Why Telangana model needed for the nation

The proverb 'Nothing succeeds like success' – an American expression originated in France in a book by Alexander Dumas, which signifies an ‘Initial success provides the resources and fosters the circumstances for further success’ – is probably hundred percent appropriate in the case of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. With the triumphs earlier and more such accomplishments in store in future, KCR, in his crusade to bring a qualitative change in the governance, in the third successive mammoth gathering, in Maharashtra, at Jabinda Grounds Aurangabad, on April 24, 2023, made it crystal clear that BRS is not simply meant for one single election or day or community or religion or caste but belongs to all in its bid to fight for one and all.

KCR enthused the farmers to ‘rise and roar like the lions they were’ and ensure the victory of the BRS in the forthcoming Zilla Parishad elections in Maharashtra. In addition, said KCR, that, farmers who have been merely going to the fields for agriculture, now should go to the law-making bodies. He then raised his preferred slogan ‘Ab ki Baar Kisan Sarkar’ and the audience in large numbers echoed with him. KCR expressed the confidence that once the BRS flag is hoisted in the ZP Elections, leaders who hitherto neglected farmers will come running to them. KCR cited the instance of his challenge in Nanded meeting earlier, resulting in the Maharashtra government making a budgetary provision for Rythu Bandhu Type Scheme, though with a reduced amount.

KCR said that the Maharashtra government failed to provide essential facilities and goods to the people despite no dearth of funds due to sheer lack of will power, sincerity, and commitment. He expressed his displeasure that several towns in Maharashtra, including Aurangabad, receiving drinking water once a week only. “We provided treated drinking water through tap connections to every household in Telangana under Mission Bhagiratha ensuring that the water that rich people in Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills drink is the same that reaches the Gond tribal in remote Adilabad district in the State,” said KCR. He said that this can be made possible even in Maharashtra too as in Telangana.

The planning with vision during the first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s regime, gave way to petty politics forgetting priorities of the country, including doing away with the process of five-year planning, pointed out KCR. Such aimless actions need to be rectified. ‘Agar Ghee seedhi ungli se na nikle, to ungli tedi karni Padti Hai’ (Where straightforwardness has never a chance of working, crookedness flourishes), he said. ‘Almighty Allah ke Ghar Me Der Hai, Magar Andheri Nahi’ added KCR further. ‘Fanoos Banke Jiski Hifazat Hawa Kare, Woh Shamma kya Bujhe Jise Roshan Khuda kare’ (when the air itself becomes the shielding guard, how can a candle extinguish when it is lit by God) said KCR. Hence, ‘let us fight, and change the destiny of India from the pathetic situation’ declared KCR.

Brushing aside Narendra Modi’s theoretical slogans of ‘Digital India’ and ‘Made in India’ KCR questioned him why he failed to take up digitalisation of land records which is a major solution for all land related issues and cited the Telangana example which enables the entire land registration exercise to be completed in a matter of 15 minutes including handing over of title deeds to the concerned. KCR said what the Centre could not do in terms of mapping the agriculture land, the Telangana State has done and shown the way. KCR was very critical of the Center which is recklessly determined on privatising public sector undertakings and handing over power plants to private companies, and declared that if privatisation is their agenda, nationalisation is BRS agenda. BRS, if voted to power, will withdraw all such controversial decisions besides implementing Telangana Model, said KCR.

The harsh reality that, rich becoming richer and poor becoming poorer in this country, needs to be reformed. “Our fate will not change till we, ourselves, change,” KCR pointed out and mentioned how China, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore surged ahead, while India still remained where it was. KCR referred to Zimbabwe a smaller country than India, but saves water by constructing a major reservoir, whereas India could not do so.

Consequent to Aurangabad meeting, leaders and cadre in large numbers from Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Yavatmal and other areas of Maharashtra joined BRS at Telangana Bhavan on April 26, 2023. Addressing them, KCR assured that, BRS would take up a ‘Bharat Parivartan Mission’, as part of which it would bring about a paradigm shift in the country’s water policy to ensure sufficient water for irrigation and drinking across the country at the earliest. KCR said that water cannot be manufactured in any factory and India does not have to beg before Russia or the United States to address this perennial issue since there is a provision of abundance of water, rather double the water which is required, which eventually drains out into the seas due to the sheer negligence of the Central government. All the 83.41 crore acres of land in the country should get irrigation water, asserted KCR.

During the course of his address, KCR said that the BRS Party would constitute committees in all villages of the State from May 7 to June 7 and permanent offices of BRS would be set up in Nagpur and Aurangabad. A kisan rally with an expected massive gathering of 10 to 12 lakhs of people would also be organized in Maharashtra soon. Finally, KCR categorically mentioned, as he does time and again that, the BRS has not come to make a leader but it has come to bring a qualitative change in India, which is the need of the hour.

George Bernard Shaw said, “Ordinary people adapt themselves to the world. The extraordinary person tries to adapt the world to him. Hence, the progress and development of the world is through extraordinary people.” These people are called successful people. Success is not a chance but a choice for successful people. For these extra-ordinary successful people, success is a daily routine, a way of life, and a custom. And KCR is one among these rare extraordinary successful people. His out-of-box thinking that moves away in diverging directions leading to novel ideas, solutions, and creativity, is the need of hour for a qualitative change and for realizing ‘Ab ki Baar Kisan Sarkar.’

(The writer is Chief Public Relations Officer to Chief Minister, Telangana)