SANGAREDDY: No one can question the importance of social media in politics. Ask the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, a party that has been facing the ire of thousands of people of Telangana, claiming to be disillusioned by the party, who are venting out on social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube and messaging applications such as WhatsApp.
In 2014, TRS came to power, headed by its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, in the newest State in the country. It was unstoppable and it seemed to have the goodwill of the people who were willing to give it a chance. But that was then. Today, there are quite a few people, many of whom participated in the Telangana movement, who are angry at the party for a number of reasons. And their anger is quite visible.
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This anger is also multifaceted - everyone has their own bone to pick with TRS. Some, like singer Avuri Somanna and post GN Krishna Reddy from Nalgonda, have taken the musical route by writing and singing songs about the many ‘failures’ of the government. One song in particular - Evari Palayyindiro Telangana Evadelutunnaduro - has become quite famous. The song is like a crash course of sorts of anyone who wishes to criticise the ruling party. From the unemployed youth to farmers, everyone seems to be ‘connecting’ with the song.
Others, such as Kumaraiah, a former PG student of Osmania University who participated in the Statehood movement, are releasing videos on social media asking TRS chief KCR a number of questions. In one of his videos, he says, “During the agitation, you (KCR) told us we will get jobs and other things that were taken by Andhra people. But where are these jobs?”
He also criticises the TRS chief said, “I do not like the way you (KCR) criticise Opposition leaders. I don’t think it’s right.” Kumariah also brings up a touchy topic about nepotism in TRS.
“Everyone, from a toddler to elderly people, participated in the Telangana movement. All of us should be enjoying the fruits of Statehood, but all we see is five people (sic) in the Kalvakuntla family prospering,” he says. Another video, again by a former OU student, has become just as famous. In his rather personal post, he narrates how he has been struggling for a job. “When the government announced the DSC for teacher recruitment, my mother sold her mangal sutra to send me to Hyderabad and join a coaching centre. I still don’t have a job,” he says.
A farmer, from Karimnagar this time, in his video, questions TRS’ loyalty towards Telangana. “During the Telangana movement, Congress MP Lagadapati attacked another Congress MP from Karimnagar Ponnam Prabhakar with pepper spray since Prabhakar supported the state formation. Where were TRS MPs then? Why did they not express solidarity with Prabhakar?” he asks. Even government employees have joined in on the criticism. In a recent audio clipping going viral on WhatsApp, a man claiming to be an RTC employee says that the government had duped employees by not giving them a Pay Revision Commission (PRC).