Thursday, January 06, 2011

Telangana XV: Why the SKC's 'best option' is bound to fail

SKC’s mentions the following 2 as the best out the 6 options it considered: The remaining 4 options are examined but are seen unviable. So they don't merit a discussion at this stage.

SKC’s best option:
1)    Creating a constitutional/statutory regional council for Telangana with and also an apex committee that would coordinate between the council and the AP state government as and when required.

    This is mentioned as option VI - Keeping the State united by simultaneously providing certain definite Constitutional/Statutory measures for socio-economic development and political empowerment of Telangana region – creation of a statutorily empowered Telangana Regional Council

SKC’s second best option:
2)    Demerger with Telangana as a state with Hyderabad as capital.

    This is mentioned as option V - Bifurcation of the State into Telangana and Seemandhra as per existing boundaries with Hyderabad as the capital of Telangana and Seemandhra to have a new capital

The report came out as expected reserving its strongest recommendation for setting up the regional authority for Telangana. I blogged about this option earlier and predicted why the SKC would prefer this over the demerger. While this line of thinking is understandable, what is perplexing is the lousy way SKC put the idea across.

Why SKC’s best option (Option VI) in present form is bound to fail:
The report itself states Earlier, a Regional Committee of the Legislature had been constituted by a Presidential Order under Article 371 through the Seventh Amendment in 1958. However, after the introduction of Six Point Formula, the Regional Committee was done away with by the Thirty Second Amendment in 1974. It has already been discussed in the Report (Chapter 1) that the Regional Committee did not fulfil the role envisioned for a statutory Regional Council under the Gentleman‟s Agreement, 1956. So it was all the most imperative that the SKC bolster this option and make a strong pitch for it for this option to have any chance. 

There are 2 questions the SKC should have pondered over and put in more work.

1)    If the committee did not fulfill its role earlier, how would it do now? How would Telanganites buy a failed experiment again? 
2)   Why would the Andhra people now accept the separate committee that they got removed earlier?

The 1st question would bring an answer that this time the regional committee should be different and powerful with legislative powers if indeed it needs to considered seriously. But no, the SKC just mentions this could at best be a legislative consultative mechanism that submits its annual report to Andhra Pradesh assembly! And guess what it does not even cover HMDA. And reason? SKC lamely says “However, the area under HMDA will not be a part of the development sub-plan since there is a separate authority for this purpose headed by the Chief Minister.” Why could not the SKC think about a comprehensive solution for all Telangana regions? They did not even try. And this is when they themselves say “As it will possibly be the first case of an empowered Regional Council outside of the Sixth Schedule Areas, every care should be taken to ensure that the proposed Regional Council is fully empowered in real terms. This will be critical both for making the model acceptable across the board and for winning the confidence of the people.”

Regarding the 2nd question, the SKC mentions nothing that made them think Andhras will be happy with Telangana having its own regional council. They just assumed they will support. Same assumption went wrong in the past and it will wrong again. It is a matter of time before there is a ‘telugu atmagaurava udhyamam’ that demands parity across the telugu state and we would be back at square one.

With these flaws, option VI indeed has no chance to make people think and discuss. That would leave only the ‘second best option’ as the best for not just Telangana, but even Andhrites!

6 comments:

shashidhar said...

The reason for the Andhrites prefer this 6th Option is that Hyd'bad (HMDA) will not be covered under proposed Telangana Regional Councel.
This Option-6 is furthur loss to Telangana people than gain.

Reddy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Reddy said...

So, you are telling that just because an option failed once, we should never try that option again?

Shouldn't we worry more about why that option didn't work out before and find solutions for that,instead of discarding that option?

Instead of supporting the separate telangana movement, should't you have try to enlighten people on why telangana has been a backward region is because of selfish & waste telangana political leaders?

Who knows if separate telangana state forms, then these same political leaders will serve better to the society?

Just said...

@ Reddy

/Shouldn't we worry more about why that option didn't work out before and find solutions for that,instead of discarding that option?../

Yes, you are right. But do you think the movement has come to this turn without that analysis? It has been analysed and countless books have been written. I will name 2 -Regional Disparities, Smaller States And Statehood For Telangana by noted economist Ch. Hanumantha Rao and TELANGANA: THE STATE OF AFFAIRS by Bharath Bhushan and N Venugopal. Do a reading if possible. It will answer you.

Not one, there were many steps taken in past with constitutional guarantees and also presidential orders. All were violated. Not because Telangana politicians are more more selfish or more inefficient than their Andhra counterparts. But because they are in minority. Simple reasoning. If you sincerely think Andhra leaders are selfless or efficient, then you should answer why Andhrites complain about backwardness in their districts or why Bejawada does not have a super-speciality hospital. We should rise above petty prejudices and seek an objective solution and surprisingly the SKC didn't even try!

Vamsi said...

Hi Amar, You always seem so convincing :)

Though TG is in minority it is putting up so much fight now. what i dont understand is why all this unity for destruction? why not for construction?

I think you will accept that the main problem is because of some "selfish" people, be them from Andhra, TG, karanataka, TN or somewhere else. the basic problem is selfishness and narrow mindedness. you can see it from how other states getting so many "projects/benefits" from center or corporates. Every one tries to improvise their state or community or whatever they are identified most. it is sad that world is accepting it is the way to go.

Even if separate TG comes, human behavior doesn't change. it is miraculous to see such unity/energy from Telanganites. I feel it would be beautiful/wonderful if only all these energy/focus is on construction instead of destruction.

PS: it is just my opinion, not intended to hurt anyone. :)

Just said...

@ Vamsi,

I didn't get you. What are you referring to as 'destruction'?