By: Soonya Naidu
We heard from the newspaper reports that KCR wanted to set a new precedent and exhorted his newly elected lawmakers to go for simplicity rather than official pomp and rituals.
While I welcome his thinking what is needed is exemplary action, which he must set for others to follow.
I am sure he did not like much the ‘feudal’ reception he got when he came from Delhi victorious after achieving the dream of Telangana people.
Many progressive people who supported the cause of Telangana are dismayed at the convoy of vehicles that have been put at his disposal; obviously the cops want to please him!
But does such a popular leader who braved the heat and dust and handled 100 meetings in 10 days among people day and night need such security? He was among multitudes of people for the last so many years, especially in the last few months! Was there any security threat so far?
I guess KCR got the recognition like a Nehru had in his time among people.
Does he need cops to protect him? Some educated people may not like such a comparison. But it is a fact that he is popular and caught the popular imagination, the fact that TRS rode against the so-called Modi wave in Telangana and even his adversaries have to grudgingly acknowledge the grit and determination of the man and the popular support that he gets in Telangana, especially among the aam janta.
So here is a thought to the slogan, New State, New leadership – New ways of doing things.
By emulating some one like Manik Sarkar of Tripura or a Buddha Babu from Bengal, he can set a new example away from the feudal pomp and show of yester years leaders from Seemandhra.
He has not made enemies of the Naxals like CBN did (his cops did it for him) or any body like that. A CBN needs a jammer, a bevy of bullet-proof cars and a convoy with cars of the same number to avoid detection by ‘enemies’ who might want to do away with him.
Does KCR need bullet-proof cars, a convoy and the ‘hangama’ – a small time politician like Daaram of Hyderabad needed to show off. Do the convoys add to KCR’s halo? Or the other way round?
The small minded MLA’s who thought, becoming an MLA is a way to loot the treasury and who felt small, needed gunmen around to show off among people.
More gunmen meant more ‘reputation’! But KCR is taller than any T politician so far barring probably PV and MCR from popular memory and a little far – a Sardar Jamalapuram Keshava Rao or the Madapati’s.
Let TRS set new paths, new protocols, and new ways of engaging with people.
It was born out of the movement. Else there is a danger that the disease that afflicted the Freedom Party may befall this new baby born of struggle and people’s aspirations.
Let it set an example as to how to connect with people, which allowed it to brave such an Anti-Congress Wave and a ‘Modi Wave’.
Let people like Eatela who are simple make a statement. E Rajendar does not have a bungalow in Jubilee Hills!
Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Let such disease not afflict the party of people.
May be he should travel in an Indian made Indian technology car to demonstrate his commitment.
Ambedkar famously said in Annihilation of Caste (AoC), when social revolution precedes political revolution there is meaning. For the dispossessed can take part in democracy. Let TRS begin a new social revolution, even if in a symbolic way.
TRS should ensure that all its ministers and MLA’s use public health facilities like Osmania or Gandhi or NIMS. Only KCR can do it. He has the ability for re-imagining, the courage to stand for his convictions. At least I have no reason to dis-believe, YET!
So the moot question is, will TRS add to its slogan – Kotta Rastram, Kotta Nayakatyam and Kotta Pantha?
I know it is too early to come to judge. But we need to wait and watch, watchfulness is a must for the fruits of the struggle to really be available to the common person of Telangana.