Telugu speaking have been divided for ages. Until 50-60 years back they were split in between Nizam of Hyderabad and British. Prior to that, they were split during the times of Moguls, Vijayanagara empire, Kaktiyas, Kalinga period, Chola times. If we go into the history the state of Andhra Pradesh as it exists now, it has been split amongst three or even four kingdoms at any given time.
The controversial issue of passing predominantly Telugu speaking Madras City into Tamil hands, or Bellary District into Mysore state or Berhampur to Orissa are few but striking examples, reflecting dis-unity amongst the Telugu speaking people.
Along the lines of this geographic separation, Telugu people, Telugu media and Telugu political leadership paid a significant role to pull down their own rising stars over the past. As a result, despite occasional resurgence, Telugu people by and large loved to live as gulaams (virtually slaves) under non-Telugus.
Let's start with Tanguturi Prakasam, one of the 1st Telugu Leaders in the erstwhile Madras state to get into the prominence. All his life, he waged constant war against Tamil leadership and Congress high command in Delhi. Despite he was popular mass leader in the Madras Presidency - in the end, it was our own Telugu political leadership conspiring with Tamils and Delhi sidelined Tangutiri Prakasam Pantalu. A wealthy barrister, Prakasam sacrificed all his life and wealth for the freedom struggle, yet died a poor man.While Prakasam's contemporaries in Tamil land like Rajaji, Periar and Annadurai were feted and revered even today, Prakasam was almost forgotten during his life time and less said about him is better now.
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, the 1st Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh was one of the powerful leaders of his times. Honest and able administrator, decades later when he contested for the Presidency of India - Indira Gandhi fielded another fellow Telugu person - Varahahiri Venkata Giri. Despite being the official congress candidate - Sanjiva Reddy lost the election. Though there was no personal rivalry between Reddy and Giri - in the end, Reddy, one of the respected leaders of Andhra Pradesh lost because of slave mindset of Telugu's. It was a different story that, Sanjiva Reddy went on to become the President of India a decade later. In comparison, examine the kind of respect Kamaraj gets in Tamil Nadu though he was never a President of India.
PV Narasimha Rao, rated one of the best Prime Ministers India ever had, was never respected in his home state. Despite changing the fortunes of India for good, in the end - Rao was humiliated in his later years and in his death. Sonia's personal apathy and the events that unfolded following his death were blatantly clear to one and all. But the stock silence of all Telugu people, Telugu media and more importantly by the fellow congressmen for all the humiliation meted to one of Scholarly Prime Minsters of India is just another example of slave mindset of Telugus. There is no denial of the fact and role played by the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy to bury Rao's legacy. Despite the strong demand to name the Hyderabad airport after Rao or NT Ramarao, YS Rajasekhar Reddy true to his gulaami nature named the airport after Rajiv Gandhi.
NT Rama Rao, greatest leader of the Telugu speaking people - died in isolation and humiliation. Despite his extraordinary wins and shooting down Congress to bring an end to the Delhi rule, Ramarao was stabbed by his Sons, daughters, second wife, Telugu media, Telugu political leadership. Despite all the efforts to bury NTR legacy by none other than Chandrababu Naidu, NTR remains the most popular Telugu leader even in his death. It is shocking to see the leaders like KCR and TRS picking on NTR and Telugu Desam Party - though everyone knows KCR political birth and subsequent success was only because of a great leader like NTR.
For Naidu, despite all the hi tech success during his regime is struggling to survive on account of his credibility and back stabbing from the fellow leadership with in and outside TDP. Chiranjeevi was never a great political leader nor a rising star. Yet, political future of Megastar it is now in black and white. His community, media, Congress leadership and himself contribute to this common fate.
After doing all the gulaami job while in power, now YS Rajasekhar Reddy is now facing the similar situation in his death. Congress leaders both in state and Delhi are working round the clock to bury YSR legacy and also re-picture him as the most corrupt Chief Minister of AP. Media like Eenadu and Andhra Jyothy are have already pronounced guilty verdict even before case went to court. This is almost akin to what happened to PV in case of Babri Masjid issue. Congress knows well how to disown their own leaders if the circumstances demand and Delhi high command is willing. All gulaami leaders would be ready with ammunition to fire the shots from all the vantage points. Probably YS Jagan was right in one way to leave Congress and start his own party. It is too early to predict what is going to be Jagan's fate. Despite all the allegations, Jagan is the most popular leader in the state. If the history of Telugus is a yardstick for evaluating an outcome, Jagan's fate would be no different - sooner or later.
In the end, it is called the common fate of the gulaami Telugu leaders
1 comment:
Very well written. I really liked the analysis and it is sad but true. What is the reason for all of this. People are more concerned about their own wealth and prosperity. Nobody cares about the big picture. YSR during his regime supported central government with a herd of 32 MP's with no tongue in mouth. While Congress never cared about AP on issues like raising Dams in neighboring states, support price for paddy, Oil price fixing from KG basin, all YSR wanted his way of corruption and his authority in AP. The reason for all this is our leaders who hell bent on personal well being than the state. TN state is able to manage what is needed from Central Government, even when there is no Congress party in their state. With the bifurcation of AP into two states, no ordinary citizen is going to be benefited. On the contrary, Telugu people will be busy forever with internal struggles. No development was seen since last 10 years ... and in the current situation, it would be never. Telugu people always have a passion and appreciation for outsiders and ignore the gems within. There is no surprise at one time, Rayalaseema may get merged into Karnataka, Andhra into TN. Sad state but a ray of hope could be..If all the scholars and statesmen should come out and educate the people...
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