Hon. S. Jaipal Reddy
Petroleum Minister
Government of India
New Delhi, India
Dear Honorable Minister,
Like you I am also a graduate of Osmania University but am senior to you by a few years. While you pursued a political career I pursued an engineering career in America. However my residing in America did not preclude me from voicing against the injustices perpetuated on Telanganites. The aches and pains of Telanganites still echo in me.
It is a well known fact that your political career was launched as a student leader in Osmania University. You fought for student rights and you championed their justifiable demands. In return you earned their respect and gratitude. Most importantly they gave you unequivocal support in your electioneering contests that propelled your political ascendency. Today the Telangana students are committing suicides in hordes in their struggles for Telangana Statehood. We have lost precious 600 student lives to date. The students’ cry for help is also a call for your support to enable them realize their dreams of independent Telangana. Just like you have supported them in your student days, they are now asking you to support them by resigning from your current ministerial berth.
But the cry of Telanganites for your leadership is much greater in intense and depth than that of our students. The continued discriminatory policies of the State and Central Governments in all walks of administration and governance have driven our people to stark poverty. The future is bleak for our children if things remain the same. Today we are at the cross roads of freeing the shackles of suppression. The success of our fight is much more realistic now than ever before but only if all the elected Congress representatives resign en masse. This resignation process is on now. Many have resigned and by their resignations they have earned a place in the annals of Telangana history. Telangana is looking forward to see you join these noble men.
On the other hand, your decision not to resign will deal a death blow to the sixty years’ struggle of Telangana demerger. History will certainly term such a decision as betrayal. I hope you will choose the righteous decision and infuse hope and success to the mighty struggle of Telangana freedom and lead the struggle to fruition.
God bless you!
– Gopal Alankar
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The writer is based in US. He holds a Ph.D. in Administration and Management in addition to degree in Engineering.