Common Capital & Safeguards Conundrums After a long agonizing journey through it, now we are able to see Telangana state at the end of the dark tunnel. At last Congress high-command decided to implement the declaration of Telangana state made in Parliament way back in 2009. There is unanimous approval by UPA partners and a general consensus in NDA and other political parties of the opposition in Parliament. Yet, it took 3 1/2 years of long time for Congress party to realize the validity of aspiration of Telangana people; only after the promise of its near total rout in the state. Though we have not reached to the end of the tunnel yet, Congress Party appears to have made up its mind firmly to take the issue to its logical end before general elections for its survival. Though CWC has resolved to form Telangana state with its 10 districts as Hyderabad its capital, there are some very disconcerting riders attached to the resolution. Let us examine a couple of them which are pregnant with foreboding. 1.”To declare that Hyderabad will be the common capital of both states for a period of 10 years after the formation of the state of Telangana and to put in place legal and administrative measures to ensure that both state governments can function efficiently from the common capital during the said period of 10 years.” Such a common capital concept was not there in earlier division of states except in case of Chandigarh which is a different case altogether, because it was situated on the border of the two resulting states. And the city is governed by Central government as an UT. In case of Andhra state in 1953, though Madras city was near the border it was not made common capital with Madras state and was not given any time also. In other new states also, make shift arrangements were made for the new capital with in the new state, till a new capital was built. Some relevant examples are Dispur for Assam and Naya Raipur for Chhattisgarh. Let us think that it is apropos to give some time to build the new capital and provide accommodation to use the infrastructure in the old capital till it is built. But some questions arise on the feasibility and the rationality of such proposal here in this case. Does it take 10 years to build a new capital? How convenient it is for a capital to function from a distance of more than 200 KMs over a period of 10 years? Does Andhra state has any administrative powers in the city? If these concerns are unfounded and if it is only for using the infrastructure of the old capital without any administrative power to Andhra state in the common capital, do we need 10 long years for it? In addition Seemandhra politicians and intellectuals also demanding sharing in the revenue of Hyderabad city. Is that going to be one reason to make Hyderabad a common capital for 10 long years which otherwise appears to be unnecessary. There can be some more hidden ramifications which can be uncomfortable to Telangana. It has all the potential to become a ‘thorn in the flesh of Telangana’ in the new state. Andhra region has big towns which can be used for temporary government HQs till a full-fledged new capital is built, like it was done in many other new states. Given the example of Chandigarh which was supposed to be UT for some limited period and is extended indefinitely and keeping in view the proclivities of Seemandhras in plundering Telangana resources in the united state, this creation of common capital for 10 long years and its other ramifications are to be addressed with great circumspection by us and should be resolved before hand for the comfort of the posterity of Telangana. 2. “……….. Safety and security of all residents in all the three regions, and the guarantee of the fundamental rights of all residents.” This stipulation in the CWC resolution looks very paradoxical. Are not these things universally addressed by our Indian constitution for all people of all regions in the country? Is there any need to address these concerns in every creation of a new state? Are Andhra people demanding for special safeguards which are not available to local Telangana people and people from other states residing in Telangana? The ‘Andhra’ government in the merged state had rode roughshod over the safe guards provided to Telangana people and abrogated them. Why do they need these safeguards which are not available to Andhras residing in other states and the people of other states residing in Hyderabad city or Telangana? Not only these, in other issues like irrigation, power and division of other assets also the complicity between Andhra congress and their high command can create situations which can be detrimental to the interest of Telangana. Our T-congress elements who are in a position to know the things and can do something about it will bend backwards to please their high command as is their wont.We may also in the euphoria of getting our Telangana with the 10 districts, tend to think that these matters are not very important .But given the circumstances and knowing the antecedents of the events before and after the merger that have impacted the lives of Telangana people, we have to be very circumspect at this stage of demerger of Telangana.
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 05:17:31 +0000
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