- M.Bharath Bhushan
Now there is no need to worry that Pranab Mukherjee’s Committee did not complete its promise made to Andhra Pradesh people and its political allies. There is Rosaiah Commission. This is a result of Her Highness Sonia and her lieutenant YSR who are kind and honored their word of considering the demand of Telangana at an appropriate time. And immediately after Soniaji has announced her support in principle for formation of separate Telangana after a careful examination of the situation, the juniors have translated the promise into action- a Joint Committee of members from Congress & MIM from both houses. Other parties- although supporting Telangana State sometimes or always- like TRS, CPI, CPM & BJP have not joined the Joint Committee.
Exhaustive TOR (terms of reference) is given to the Committee. Core of the issue is ‘consensus’, whether it is there and how to achieve it from every section of the country, which is respected by even separatists during past five years. The Committee started conducting a comprehensive study of all points in the TOR consulting all sections including settlers and minorities etc in every region of the state to know what they think of separate Telangana, Greater Hyderabad and any other state demand.
Draft Report of the Committee is prepared already to ensure no time is lost in a mission of such great cause. Details will be added in the course of consultations in the next few weeks so that the report is submitted at any appropriate time. Committee elicited YSR’s views also, who is one of the citizens, but due care has been taken to present the same very objectively.
Excerpts from the Executive Summary read as follows
- Identify economic issues responsible for a separate statehood sentiment: Telangana demand is rooted in the sense of discrimination in development. Inadequate share in jobs, budgetary allocations, political posts, contracts of development projects like materialistic perceptions among backward regions are exploited by unemployed politicians in the name of separatist movement. All economic reasons that fuelled Telangana sentiment for decades do not exist anymore now owing to massive development programmes initiated by YSR & TRS alliance for a few years and subsequently carried out lonely by YSR. There is some criticism by small sections on the delay and hurdles affecting these projects owing to disruptive activities by opposition parties viz., TRS and TDP. Currently there is no Telangana sentiment. Committee observed some amount of Sonia sentiment, in particular YSR sentiment and partly also Jagan Reddy sentiment. Figures and facts collected from all departments that YSR has publicly shared over the years are ratified by the consultations of varied sections during scientific study by Rosaiah Commission.
- Concerns of migrant population in Telangana: Migrants, Settlers (also amply appreciated by the anti- Congress parties like TRS etc), minorities, tourists and real estate brokers from coastal and Rayalaseema regions consider Hyderabad an inalienable part of the state and if, God forbid, there is separate Telangana state, then Greater Hyderabad with 150 km radius should be made into a Union Territory. Statutory obligations for keeping it so include so many treaties with industry & infrastructure groups (see, concessions granted in Agreement with GMR Airport Authority). Further, all political parties have been party to these grants and concessions and sale deeds of Hyderabad atraf to all mega projects and real estate brokers. Any alterations in the present structure would be a breach of promise made by the Hon’ble government to all these vested interests and would invite large scale dissatisfaction form about four fifths of the state population
- Maoist & terrorist threat in proposed Telangana: Maoist and terrorist activities have been apprehended by all sections of the state. There has been a sharp rise in Maoist and terrorist attacks since 2004 which was ably controlled by YSR government. A separate state would turn Telangana into naxal state and is detrimental not only to Telangana which lived with it for decades but to peace loving neighbouring regions and the entire country. Committee found that naxal control experts are not willing to curb these threats in future if the state is bifurcated. Hopes of taking help of YSR or the efficient police officers in curbing Naxalism & Terrorism in separate Telangana were found to be not practical since the knowledge systems of controlling these threats is covered under Intellectual Property Rights.
- Concerns of Minorities in the proposed Telangana: Muslims of erstwhile Hyderabad state are apprehensive of communal backlash in separate Telangana. Muslims of Hyderabad and all over the state strongly urged that samaikya Andhra alone, with migrants pouring into Hyderabad from all corners, would ensure preservation and promotion of Urdu and Muslim identity. Minorities are highly appreciative of the special measures initiated by the current government to protect Wakf lands, concessions made for pilgrims to Haj and Jerusalem, and liberal promises like help to 3 million poor guys facing hardships in Gulf.
- Demands for separate states by other regions: There is demand for separate state from several pockets and some districts. Commission examined gravity, potential threat and sentiments of separatist demand of Rayalaseema, Jai Andhra, Kalinga Andhra in general & more specifically separate Hyderabad, Separate Cuddapah state among several other nascent but potential district based separatist movements. It is also noticed that Anantapur & Kurnool like to form a separate state with parts of Karnataka, if AP is divided. If one more new state is accepted the fabric of national unity is at threat. However, the sustainability of our great nation, unity in diversity, is still strong because the Commission has found not a single demand for separate state for women or men or children.
- Relocation costs and consequential issues: Commission also made detailed enquiry into costs of relocations in the eventuality of a separate Telangana. Telangana would have to pledge all its rivers, cities, infrastructure, industry, coal mines and land fit for real estate or SEZ projects for about fifty years to the state governments of Andhra and Rayalaseema towards the relocation costs.
