01-17-2008, 08:18 PM
Op-Ed in Pioneer, 18 Jan., 2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Reigniting an old issue
Kalyani Shankar
When Veerappa Moily stated the need for setting up a second State Reorganisation Commission last week, he never thought it would catch the fancy of so many politicians from Mayawati to those demanding a separate Telangana. Has the Congress's gamble backfired?
When Mr Veerappa Moily made a statement about the creation of a second State Reorganisation Commission last week in Hyderabad, the Congress strategists did not expect much reaction from elsewhere. They, however, proved wrong. While cutting her birthday cake on January 15, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati demanded trifurcation of the State -- Harit Pradesh, Poorvanchal and Bundelkhand -- with an intention to upstage the Congress. The BSP leader's reaction gives an indication of what one can expect from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat where demands for smaller States are long pending.
The context of Mr Moily's statement was on the question of a separate Telangana State for which a movement has been going on for more than 60 years. There are arguments for and against small States. <b>Votaries of small States cite the example of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to say that small States help the cause of development. There are, however, others who think that this may open up a Pandora's box. They fear that the regional passion may be incited in other States like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat. They also argue that not all small States are doing well, citing the example of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand.</b>
The SRC idea is not new as it gains momentum whenever demands for small States crop up. <b>After the Gujarat defeat, the Congress leadership is being persuaded to trifurcate Uttar Pradesh in the hope that it will improve the party's electoral prospect. The Congress leadership has been told that a second SRC may pacify the sentiments of many in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. </b>
<b>The immediate provocation for the second SRC is the unrest in Andhra Pradesh where the Congress came to power in 2004 with the support of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, which was born on the regional sentiment and a separate Telangana slogan.</b> With 14 months left for the next election, Mr Moily's statement was meant to test the waters before announcing a second SRC. After seeing a stormy reaction, he quickly withdrew.
The issue of creating small States has been a matter of debate within the Congress. While the common minimum programme of the UPA had skirted a direct commitment, a sub-committee headed by Mr Pranab Mukherjee was set up to look into the Telangana issue. Even after three-and-a-half years there is no consensus. So, the Congress is now toying with the idea of a second SRC.
<b>The Telangana demand has been surfacing on and off for the past 60 years. Before 1947, Telangana was part of Hyderabad State of Nizam. After its integration with the Union Government in 1948, it became part of the Madras Presidency. When Andhra Pradesh was born, it became part of the State but continued to remain backward. In 1969-70, there was a violent agitation for a separate Telangana State in which at least 300 people lost their lives. Since then the demand for separate Telangana has been surfacing, with no strong leader to carry on the movement. </b>
M Chenna Reddy, who had earlier led the Telangana agitation, did not touch the issue when he became the Chief Minister twice. Before the 2004 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, Mr K Chandrasekhar Rao, an expelled Telugu Desam leader, successfully floated his Telangana Rashtra Samithi. This new regional party joined hands with the Congress and won some seats in the Lok Sabha and the Assembly elections.
Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and his colleague, Mr A Narendra, became Ministers in the UPA Government. However, within two years, they left the Cabinet as their demand was not acceded. Now with just 15 months to go for the next Assembly election, the TRS is queering its pitch despite problems in the regional outfit.
When Mr Moily made his remark, the local Congress leaders led by Mr G Venkataswamy had no option but to speak the TRS language. <b>Their problem is compounded because the Maoists are supporting the cause of a separate Telangana. The Maoist violence has been running parallel with the Telangana movement for the past 40 years.</b>
There is also a political angle to the issue. The BJP was coy about supporting the separate Telangana State before 2004, but it changed its stand after the TDP left the NDA coalition. The TDP opposes the move. The local Congress is divided on the issue with Chief Minister Rajashekhara Reddy leading the dissension. The CPI(M) is opposed to a separate State, while the CPI has adopted softer stand.
At the Central level, the Left parties are opposing the creation of small States, so is the RJD. The NCP, too, is not very keen. <b>In such a situation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken a retreat and said there was no decision on the second SRC.</b> This despite the fact that the Congress Working Committee had already recommended the setting up of the second SRC.
The UPA Government should be careful before pursuing the path of small States. <b>No doubt big States are unable to meet the aspirations of the people. However, several question remain unanswered. Will creating small States resolve the issue? Are the demands for small States justified? What is the progress in the recently created small States like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand? Will the political parties use this emotional issue to further their own interests?</b> These are questions that need to be discussed before setting up the second SRC.
