By: Sujai Karampuri
Imagine it is 1956. As Telanganas we are quite apprehensive about a merger with Seemandhra. We are not sure how things will pan out for us in the merged state. We have already experienced how Andhras came in flooding (1948-52) to take up the positions made available in our region. We fear that our jobs, our resources, our funds will be exploited by them once we become united.
But then, Seemandhras tell us not to fear. To appease us, to cajole us, they pass two resolutions in their Assembly promising us our safeguards and protections. They make big speeches, make proclamations. They promise to take care of us as brothers in the merged state.
While some of our leaders express caution, most others feel that it is OK to go ahead with the merger, securing ourselves with a Gentlemen’s Agreement. We believe that these promises and agreements will be honored.
But the day Andhra Pradesh is formed the true colors of Seemandhras start to show. None of the promises are honored; and all agreements are flouted. And over the next few years, Telangana is reduced to being a colony. Telangana people are now second-class citizens, enduring shame and ignominy for years and years without respite.
And it takes sixty years of struggle, pain and suffering, to get out that relationship, win our freedom back, and shed our role as a colony.
Now that we are about to get our own state, what do we do now?
We get into another relationship, another agreement, with Seemandhras, wherein we are now going to have Hyderabad as joint-capital?
Tamils were not ready for a joint-capital with Andhras. Maharashtrians were not ready for a joint-capital with Gujarathis. So why are we agreeing?
My question is: Why can’t we learn from our history?
If we have not learnt our lesson, here it is. It cannot get simpler than this: The relationship between Telanganas and Seemandhras can be described as follows- Telanganas believed that the agreements and promises will be honored; Seemandhras never had the intention of honoring them. This is the eternal truth of the last sixty years- whether it was Gentlemen’s Agreement or Six-point formula, or GO 610, or 2004 election manifesto – we believed the written word and the promises, while Seemandhras never had the intention of abiding by the written word or the promises.
So, I ask you all once again- Do you really think that Seemandhras believe they will quit Hyderabad in ten years?
The answer is an emphatic NO. In fact, they actually believe that they are going to have Hyderabad for themselves for the next thousand years.
And we will be seen as biggest fools in the history of mankind. After witnessing so many agreements being dishonored, so many GOs being unimplemented, so many court verdicts overturned, so many recommendations rejected, we get into another arrangement with Seemandhras?
We Telanganas may have become smarter in the recent past, but let me assure you, we can never become so smart that we can outwit the wile of Seemandhra leadership. And I think it is not even a good idea to try to become so smart at such deceptive games. Instead, we should say – we refuse to play this game anymore. We should say – we don’t want any alliance, any relationship, or any arrangement with you anymore. We just want to be on our own. And that’s it.
Saying YES to a joint-capital may look like a political expediency, something we have to do get Telangana. It may look like a small hiccup, a small inconvenience. But it may turn out that that we will have to struggle for the next six decades to get our Hyderabad back.
What will our daughters and granddaughters say? ‘Look our forefathers suspected this. But then why didn’t they do anything about it? Why did they create another hell for us?’ Our future generations are going to accuse us of being foolish, naïve and criminal.
It may look like an extreme step. But we have to take it; we have no other choice.
Let Seemandhras form their capital city right from day one. It doesn’t take much to shift the capital. If they have the will, they can do it starting from day one.
Say NO to joint-capital. No ifs and buts. No conditions. No deadlines. No agreements. No arrangements. For once, let’s live independent of Seemandhra’s intervention in our fates.