Hyderabad Freezone Truth - Heads you Win, Tails I Loose

Telangana politicians are convincing the so called native Telangana region people that, by not making Hyderabad a freezone they would benefit. I have already discussed in my earlier blog that the word local is having a legal definition. This definition is tangentially different to what Telanaga Rastra Samithi (TRS) or Telangana JAC are telling to the Telangana people.

A local according to Government of Andhra Pradesh is:

A Local candidate means a candidate for direct recruitment to any post in relation to that local area where he/she has studied in educational institution(s) for not less than four consecutive academic years in a total period of seven years of study prior to and including the year in which he/she appeared for S.S.C. or its equivalent examination. If however, he/she has not studied in any educational institutions during the above four years period it is enough if he/she has resided in that area which is claimed as his/her local area during the above said period.

This could be explained with simple example:

let's say my parents are from Godavari districts. But I studied in Warangal from my Class 6 to SSC because my father was posted there legally by Government of Andhra Pradesh. Then automatically I become local for Zone-V. Since this is in Telangana - I also belong to Telangana. As per the Government GO, if I wanted to apply for JNTU, Kakinanda then I will have to fight in the non local quota. Just because, my parents or ancestors are from Godavari districts does not help me any way. And this is the truth and a fact! Same is a case for a Marathi or Assamese or Bihari who lived in Andhra Pradesh and studied four straight years prior to SSC.

Now, the issue of Hyderabad and Freezone. Andhra Pradesh is divided into 7 zones. Of them, Hyderabad and Secunderabad city metro area are part of Zone 7, commonly called Free Zone. While, any individual could compete in his / her zone as local - all the zone people could compete freely (as locals) for the Free zone. This will NOT have great advantage for the following Telangana zone people since they are competing with rest of all Andhra Pradesh:

(V) ADILABAD, KARIMNAGAR, WARANGAL & KHAMMAM
(VI) HYDERABAD, RANGAREDDY, NIZAMABAD, MAHABUBNAGAR, MEDAK & NALGONDA

But this is only half truth

Now, Telangana leaders wanted to remove Hyderabad as Freezone and accordingly Andhra Pradesh Government passed a "hasty" resolution in state assembly last week.

If this becomes a law, the following are the real consequences:

1. Hyderabad City will merge into Zone VI. As a result, Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Nizamabad, Mahabubnagar, Medak & Nalgonda will become locals to this Zone VI.

2. Then, all those locals of Hyderabad city would become locals for all the districts mentioned above. Until now they are non local for Zone VI.

3. Zone-V people of Telangana would be still non locals for Hyderabad City and hence they will have to fight in the non local category along with rest of the Andhra Pradesh people from Zone-1 to Zone-IV. But 70%-80% are for the locals in Zone VI, that are 100% open for all until it is freezone

4. Hyderabad is having huge number of Andhra and Rayalaseema people. These people will be officially and automatically become locals for all the Zone-VI. Until now they are non locals

5. With better education facilities, and as alleged by Telangana politicians being "clever", these people can now take more jobs in Nizamabad, Mahabubnagar, Medak & Nalgonda districts. These are the districts, Andhra and Rayalaseema people presence is not significant except in Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar borders.

6. Muslims being in large numbers in Hyderabad may benefit on paper but in reality they have to compete with these clever Telugu speaking folks of Zone VI.

7. Overall, all it is Andhra and Rayalaseema local people of Hyderabad would benefit by not making Hyderabad a freezone. It will further benefit them from expanding their reach.

It is too late to talk of all this local and non local concept that is three decades old.

Andhra and Rayalaseema people are integral part of Telangana System and even if Telangana were to come, it is those people who are capable and willing to take risks will win.

All those Telangana people who are blindly going behind their politicians have to realise one important point. There are no reservations for Telangana people who went to US, UK, Australia or elsewhere in India and become hugely successful. Please follow those hero's footsteps and compete on true merits.

Heads you Win (Andhra and Raylaseema) - Tails I Loose (Telangana)!