The then prime minister of Vijayanagar, Timmarasu, played a major role in the expansion of Krishnadevaraya’s kingdom. Though Timmarasu always stood by his king, Krishnadevaraya, on suspicion, reportedly ordered gouging out of his eyes. The story was made into a movie, in which a song laments rulers becoming blind to history.
This song accurately describes the present situation in Andhra Pradesh. Telugu people continued to stand by the Congress for decades. When the Congress party was routed in the post-emergency elections in 1977 in North India, the people in this state sent 41 Congress members to the Lok Sabha.
After her defeat in home constituency Raebareli, Indira Gandhi sought refuge in Andhra Pradesh in 1980 and the Telugu people elected her to the Lok Sabha from Medak. Telugu people gave around 35 Lok Sabha members to the Congress in 2004 and again in 2009 to help the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) to form governments at the Centre.
What have the people got in return? Pain. The Congress is so ungrateful to the Telugu people that it has decided to split the state in two and pit the people of Seemandhra and Telangana against each other. Though Sonia Gandhi is instrumental in deciding to bifurcate the state, she failed to come before the people to spell out what led to the decision.
Andhra Pradesh is burning for the last five years. Agitations hit one region or the other. The Telangana agitation has badly affected the brand image of Hyderabad. Investors have backed out. Hyderabad has not yet returned to normal.
The people in Coastal and Rayalaseema (Seemandhra) took to streets without any political backing in protest against the bid to divide the state. They are seething with anger. Even electricity employees joined the agitation.
The Congress party has ‘woken up’ to a ‘promise’ it made a decade ago, as 2014 general elections approach. The party claims it has promised a separate Telangana state in its election manifesto of 2004. But what the manifesto promised was a second State Reorganisation Commission (SRC). Instead , the Congress has pushed ahead with its bid to divide the state, closing the doors on the people. No spadework was done before taking such a big decision.
The people in Seemandhra have risen in revolt because of the irrational decision of the Congress party. They have thrown a challenge to the Congress.
Congress and Telugu Desam, which have pledge their support to Telangana statehood, are now realising the mood of the people.
Congress leaders are rueful that they did not expect such a backlash from the people. The agitation has hit those who have been dreaming of becoming chief minister.
Division of state, if at all inevitable, should be executed in such a way that people of both the region live in harmony. The responsibility to make this happen is on those in power. But the powers that be kept their plans a secret until the last minute. Even the Supreme Court, if it realises its mistake, will take back its rulings. Political parties cannot claim to be unable to reverse their decisions. Democracy will only get strengthened if parties take back wrong decisions.
(The author is a former MLA)