MOVEMENT FOR A SEPARATE STATE; THE CHANGING EQUQTIONS OF POWER – POLITICS Dr. Rajendra Prasad Singh On July 30, 2013, the Congress, as a part of its well thought strategy gave green signal to Telengana as the 29th state of the Indian Union. Andhra Pradesh had been constituted earlier on the basis of language, the decision to carve out 10 districts of Telengana from the same Andhra Pradesh calls for an understanding of the underlying motive of the Congress. It should be noted that the State ReorganizationCommission had already recommended in favor of Telengana during 1955. However, the Commission had stressed upon naming it ‘Hyderabad State’ instead of Telengana. It was done as Telengana has its own traditions and its own unique History. The Nizamrule had given it a distinct identity, which cannot be ignored at any cost. There is no doubt that Telengana should have been restored with its rights much earlier, and though late, but they got it too. Still a question islurking in my mind ---‘Has this decision been taken in the National Interest?’ Even If we set aside the important question of the National Interest for the time being, we can say without even thinking twice, that the Congress has not taken the decision of separating Telengana from Andhra Pradesh at the right time. This decision is taken at the wrong time, in an absolutely wrong manner and the National Interest has not at all been taken into consideration. It is clear that the Congress has taken the decision which should have been taken by the UPA. However, had the Congress and the UPA considered this matter properly in the National Interest, the problem would not have stretched to this extent. Neither the National property would have suffered such a great loss, nor had so many bloodsheds and suicides taken so many lives. It is not known as to why our political parties do not decide with their heads cool. It wasonly on the question of Telengana that Chandrashekhar Rao had formed ‘Telegana State Committee’ after deserting the Congress and since then the continuity of his spirited movement has been maintained. Even this did not awaken the Congress from its sleep; instead, the ruling power did not think it proper to untie the knots of the problem. It is a different issue altogether, that every time before the elections, the Telengana issue turned violent.This time also, before elections the Telengana movement suddenly gathered momentum. But this time the Congress showed the green flag instead of waving its magic wand. The ugly and dirty face of the Indian politics has revealed itself to the people. It is clear that our politics has been detaching itself from the public-interest. Only, the interest of the party has become important to our political leaders. In fact this is a sign that the country is moving towards a great crisis and the common people are unaware of it. What is it now that after such a long time, the Congress has suddenly changed its mind and has put its stamp of approval on the Telengana, when there are several other land-areas in the country,for which there are agitations for separate states, At some places there are only the beginnings of thestirrings of the movement. The decision of the Congress has raised several questions before the country. As soon as Telengana got the approval of the Congress, the three subdivisions of Darjeeling i.e., Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong have started demonstrating their aggressiveness in a dangerous manner. On the other front, again a new spate of violence has rocked Assam with new demands for the Bodoland. The scenario of immature leadership is such that the continuity of the bandh has made the ordinary people to face big hardships. Already there was an existing load of mountainous problems, now the common people are facing new problems as well on a day to day basis,while the country is passing through a phase of economic instability. Economic crisis is there like a demon with its mouth open. Crimes and corruptions have crossed all their limits. The net of corruption has now spread completely. While the danger of war is lurking over the country, our internal security is in danger. We are being pushed into the margin in the world market, while our neighbor China is spreading its wings. The Indian rupee is being devalued. It is not a small problem. Our traditional markets are shrinking, and rural economy is on the verge of collapse. At such time the UPA government has nearly accomplished the misdeed of stealing in the FDI into the security-boundary of the country. The talk of National pride has become irrelevant. Due to administrative failure, people are full of rage. At present, in view of these complex problems while it would have been necessary to safeguard the country from possible dangers, the National problem does not seem to be of any importancetothe UPA government, but by foul means or fair, it is necessary for them to remain in power. Parliamentary elections and so many other state elections are due in 2014 and the prospects of the Congress are not at allvery good.Sensing this, the Congress party is busy forming strategies and planning to give shape toits future politics. In fact, some of the constituents of the UPA are very cross with the Congress due to political and other reasons. The defiant Trinamul Supreme and the Chief Minister, West Bengal is not only annoyed with the Congress, but she has also severed all relations with the UPA. Involved in numerous scandals, many leaders are very concerned about their future. Seeking suitable opportunities, some of them are oscillating like pendulums.. After theIndependence, the Congress had never suffered so much of humiliation. It has been in the center of the National politics ever since the inception of the Parliamentary system. But today, it is engaged in hard work for the sake of its credibility. Complex political situations have made it difficult for the Congress to cross the mythological river of the elections. It is clear that that is its priority. Participating in the parliamentary system of the country,even the other parties are more or less facing the same mental turmoil and are desperately setting up equations for newer tie-ups. There is only one difference – unlike the other parties, the Congress are the ‘masters of the game’, The political conditions of the country are such that the Congress has been forced to look for newer allies, though it does not want to let go off the old friends easily. Everyone knows that the demand for Telengana is not new. Congress has been changing its stance from time to time on the Telengana issue. In reality, till now only the BJP has been considered the chaperone of the small states. But this time the Congress has overtaken it. When the NDA was in power, due to some reasons it could not create consensus on the issues of Gorkhaland and Telengana. The demand for Gorkhaland, Kamtapur, Harit Pradesh and Vidarbha have been there since a long time and besides these, there are so many others standing in the queue, and there is a controversy prevailing inside of the NDA on these issues, In view of this, the purpose of this game of the Congress appears to be not only directed at saving its sinking boat, but also to give checkmate to its opponents. This is what is called ‘killing two birds with a single stone.’ It is a commonly known fact that during the eighties, the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had fanned the Gorkhaland Movement. Though it had never been hispurpose or of the Congress to solve the issues of the hills on a permanent basis. In fact Rajiv Gandhi never wanted to separate the Darjeeling hills from the West Bengal. It was also not his political intention even to tighten the reins of the then West Bengal Chief Minister Mr. Jyoti Basu. He just wanted his own single MP from the hills and he was a complete success in gettingthat, Indrajeet Khullar won with the support of Subhas Ghissing but he always remained a special man of Rajiv Gandhi. In this sense, he was a trusted emissary of the Congress. It is evident that with whichever mission he came to the hills, he fulfilled it. Of course he won with the support of the GRMM but demonstrated no interest in doing away with the miseries of the hills,nor did he take any meaningful initiative for doing that. And Subhas Ghissing went on living a life of comfort in the Lalkothi after becoming the Chairman of the Hill Council, though he had started his career with the demand of the Gorkhaland. Comrade Jyoti Basu also completed his innings without involving himself with the complications of the question of the distribution of the state. But the hill region kept on struggling with its own problems. It continued to crave for development. There is an old saying, ‘practice makes a man perfect’. It is evident that despite of being a greenhorn in the politics Rajiv Gandhi demonstrated his antiques. While on one hand he showed his political acumen in destabilizing West Bengal for some time, on the other, with a great ease, he wrested the Parliamentary seat from the Left Front. Time-bound politics is one of the great specialties of the Congress and it was the reason behind this short-lasting success. The current generosity of the Congress on Bihar and its increasing togetherness with the Chief Minister of the stateNitish Kumar should be viewed in the same light. A recognized figure in Andhra politics, the trusted advocate of Telengana state and TRS Chief stated ‘We honor the decision of the UPA and the Congress, but making Hyderabad a shared capital needs some clarification. We also want to know from the government as to when will the bill be presented to the Parliament. Only after this we shall think about joining Congress,’ This statement of TRS Chief, together with the changing equations of power-politics, is the indicator of the falling values and the downfall of the Indian Politics. Though in the near future, we should be prepared to witness the dire consequences of the politics without policy. At present, the matter which needs to be viewed is -- what compulsions could have been there due to which the GJMM Supreme and GTA Chairman Bimal Gurung tightened his belts in the support of Gorkhaland immediately after the declaration of the Telengana state and sent his resignation to the Governor and in addition, started showing his rebellious temper, all on a sudden? Not only this, but in no time he announced bandh for an indefinite period and posed a big challenge before the West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Bannerjee. This bandh has not only hampered the development work of the region, but the activities in Sikkim are also adversely affected due to the blockade of the National Highway It was only on July 18, 2011, at the Pintail village, that in the tripartite meeting with the Government of India, the Government of West Bengal,the GJMM representatives gladly signed the agreement on the GTA, As the witness of the Government of India, P Chidambaram himself put the signature. On the signing of the GTA agreement, the hills erupted with joy and the GJMM celebrated the joyous event with gusto. It appeared as if they had won the war for the Gorkhaland. Temporarily, the peace was visible on the hills, and the plains also breathed a sigh of relief. But this peace did not last for long. There were two reasons for this – one, sallow solutions were sought through GJMM for solving a real big problem. The Chief Minister of the state thought it prudent to make a beginning of the peace process no matter however small. The GJMM leadership was under duressimmediately following the murder of the Gorkha-League leader Madan Tamang. The law was after the GJMM leadership. Evidently the GJMM leaders thought it worthwhile, in order to save themselves from the noose. They accepted GTA gladly. The other reason was that the continuing movement had ruined the hills. Darjeeling is mainly famous for three things --- Tea, Tree and Tourism. These are the pillars of the economy of the hills. But regrettably, after the Gorkhaland movement the immature leaders started destroying them. Due to the paucity of the tourists, the Hotel Industry was nearly finished off. And the Tea industry, which was already sick due to the faulty policies of the Centre and the State Governments, was brought it to the deathbed by the movements of the GJMM. To a great extent, the hills have to depend on the plains for sustenance. Due to continuing movement and the bandhs, supplies of the food-grains were disrupted. In fact, the GJMM leaders were caught in the snare laid out by the state administration. The leaders made other mistakes too. They committed breach of trust of the people. Despite their weaknesses other parties of the hills continuedwith their movement. In the meantime, as the Congress put the stamp on the Telengana the hills were aflame once again. When Bimal Gurung felt that the heat of the movement might turn him into ashes, he once again sprang out the issue of the Gorkhaland. In fact he is left with no other option. Immediately after the resignation of Bimal Gurung from his post as a GTA Chairman,the Chief Minister of the State Ms. Mamata Bannerjee took away all the state-given facilities from him indicating that no agreement was acceptable to her at the cost of division of the state. The Congress seems desirous to complicate the issue, even though. It is possible that in order to avoid the tightening of the rope of law the GJMM might come into an agreement with the government for the time being. If this does not happen the rope of law might be tightened around them. One cannot deny the possibility that the movement for the separate hill state may become more aggressive. The hateful game of power-politics going on in the country about the new equations may bring about fearsome consequences. Siliguri-03 Mobile- 094340-48163
Posted on: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 04:07:15 +0000
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