(Sujai Karampuri) Though we may not realize it, and those who realize this may not articulate it, but Telangana Movement has multiple goals and agendas. While the most obvious one is to attain separate statehood, there are few other essential goals and objectives which have to be accomplished to bring prosperity to the people of Telangana.
The way Indian Independence Movement was not just about kicking British out, but was also a movement to transform India from being a medieval orthodox superstitious and poverty-ridden collection of princely states into a modern rational secular and developing nation with a distinct identity, the current Telangana Movement is also a movement to transform the economic, social, political, and cultural ethos of the people of the region. [1]
Just kicking out British would not have guaranteed freedom and prosperity to Indians. If getting rid of British was the only goal, we would have gone back to being led by whimsical and tantrum-throwing Rajahs and quislings. We would have gone back to being subjects of monarchs. We would continue to be subjugated and suppressed by our own landlords. We would have gone back to chain the woman, and keep our lower castes away from our temples and wells, treat Muslims as alien ruler clans or lower caste converts worthy of contempt and derision. We would have had no constitution, no rule of law, no democracy, and no universal adult franchise. We would not have built our democratic institutions, and we would not have had free press, criticism, or freedom of expression.
Just by changing the regime in Hyderabad from a Seemandhra-dominated-group to Telangana-people-led party would not bring freedom and prosperity to people of Telangana. The current movement has to bring create a set of tangible social, economic, political and cultural revolutions. Already, many of these revolutions are taking place, under the aegis of various JACs, political parties, organizations and outfits. A massive cultural revolution is underway in the region where the identity of Telangana is reemerging, in the form of festivals, songs, ballads, stories, books, documentaries and even movies. The identity of Telangana is being reestablished. People are now proud of being Telangana – the young folk speak its dialect without shame, and many a times with pride. The festivals of Telangana are now celebrated with renewed vigor and enthusiasm. In the last ten years, we have produced hundreds of songs which captured the imagination of rural and hinterland people of Telangana giving them hope of a better future.
What about political revolution? Do we see one? A political party was formed with the sole aim of attainment of Telangana. The other political parties facing extinction have joined the bandwagon to promise the same to the masses. The fact that the cause of Telangana statehood has now became the moot point in all elections and that it has transcended from being a single political party’s promise to become the agenda of all parties is a testament to the political success of the movement. The question is not if people of Telangana vote for one single party but if any political party can survive if it relinquishes the cause of separate statehood. Only those political parties which embrace this cause will survive – otherwise they perish. Right now, people of Telangana are more aware of their political rights than people of most other states. The movement has brought forth historians, analysts, writers, leaders and singers, who continuously harangue the Indian political system challenging it to stick to its democratic principles, making its people aware of their rights and their duties.
Economic realization has started to take place as well, but it is also clear that no remarkable change will happen unless separate Telangana is formed. Already the issues on water, electricity, and land sales are now topics of discussion. Telangana activists and political parties rise up to challenge Seemandhra government on various economic issues.
Telangana Movement, like Indian Independence Movement, is not just about attaining separate Telangana. Achieving separate Telangana without achieving other revolutions is in fact dangerous to Telangana. It would mean transfer of power from one master to another. People would have no role to play in that new Telangana. Achieving the real dream of self-government has to include participation of all sections of the society, without alienating one community or one sect. Political empowerment is the most important goal.
Though we see these revolutions taking place in various forms, we are still far away from attaining true success out of this Telangana Movement, because we are still very shy of talking, debating and combating some of the real but sensitive issues. Even now, we are still far away from making some of the Muslim embrace the cause. There are lingering doubts amongst some Muslims who fear that they have to face the wrath of Hindus who may have memories of Razakar episodes. Some Dalit leaders have refused to join the bandwagon expressing their fears that the upper caste will continue to rule after the state is formed. We are still very far away from overcoming the caste equations in our movement – many groups are still heavily casteist in their composition.
In fact, our revolutions are still in the incipient stage. We could easily use the current halcyon days to bring much bigger transformation in the society, which we are not utilizing properly. For example, the political parties of Telangana have to become true organizations of the people. The prominent one of them is accused of being aloof from the people, taking unilateral decisions, with the sole aim of grabbing political power. That image has to change. They should start listening to the people, various outfits and organizations before taking the decisions. They should strive for a long term social and economic transformation of the people. They should cast a wider net and embrace people from various sections and communities to become truly reflective of the composition of Telangana.
In the same way, various outfits, organizations and activist groups should use the current hiatus in our agitations to educate the masses on the essential reasons for attaining statehood, make them aware of their political rights, and create forums and platforms for constructive debate, on future Telangana, on its economy, on its industry, etc.
Telangana Movement is not just a movement to attain statehood, but a movement to change the lives of its people on a path of progress, where equality is truly attained, where opportunity is easily available, where all groups feel they are respected and treated well. It is a movement to bring a real difference in the economic status of each family, where water flows to the fields, where electricity runs uninterrupted, where roads reach even the remote villages.
But more importantly, it is a movement to bring various sections together on the same platform, allowing the critics to criticize, allowing the leaders to be interrogated, where freedom of expression is really free, where the rule of law treats the landlord and the peasant the same, where justice is served, and enterprising people get their rewards.
While we wait for Telangana to be formed, there is no need for impatience; there is no need to be reckless. There is no need to blame one political party or one organization for the delay. No single party or organization holds the key to statehood. This movement belongs to people of Telangana and therefore it is an opportunity to all people of Telangana. We should use this time to continuously create awareness, bring the necessary checks and balances, introduce a mature debating environment, and bring an atmosphere of rationality and reason.
Given a choice between a hasty-Telangana with no social, cultural and political transformation and a delayed-Telangana with major changes in social, cultural and political life, I would choose the latter.
Email at sujai@sloka.in