- Modalities for sharing river waters vis-à-vis the existing situation: On careful evaluation, the Commission arrived at a conclusion that a separate state is neither feasible nor beneficial to the interests of Telangana region which has started making some progress since 2004 A.D towards a great future. Already lost Godavari and other natural resources from Telangana, near completion of Polavaram & other dams also necessitated firm and unambiguous recommendation by the Committee that separate state at this juncture is suicidal for Telangana
- Overall & harmonious development of all regions if there is Telangana state: Growth of Telangana in harmony with Andhra and Rayalaseema was found to be need of the hour. Imminent disaster was prevented during the last five years by YSR, like Indira in 1969. Special measures will be required for overall development such as to co-opt leaders of separatist demands, pre-poll alliances with opposition, mu jubaani electoral understandings, more sincere promises to examine grievances through Commissions and Mini Commissions before any elections, special awareness campaigns for “Peaceful or Easy Telangana/ friendly match spirit of movements”, settler friendly vision, scientific study approach to chronic socio-political problems, voter awareness for active role of every citizen to cleanse the failed government only once in five years through ballot box, coalition politik movement philosophies, encouragement to corporate houses better than AMAYTAS and ASATYAM type, etc
- Hope for a Better Future of Telangana & AP: Equitible development is corner stone of a healthy state. Youth is the promise of a society free of archaic sentiments of regionalism. Large number of petitions are received by the Commission and have been examined to appreciate a wave across all regions of AP. It indicates future of Telangana and all other regions in the state are dependent on careful promotion of Youth Power. To ensure optimum benefit of the rich heritage and traditional wisdom, youth power from families that rendered yeoman service to the nation need to be promoted on war footing. Rahul Gandhi, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Kavitha, Rama Rao, Pavan Kalyan, and hopes of the nation from the homes of Chandrababu Naidu, Owaisi etc will be provided all support by the State
- Monitoring Inter-regional progress & promotion of people’s movements: Detailed research with longitudinal data and cohorts will be carried out on all aspects examined by the Commission through independent research bodies and universities in Andhra Pradesh. Intellectuals and philosophers of the state will be enlisted to conduct in-depth studies on every aspect with proper blend of multi-disciplinary approach: particularly the economic-political-sociological-gender-caste- dalit- settler- corporate governance- media- philosophy perspectives. Scholars of all regions, castes, gender, religion and age will be honoured for their contribution to building a Soniamma Telangana in harmony with akilaandhra samajam
- Miscellaneous: Madam Soniaji will review periodically the progress made in regard to implementation of the recommendations of this Committee. Henceforth, no new petitions and Appeals on this subject will be accepted by this Committee unless otherwise the Hon’ble AP Government desires so after a few years. The Committee, however, doesn’t comment on whether Soniaji will receive any Appeals whatsoever from tomorrow which is solely her prerogative. There is no consensus on this point.
Sd/-
Chairman, Rosaiah Commission on Telangana
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Panel terms of reference finalised
Courtesy: Times of India, 5 March 2009
HYDERABAD: The state government on Wednesday reportedly finalised the terms of reference for the joint committee constituted to deliberate the issue of formation of Telangana under the chairmanship of finance minister K Rosaiah.
The terms of reference would include examining the concerns of minorities in the proposed Telangana set up, the facts relating to employment and exploitation of resources etc, and identifying the economic issues that are mainly responsible for a separate statehood sentiment.
The other terms of reference include the status of Hyderabad metropolitan area taking into consideration the migrant population, the concerns of the migrant population in the rest of Telangana (excluding Hyderabad), the issues relating to Maoist and terrorist activities in the context of proposed Telangana set up, and to work out the modalities for sharing river waters vis-a-vis the existing situation.
The remaining terms references are the issues pertaining to existing demands for separate states by other regions of the state, to work out a strategy for the overall and harmonious development of all regions in the event of formation of Telangana state and infrastructure and service facilities at state capital — both state and central governments — relocation and consequential issues.
As stated earlier, the joint committee members — seven from the Congress and one from MIM — would discuss the issues and concerns for the formation of Telangana. The members include Konathala Ramakrishna, J Geetha Reddy, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, D Sridhar Babu, R Padmaraju, Shaik Hussain and Akbaruddin Owaisi. Four of them are from Telangana, three from Andhra and one from Rayalaseema.
The committee has been constituted in pursuance of chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s announcement in the Assembly that the government had no objection in principle to the formation of Telangana and that it would constitute a joint committee of members of both Houses to discuss the issues and concerns on a separate statehood. The chief minister had named the committee within hours of AICC president Sonia Gandhi endorsing his statement on Telangana during her speech at the public meeting held at Parade Grounds.
The opposition parties — TRS, CPM, CPI and BJP — had refused to nominate their representatives to the committee after chief secretary P Ramakanth Reddy wrote letters to each of the parties