WTC may create new headache to KCR

It’s good that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) has decided to postpone the first World Telugu Conference (WTC) in Telangana from June first week to last week of October. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to organize the event at a grand scale. Any international conference that calls for presence of delegates from other countries needs at least three months’ time.

The delegates expected to attend WTC from countries like the US, Canada, UK, Australia and Singapore would need at least 10 to 12 weeks’ time for travel to India. Either they may need the time to adjust their schedule back home or to buy air tickets at lowest rates or to arrange accommodation in the host city of Hyderabad. This aspect was ignored when it was planned to hold the event in June.

The CM conveyed the idea to his aides in the first week of May as he revived the Telangana Sahitya Academy which was defunct four decades ago. KCR sincerely wanted to restore the glory of arts and culture in the newly formed Telangana State. His decision to appoint poet and activist Nandini Sidha Reddy as the head of the academy was no surprise and justified too.

However, the moment the CM announced his mind to hold the WTC, for the first time in Telangana; whispers grew into murmurs on the way they are going to be organized. KCR, a lover of Telugu literature and language, is naturally interested in holding a Telugu conference at the global level to reflect the glory of one of the ancient languages in all its hues.

KCR in his initial interactions with his officials and non-officials had expressed his desire to hold the WTC with participation from all countries and states where Telugu speaking people reside. This naturally includes poets, writers and linguists from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh which has no dearth of supporters of Telugu language and literature. They all ought to be invited to the WTC in Hyderabad.

Social media is abuzz with different arguments, for and against, holding a WTC with considerable participation of delegates from Andhra, especially at a time when the scars of bifurcation of combined AP are still there (We should not forget that the first WTC was held in 1975 during the Emergency when J Vengal Rao was the CM of AP).

The supporters of present WTC are of the view that after all, Telugu language is one and the same for both Andhra and Telangana and there is no wrong in inviting delegates from the neighbouring state to the prestigious event. However, those who oppose any umbilical association with Andhra Pradesh are squirming to rub shoulders with the Andhra laureates.

Their view is that the opponents of Telangana have used the Telugu language and literate as uniting factors to keep Andhra Pradesh as one state. If the same scholars and pundits of Andhra are to occupy prime space at WTC, what is the purpose of holding the event in Telangana now, they argue. The CM must pay attention to their argument too.

Moreover, there are indications that certain groups which are opposing KCR for some time on different issues like Dharna Chowk, mirchi famers’ interests and forcible acquisition of lands for projects etc; might call for boycott of WTC, unless their demands are met with by the time.

October may be a season of festivals in Telangana but KCR might face choppy waters due to WTC during the period.

KCR will have to carefully think of including the agenda of Telangana’s poets, writers and linguists in the WTC and limit the participation of delegates from Andhra Pradesh. Telangana dialect and nuances of Telugu language and literature deserve to be highlighted. Otherwise, these WTC might turn into another issue of dissent and protest.

(RamaKrishnaSangem.Blogspot.in)