By Dr.Subhash Chandra Reddy
It is amazing, but never surprising, to see how even we, the intellectual and degreed, repeat faithfully what has been repeated ad nauseum in the press.
To call this an “Opportunistic bifurcation” is nothing short of blasphemy against the valiant people of Telangana who, for 57 long years, have fought against all odds and against a mighty adversary to regain their lost identity and the lost rights to guide their own destination politically, culturally, and economically.
If Andhras in the erstwhile Madras presidency had a right to rise up and demand their own State then why is it so rattling when Telanganites rise up and demand their own State, that was forcibly merged, for the same reasons? Andhras in the Madras presidency had also made the same complaints of being robbed education, employment opportunities, their identity, and denial of their right of self-determination and to guide their own destiny. Well, People of Telangana are standing up for the same exact rights.
Why can’t persons of high intelligence, erudition, secular outlook, and moral high sense see the issue as the same democratic and universal aspiration of all peoples on the planet? Why this disjoint? Why this apathy? Even intense hostility?
Only Telangana State stoked embers dozen other State divisions? Those State Divisions didn’t exist earlier through previous State formations in 2000 and before? Why this utterly false propaganda being given a lift by even the well educated and those claiming to be informed?
Please remember that the Hyderabad State and the Hyderabad City were rich, developed and cosmopolitan long before Andhra State annexed Hyderabad State. How could a land that made its ruler the richest person in the entire world while being under the yoke of foreign domination? That richest person, Mir Osman Ali Khan, the Nizam, became richest by rescuing his Dominion from becoming bankrupt after taking over the reins from his father Mir Mahaboob Ali Khan! It is this Nizam who rescued the mighty England financially through his generosity by donating ONE HUNDRED MILLION POUNDS to the English king after the First World War.
The richest person in the world at that time, Mir Osman Ali Khan, did not earn his wealth independently, but through the contributions of his very hard working subjects. Just like Bill Gates becoming the world’s richest person through the contributions of his company’s very hard working employees.
The Nizam has been demonized by vested interests, especially the Seemandhra political-business lobby aided and abetted by the Andhra dominated Communist Party. Yes, razakars created havoc and widespread mayhem but that’s not the only chapter in the Nizam’s dominion and reign. After all, this current State of AP is still depending on the infrastructure that Mir Osman Ali Khan built, almost 75 years ago, to conduct its business – The very beautiful Legislative Assembly building, the High Court buildings, the Osmania University, the Nizam College, the Nizam Club, and until recently the Begumpet Airport.
Hyderabad city developed to be the most cosmopolitan city in all of South, until recently when Bengaluru took over after IT revolution, and almost on par with Delhi. It was the Nizam who formulated his policies to encourage cosmopolitan outlook. The city was so well developed and so cosmopolitan that Late Ambedkar considered it worthy enough to be a second capital for the nation. And regarding UT, well, make Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru, et al in to UT before asking for Hyderabad. IMHO, UT is crap. Demanding UT status for any city is to insult the citizens of that State (that they are incapable and cannot be trusted).
If the political-entrepreneurial superheroes were so superior then how come they did not build any worthwhile infrastructure that can remotely match any of the Nizam’s infrastructure? The Nizam built underground drainage system planned for a much smaller population center is still the backbone of Hyderabad Metropolis except that it is dilapidated. The so called Cyber City housing the new super duper IT industries and the luxury residential colonies are built on haphazard individual septic tank drainage systems of each builder. That’s why the whole area becomes a cesspool whenever it pours! There is no city water supply system area wide either.
Why did not other cities in AP, including Vizag, have developed to be cosmopolitan like Hyderabad? because Cosmopolitan outlook is in the DNA of the citizens.
Not just Hyderabad but all of Telangana is Cosmopolitan. That’s the reason every newcomer to Hyderabad and Telangana area feels welcome and comfortable and safe to make it his/her home. One can speak his/her native language and not feel intimidated to learn or converse only in Telugu. Go live in the Seemandhra towns like Tenali, Gunturu, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, etc. and you will realize that if you don’t speak Telugu you are immediately isolated.
If you like, desire, and cherish Hyderabad then create a Hyderabad in your State. Transform your nature to be cosmopolitan. You cannot demand linguistic fascism and at the same time demand a cosmopolitan Hyderabad. That is diametrically opposite mindset and only bespeaks of greed.
Lastly, Telangana State IS NOT A SMALL STATE! In comparison, Telangana State is the 11th largest State in the Nation of over 35 States (and UTs), larger than the prominent States like W Bengal, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Assam, etc. Telangana is the 12th largest State in the Nation based on population size. And based on per capita income, Telangana is ranked 12th in the nation, ahead of ALL larger States except Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Every large State, except the previous two, have miserably low per capita income. It is the very small States that are leading in per capita income category and by a wide margin.
So, please familiarize yourself with facts and figures and the history before making sweeping generalizations and rehashing the same oft-repeated lies in the totally Andhra controlled Media. All the pertinent information is in the public domain.