Andhra Pradesh poised on a knife-edge

The civil society in Andhra Pradesh is on the edge of a precipice now which does not augur well for the people and the State, too. History tells us that the Telugus have always been divided on several lines. Caste is the foremost among them. Perhaps, there is no other State in the country which is so caste-ridden. From politics to films to businesses to media, the line is quite stark and bold. All this has led to a situation wherein post-truth dominates the narratives and claims and counterclaims further distort the reality.

Andhra Pradesh is a State where even innocuous comments attract vehement opposition and people get targeted. Politicians and film stars both have their own fan following and these multitudes spew venom on the rivals at the drop of the hat. This being the case, it is unfortunate that the capital city issue of the residual State also should become a bone of contention with the principal opposition the TDP and the ruling YSRCP stretching it beyond a point due to their hard line politics.

Issues tend to get litigation makeover and land in the courts. This is also common. Yet, the two principal political parties are fanning their caste politics beyond a limit to safeguard their vested interests burying the larger public good and the welfare of the State, fathoms deep in the muck of their hate practices. If Amaravati farmers' padayatra has all the connotations of a political yatra as the ruling party alleges, the latter's efforts to dilute the fallout of the yatra through a British ploy is all the more dangerous to the society.

The Divide et impera policy in politics and sociology is all about gaining and maintaining power divisively. Historically, this strategy was used in many different ways by empires seeking to expand their territories. However, it has been hard to distinguish between the exploitation of pre-existing divisions by opponents, and the deliberate creation or strengthening of these divisions implied by "divide and rule." While it is no secret that the TDP lends all-out support to the 'Amaravati farmers,' the government encourages Joint Action Committees to protect the interests of the sub-regions in the State in the name of decentralisation of development through three Capitals.

Amaravati, conceived by the TDP as the capital of the bifurcated State, has already consumed a lot of efforts and money in the form of developmental activity. But the Chief Minister is firm that his concept of development be put in place. The JACs put in place now by the ruling party leaders in North Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema to seek Visakhapatnam as the administrative capital and Kurnool as the judicial capital serve the ulterior purpose of the ruling party. At the same time, the efforts by both the TDP and the YSRCP in outsmarting each other only create a gulf among the people of different regions.

The already divided Telugus are getting divided further having been drawn into the game of power. The only outcome of all this misadventure would be more bitterness which could lead to pitting the people of three regions against one another. Things could get out of hand soon and there is every possibility of this clash of interests turning into a clash in every segment of life. No one says that the situation could lead to separatist tendencies, but a continued consolidation of such competitive interests could spell a bigger trouble for the unity of Telugu. Civil unrest is very dangerous. Don't stoke separatist fires.