A year after the formation of India’s newest state—Telangana—let me report from its capital, Hyderabad, that it is safe and steady. The reason why I am saying this is because of the fear-mongering during the prolonged battle that preceded the birth of the 29th state.
If one went by N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s prediction, the state of Telangana should have been enveloped in darkness by now. If the capital faced six-hour power cuts when he was at the helm and ryots suffered equally, this summer went by without any disruption in supply, though it is true that farm crisis continues for a variety of other reasons. That Reddy’s own political career plunged into darkness and he is groping for some light at the end of the tunnel is another matter.
Telugus hailing from Andhra but having settled in Hyderabad continue to remain here, by all accounts, even after separation. They have surely not been unsettled and Hyderabad has not been vacated as has been feared. On the contrary, none appears to entertain any thoughts of going back to their home towns. Not even government employees, who ran what many believed was a “sponsored agitation” against separation, but are now reluctant to shift to Andhra’s capital and work towards rebuilding the state. No wonder, it took a year for Nara Chandrababu Naidu to just open a camp office at Vijayawada.
There was then the fear that Naxalites will take over Telangana soon after its formation. I am sure K Chandrasekhara Rao will be no less tolerant towards Naxalites than any other chief minister—whether of the Congress, the BJP or a regional party. In fact, he is so ruthless that permission was denied to even what was to be a hall meeting organised by some pro-Maoist organisations. So, I don’t think Maoists will be able to recover their lost ground in Telangana, unless this government trips so badly that there is a mass unrest.
By now, if the opponents of separation were to be believed, half of the big industries or companies in and around Hyderabad should have relocated. Even this has not happened and industrialists from Andhra seem to be quite happy doing business with the Telangana government and its representatives. They should know, more than anyone else, how “difficult” it is do business with their own leaders in Andhra. On top of it, non-fulfilment of any of the economic promises made to the residuary state, including grant of special status, has only made matters worse for Andhra.
If you are wondering as to why I have chosen not to write on the more “interesting” cash-for-vote scam, currently engaging both the governments, it is because I find it more of shadow-boxing than anything else. We have indeed lost count of the number of elected representatives who crossed over to the ruling parties in the two states, so that it is perhaps naïve to discuss principles in politics. The issue, though, has definitely served one purpose: coming as it did when the two governments completed a year, the focus has shifted from a clinical analysis of their performance to political bashing between the TRS and TDP, which, any day, suits ruling parties.
One year may be too short to either praise or rubbish a government, particularly given the fact that both the states are still suffering from birth pangs with public sector undertakings, employees and the high court still not having been separated. The good part is “non-realisation of fears” vis-à-vis “realisation of hopes”, particularly in Telangana.
On the latter aspect, I would say the best is yet to come.
vasu@newindianexpress.com
