Tryst with destiny

The dreams of the people of Telangana to live in a State of their own and to develop it in accordance with their aspirations became a reality on the historic day of June 2, 2014, with the creation of the 29th State of the Indian Republic.

Movements driven by emotions and passionate leadership helped see light at the end of the tunnel, decades after the struggle began. History cannot retreat. It’s therefore a moment of celebration for Telangana and a day of rededication for the State of Andhra Pradesh.

Fortunately, the surcharged socio-political environment that marked the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh is slowly but steadily giving way to the spirit of harmony and reconciliation. Being undeterred by challenges has been the guiding spirit of the Telugu people.

The movement for separate statehood was woven around water, jobs and funds. Rightly so, a tumultuous journey has begun in the fledgling State. Telangana is in the process of reinventing the contours of irrigation.

Politics should not be allowed to create undesirable acrimony between the two States on sharing water resources. Rights of both have to be strictly adhered to, particularly with regard to distribution of Krishna and Godavari river waters.

Destruction of tank irrigation has spelt doom for Telangana as it resulted in untenable exploitation of groundwater making agriculture unsustainable. Telangana is, therefore, on the right path, one that can rekindle the spirit of Kakatiyas.

The revenue buoyancy validates the stand that the region is revenue-surplus. The pre-bifurcation rhetoric that Telangana will plunge into chaos in power sector has boomeranged. More precisely, Brand Hyderabad, which was smeared, is being revived with Google, Apple and more making a beeline to the City of Pearls.

Differences are bound to exist whenever there is a division. But, many such differences are dying down, though some still persist. Hope that these differences that rock the destiny of Telugu people would find a just and reasonable solution.

A sense of despair and a feeling of betrayal continue to haunt the people of Andhra Pradesh. Planning for a new State that was deprived of a sprawling capital is certainly akin to swimming against the tide. The Centre has a constitutional, legal and political responsibility to heal the wounds of bifurcation of the people of Andhra Pradesh.

As the Socio Economic Outlook 2014 of the Government of Telangana states, “this tryst with destiny is just the beginning and a lot of fundamental rethinking and effort is needed to carve out an enduring future for all.”

As Alvin and Heidi Toffler said in Rethinking the Future, “The future will not be a continuation of the past. It will be a series of discontinuities.

In the twenty first century, the winners will be those who stay ahead of the change curve, constantly redefining their enterprises, activities, blazing new trails, reinventing the competitive rules and challenging the status quo.’’This optimism applies to both the Telugu-speaking States.