Telangana movement and democratic rights
The movement for separate Telangana state is turning into an attack on individual's right to hold his or her opinion. Political coercion in the name of a regional movement is causing a serious concern among people who cherish democratic freedom.
A GENTLEMAN once lucidly explained the difference between the mere democracy and the republic. In democracy, 51 per cent of the people can decide, at least theoretically, to execute the remaining 49 per cent of the people. But in the republic, every individual's right to life is guaranteed against the whole nation. One need not be a political scientist to assume that all modern democracies are republics as well. India is SOVEREIGN, SOCIALIST, SECULAR, DEMOCRATIC, REPUBLIC. According to news reports, they entered into heated arguments with him. According to these students, he had committed a blasphemy by demanding, Manya Seema, a tribal state comprising tribal dominated coastal and hinterland areas of Andhra Pradesh. For them, any other demand except for Telangana state, is a heresy. Others have right neither to hold nor voice any demand which "diverts" the attention of Telangana people and the government away from the single point agenda of Telangana. The Telangana Political JAC, which is led by Prof. Kodandaram Reddy and backed to the hilt by Velama-led Telangana Rasthra Samiti (TRS), had been sore over Prof. Ilaiah for some time, for his utterances to the effect that upper caste Reddys and Velamas had snatched away the leadership of Telangana movement from the SC, ST and BC mass organisations which had kept the pot simmering despite the lengthy hibernations of TRS. His columns in newspapers and speeches in gatherings have infuriated the leaders of various JACs leading the Telangana movement for the last few months.
The mob of students, on March 14, after abusing Prof. Ilaiah, demanded him to raise "Jai Telangnaa" (Victory to Telangana). They wrote pro-Telangana slogans all over his apartment. When he shouted "Jai Social Telangana", they were not pleased. The students insisted that he repeat what they said. Refusing to surrender, the professor shouted "Jai BC Telangana". This too
did not go well with them. Finally, unable to resist their coercion, Prof. Ilaiah had to raise the "Jai Telangana" slogan. This is not an isolated incident in the last three months in the Telangana region. During the height of the movement in December, pro-Telangana leaders locked up a deputy chief of a local body in Mehbubnagar, a committed CPI(M) functionary, who refused to say "Jai Telangana" when mobs surrounded him, was locked in a room and later beaten up by women. The CPI(M)) is opposing the bifurcation of linguistic states. In Domakonda of Nizamabad district, which is part of Telangana region, the so-called pro-Telangana agitators attacked banks and power sub-stations demanding transfer of officials from coastal regions. Even in Osmania University, as some press reporters tell, pro-Telangana students become suspicious of any person who remain silent for a while. They could discern whether he is a friend or foe and from which region of the state he came, only if he speaks, through his dialect. This attack on individual right to hold his own opinion and liberty is being spearheaded by none other than a prominent "human and civil rights" activist Prof. Kodandam Reddy, who is now leading the Telangana Political JAC. Under his chairmanship, the JAC had passed a resolution in the third week of February to force all households in Telangana, mainly in
Hyderabad, to display the Telangana flag, in front of their houses. Those who did not comply would be forced to fall in line. This decision, which was to be implemented from March 1, shocked the citizens of Hyderabad as it was spouted by a noted rights activist and political science professor of Osmania University drawing a salary from taxpayers' money. The reign of terror sought to be created by a section of leaders and intellectuals in the name of a regional movement is causing a serious concern among common people and those who cherish the democratic values and freedoms. Any protest against this pressure tactics is being interpreted and those who have the temerity to question are being hounded in all possible manners. Leave alone the pros and cons of separate state and validity of reasons offered for the demand, none should lose sight of individual rights and freedoms, a bedrock of any democratic system.
The mob of students, on March 14, after abusing Prof. Ilaiah, demanded him to raise "Jai Telangnaa" (Victory to Telangana). They wrote pro-Telangana slogans all over his apartment. When he shouted "Jai Social Telangana", they were not pleased. The students insisted that he repeat what they said. Refusing to surrender, the professor shouted "Jai BC Telangana". This too
did not go well with them. Finally, unable to resist their coercion, Prof. Ilaiah had to raise the "Jai Telangana" slogan. This is not an isolated incident in the last three months in the Telangana region. During the height of the movement in December, pro-Telangana leaders locked up a deputy chief of a local body in Mehbubnagar, a committed CPI(M) functionary, who refused to say "Jai Telangana" when mobs surrounded him, was locked in a room and later beaten up by women. The CPI(M)) is opposing the bifurcation of linguistic states. In Domakonda of Nizamabad district, which is part of Telangana region, the so-called pro-Telangana agitators attacked banks and power sub-stations demanding transfer of officials from coastal regions. Even in Osmania University, as some press reporters tell, pro-Telangana students become suspicious of any person who remain silent for a while. They could discern whether he is a friend or foe and from which region of the state he came, only if he speaks, through his dialect. This attack on individual right to hold his own opinion and liberty is being spearheaded by none other than a prominent "human and civil rights" activist Prof. Kodandam Reddy, who is now leading the Telangana Political JAC. Under his chairmanship, the JAC had passed a resolution in the third week of February to force all households in Telangana, mainly in
Hyderabad, to display the Telangana flag, in front of their houses. Those who did not comply would be forced to fall in line. This decision, which was to be implemented from March 1, shocked the citizens of Hyderabad as it was spouted by a noted rights activist and political science professor of Osmania University drawing a salary from taxpayers' money. The reign of terror sought to be created by a section of leaders and intellectuals in the name of a regional movement is causing a serious concern among common people and those who cherish the democratic values and freedoms. Any protest against this pressure tactics is being interpreted and those who have the temerity to question are being hounded in all possible manners. Leave alone the pros and cons of separate state and validity of reasons offered for the demand, none should lose sight of individual rights and freedoms, a bedrock of any democratic system.
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