Hyderabad, January 07: This chapter has examined the demand for a separate state of Telangana from the viewpoint of diverse social and cultural groups inhabiting the three regions of the state. These social groups have visibly and vocally participated in the movement, articulating their reasons for wanting or not wanting the separate state of Telangana. The chapter also puts into perspective regionalism and regional identity as a basis for contemporary demands for statehood and argues that while this does not necessarily reflect an unhealthy trend (when viewed in terms of providing a platform to different social groups to express their genuine concerns), such demands have to be viewed on a case by case basis. Several factors have to be taken into consideration – the genuine nature of the demand has to be objectively assessed; whether the constituent units will be better off on division as well as the possible national repercussions.
The Telangana movement can be interpreted as a desire for greater democracy and empowerment within a political unit. As stated earlier, subregionalism is a movement which is not necessarily primordial but is essentially modern – in the direction of a balanced and equitable modernization. Our analysis shows that cutting across caste, religion, gender and other divisions, the Telangana movement brings a focus on the development of the region as a whole, a focus on rights and access to regional resources and further, it pitches for a rights-based development perspective whereby groups and communities put forth their agendas within a larger vision of equitable development. There are strong indications that if Telangana does become a separate state, a movement for separation is likely to follow in Rayalaseema, which remains the most backward region in the state.
In Telangana, regional sentiment has been predominant, cutting across caste, tribe, and religious identities and across social class groups. A major factor feeding into the mass support for the movement is the tremendous educational progress in Telangana among all social groups and classes, which feeds into the desire for better jobs, better living standards and a greater say in decision-making in the state and the region. The fact that educational progress has not been matched by an equal progress in levels of economic well-being among all social groups, adds to the sense of dissatisfaction. The state government needs to address this gap by ensuring greater skill development and employability of the youth population.
Among SC castes, opinion has generally been articulated on an ideological basis – Ambedkar’s views – that small states would be better for minorities – with the additional hope that in a smaller state the dominance of the upper castes could be overcome and the SCs and other minorities would get more political space and a greater voice. A second platform for the diversity of views has been vis-à-vis reservation calculations. The Madiga caste, which is predominant in Telangana and more numerous on the whole, has had less access to reservation benefits than the Malas who predominate in coastal Andhra. The former would certainly benefit from a separate Telangana but then their brethren in the coastal state would lose out without sub-categorisation. The economic disaffection of SCs in Telangana versus their rapid strides in education form a potent mixture for agitation politics as is seen from the extensive participation of Dalit youth in the student movement. This is the very same constituency which may feel attracted towards and become co-opted by extreme left ideologies.
At the political level, a politics of accommodation or what is today being called “social engineering” – the balancing of constituencies of different sorts – political, social and economic, may still be necessary. Greater regional autonomy and a more equitable regional division of political power are likely to keep the state together and allow it to grow for the benefit of all sections of society.
However, given the long-standing history of the demand for a separate state, the deep penetration of the sense of grievance and the widespread emotion around the issue, unless genuine steps are taken to address both real and perceived disparities, the demand is unlikely to go away permanently even if it is subdued temporarily.
–Agencies