't want to comment on him or his party. But I can tell you one thing. the people of Andhra Pradesh will surely punish all the parties and individuals who have tried to divide their state.
Q. Sir, lets move on. We shall strive towards development of our capital lets not make our future generation suffer because of our incapability, we shall work hard I strongly believe that its in our veins. Lets not get nostalgic about Hyderabad and lets strive towards future. Asked by: anush
A. To strive for development one need not bifurcate the state. In a united AP we have done very well and we will do very well in future also.
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