A Bifurcation, A Torn state & An Emotional heart…..

          Friends, Telugus and the natives of Rayala Seema and Coastal Andhra Pradesh, yes , 18th Feb 2014 was probably one of the darkest days in our lives. While bifurcation in itself is a tough idea to digest, the manner and the way in which the Indian LokSabha passed it was taking the pain to greater heights.  It’s extremely frustrating when someone turns a deaf ear to everything we say.  Well we are being forced to go through all this by  someone who has nothing but vested political interests.

          Our hearts are heavy with pain and most of us are having a tough time balancing our emotions and reining the anger that’s peaking in us. It’s always tough when you are directly affected by the act of someone and you can do nothing about it.  That helplessness is something we (some 5-6 crore people of Rayala Seema and Coastal Andhra Pradesh) are experiencing.  Suffering and being helpless is a situation that’s driving not just us but our political representatives also crazy.

          As we fight this curious and ridiculous situation that’s thrust on us, as we battle the volcanoes erupting in our hearts, as we shout on the streets and cry foul about the immoral bifurcation that is happening to us, let’s think. Let’s just think if we have a choice, do we really have a choice in this blunderland?

          Friends, for reasons known/unknown people in Telangana wanted a separation, while I cannot for sure say whether it was a legitimate demand or not, they succeeded in pulling the right levers and got their state formed.  Let’s congratulate them for that.  We have two choices here, one, we can keep crying foul for life time and be stagnant in the place where we are.  Two we can and yes we can improve the part of land that’s blessed with nature’s bounty and convert it as the place to be in the world.

          We are blessed with a 960 km  coastal line, Godavari and Krishna basins where one can grow crops in all the 3

The New Andhra Pradesh

seasons, a hard-working population that creates a name and fame for itself wherever it goes and last but not the least, we also have the blessed entrepreneurial streak that gave the world a GMR, a Lanco, a Nandi.. The list goes on … The capabilities of a person from this region need no introduction for we occupy a lion’s share of seats in many prestigious institutions of the country.  Leaders like NTR and CBN implemented innovative governance long back and won laurels for their work.

          Today, in spite of all such capabilities and resources if we are at cross roads, it is because of some of the mistakes we committed. Lack of unity, centralizing everything @ Hyderabad, to some extent neglecting our own home towns and focusing on Hyd as if it is utopia, not checking the rise of regionalism etc… are some mistakes we committed. Today, with a haphazard bifurcation we are back to square one.

          However, our mistakes in the past do not take our capabilities away from us. They, if anything, only made us grow wiser.  We have an opportunity today, we have an opportunity to create a world-class capital, develop at least a metro city or two and then create a state that’s developed in all respects. If you think I am blabbering and am having utopian dreams no, I am not.  With a dedicated effort, that is definitely possible. See, there are many of us who are feeling bad today, who are feeling cheated today, however, how many of us with a hand on our heart can say that we spared our free time and extra pennies for the development of the place where we were born? or rather for the city /town/ village we grew up? The answer from a majority (including me) would be a no.

          Just imagine, imagine if everyone donates some amount of his free time and few extra pennies in improving his/her village/town/gully etc … imagine the progress we would achieve.  Imagine where the state of Andhra Pradesh (they would still call the residual state that way) would be sitting a few years from now.  Have that vision, work for that goal.  Join with the friends, create clubs, establish networks and identify areas and start the work. If we can innovate lets create jobs there. If someone creates them there, let’s migrate and increase the revenues of that state.  If we can’t to anything of this sort , then with our own hard-earned money at least let’s buy land/ a property for ourselves in our native villages/towns, lets have a plan to settle down there in the post retirement years of our lives. Let’s educate the people around us to elect govt’s that fosters livelihood in our areas. Launching those campaigns is something we can do. Can’t we?  Come what may, let’s pledge that we would be united and will ensure the development of all regions. Imagine, just imagine where AP would be when all these things bear fruit.  That will automatically shut the mouths of hundreds of people who are insulting today.

          You might ask me a question, what about the political change, we have seen the vulgar dance of opportunistic politics and what if the govt’s play with us once again? One, voting right people to work for us is still our choice; we have good people who are in the fray even now.  We the young people can  join politics  and be the agents for change.  Coming to the center and the unilateral decisions they take, I think we should go with the TN style of politics where we confine to the regional players in the state level and make sure that the ones in the center are always dependent on our support in the this era of coalitions. That’s the only way we can save ourselves in this era of limiting resources and coalition politics.

          Coming to the people who played games with us already, let’s not indulge in a fight with them now but then let’s not forget them altogether as well.  Forgive the criminal but don’t forget his name.

          So dear friends, the sooner we get hold of our emotions the better, there is work in front of all of us. Well some of us might not be convinced with all the things I said, but then remember, we always have a choice. Today, we can either sit back and crib about the injustice done or we can stand up and do something that sets the things right.  I for a reason believe that we would be channeling our anger and energies in a better way if we chose the latter.  Again, do think about one thing , if we donot work for the improvement of our own state who else will?

Thank you.