While there may be a case for Telangana, the real question is governance and not the size of the State. Telangana should be treated as a stand-alone issue and tackled. Now the Congress has to deal with not only the TRS but also its own local leaders.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Reigniting an old issue
Kalyani Shankar
When Veerappa Moily stated the need for setting up a second State Reorganisation Commission last week, he never thought it would catch the fancy of so many politicians from Mayawati to those demanding a separate Telangana. Has the Congress's gamble backfired?
When Mr Veerappa Moily made a statement about the creation of a second State Reorganisation Commission last week in Hyderabad, the Congress strategists did not expect much reaction from elsewhere. They, however, proved wrong. While cutting her birthday cake on January 15, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati demanded trifurcation of the State -- Harit Pradesh, Poorvanchal and Bundelkhand -- with an intention to upstage the Congress. The BSP leader's reaction gives an indication of what one can expect from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat where demands for smaller States are long pending.
The context of Mr Moily's statement was on the question of a separate Telangana State for which a movement has been going on for more than 60 years. There are arguments for and against small States. <b>Votaries of small States cite the example of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to say that small States help the cause of development. There are, however, others who think that this may open up a Pandora's box. They fear that the regional passion may be incited in other States like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat. They also argue that not all small States are doing well, citing the example of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand.</b>
The SRC idea is not new as it gains momentum whenever demands for small States crop up. <b>After the Gujarat defeat, the Congress leadership is being persuaded to trifurcate Uttar Pradesh in the hope that it will improve the party's electoral prospect. The Congress leadership has been told that a second SRC may pacify the sentiments of many in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. </b>
<b>The immediate provocation for the second SRC is the unrest in Andhra Pradesh where the Congress came to power in 2004 with the support of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, which was born on the regional sentiment and a separate Telangana slogan.</b> With 14 months left for the next election, Mr Moily's statement was meant to test the waters before announcing a second SRC. After seeing a stormy reaction, he quickly withdrew.
The issue of creating small States has been a matter of debate within the Congress. While the common minimum programme of the UPA had skirted a direct commitment, a sub-committee headed by Mr Pranab Mukherjee was set up to look into the Telangana issue. Even after three-and-a-half years there is no consensus. So, the Congress is now toying with the idea of a second SRC.
<b>The Telangana demand has been surfacing on and off for the past 60 years. Before 1947, Telangana was part of Hyderabad State of Nizam. After its integration with the Union Government in 1948, it became part of the Madras Presidency. When Andhra Pradesh was born, it became part of the State but continued to remain backward. In 1969-70, there was a violent agitation for a separate Telangana State in which at least 300 people lost their lives. Since then the demand for separate Telangana has been surfacing, with no strong leader to carry on the movement. </b>
M Chenna Reddy, who had earlier led the Telangana agitation, did not touch the issue when he became the Chief Minister twice. Before the 2004 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, Mr K Chandrasekhar Rao, an expelled Telugu Desam leader, successfully floated his Telangana Rashtra Samithi. This new regional party joined hands with the Congress and won some seats in the Lok Sabha and the Assembly elections.
Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and his colleague, Mr A Narendra, became Ministers in the UPA Government. However, within two years, they left the Cabinet as their demand was not acceded. Now with just 15 months to go for the next Assembly election, the TRS is queering its pitch despite problems in the regional outfit.
When Mr Moily made his remark, the local Congress leaders led by Mr G Venkataswamy had no option but to speak the TRS language. <b>Their problem is compounded because the Maoists are supporting the cause of a separate Telangana. The Maoist violence has been running parallel with the Telangana movement for the past 40 years.</b>
There is also a political angle to the issue. The BJP was coy about supporting the separate Telangana State before 2004, but it changed its stand after the TDP left the NDA coalition. The TDP opposes the move. The local Congress is divided on the issue with Chief Minister Rajashekhara Reddy leading the dissension. The CPI(M) is opposed to a separate State, while the CPI has adopted softer stand.
At the Central level, the Left parties are opposing the creation of small States, so is the RJD. The NCP, too, is not very keen. <b>In such a situation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken a retreat and said there was no decision on the second SRC.</b> This despite the fact that the Congress Working Committee had already recommended the setting up of the second SRC.
The UPA Government should be careful before pursuing the path of small States. <b>No doubt big States are unable to meet the aspirations of the people. However, several question remain unanswered. Will creating small States resolve the issue? Are the demands for small States justified? What is the progress in the recently created small States like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand? Will the political parties use this emotional issue to further their own interests?</b> These are questions that need to be discussed before setting up the second SRC.
While there may be a case for Telangana, the real question is governance and not the size of the State. Telangana should be treated as a stand-alone issue and tackled. Now the Congress has to deal with not only the TRS but also its own local leaders.
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