“I myself will represent the Telangana
government and argue before the Krishna tribunal. I will create a history by
arguing the case in my capacity as CM.” - K.
Chandrasekhar Rao, Chief Minister, Telangana
Now,
this statement could have been seen as a routine overstatement coming from a
politician who likes to boast and likes to brand himself as a forerunner of his
political breed.
But,
no, this comes to us from K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), the Telangana chief
minister, the top most administrative functionary of India's newest state, who
has been a big letdown after assuming the office when Telangana came into
existence officially on June 2 this year.
The
central reason behind the decades old Telangana struggle was the contention
that the Andhra counterparts had ignored the Telangana areas totally leaving the
concerned population in poverty and backwardness.
KCR
projected himself as the champion of the cause and though he cannot take the
sole credit, going by the political equations of the time, he was rewarded by
the Telangana electorate in hopes he would bring home the change. But the
downward spiral began from the day-1.
As soon
as he took over, the dynast in him came out. He is chief minister who made his
son and nephew ministers. His daughter is a member of the Parliament (MP). And
he defends and justifies it with an 'air'.
When
the agenda should have been reconciliation and synthesis till the whole process
of bifurcation of revenue and resources is complete, he chose to indulge in
cheap politics of sloganeering, not delivering on ground, and finding an easy
escape in anti-Andhra Pradesh slogans.
And
rational minds know that is not going to work.
But,
the latest KCR move shows that was never his priority probably. The latest move
is certainly a prime issue of national outrage that could not find its due on
airwaves as other major rating-worthy stories broke out simultaneously,
dominated by the round the clock developments around the controversial Haryana
godman Rampal who refused to accept the orders of different courts including
the high court and his arrest came after violent clashes and a long drama.
Anyway,
that is a typical Indian flavour where fake religious gurus have been exploiting
the insecurities of human lives in a
country where universal norms of a dignified life do not come even in dreams of
the majority of the population.
And
Indian politicians are not much different, the political history of independent
India tells us, and KCR's latest move reaffirms that.
In an outrageous
and anti-human move, the Telangana politicians, led by KCR, came together to hike
their salary by 100%. Now the salary of a Telangana MLA (Rs. 2 Lakh) would be
more than that of the President (1.5 Lakh) and the Prime Minister (1.60 Lakh).
While doing so, the atmosphere was of almost consensus, something that we have
seen so many times in 'doing so', including in the Indian Parliament. The
bitter TRS-TDP war of words or the Congress or the BJP voices - we could not
hear them.
The
doubled salary bonanza came at a time where the state is facing aftermath of
drought.
Different
reports say, the authenticity of which we can safely accept, that around 400
farmers have committed suicide in Telangana after KCR took over in June. 350-400
farm suicides is the range of such reports and the government attempt to put
them at around 80 easily blows out when we read the reports.
The
burden of the hike that the state will face (Rs. 75 crore in five years) could
have easily saved the lives of these farmers had they been given the loan
waivers or financial assistance in time.
But
that would have happened only when the people would be the priority. The brazen
defence of the salary hike by the Telangana government and KCR tells us they
don't care at all.
KCR may
blame Andhra Pradesh and Chandrababu Naidu for Telangana farm suicides but that
would not stop the farm suicides.
KCR's
efforts to justify the MLA salary hike and deflect the blame to Chandrababu
Naidu - amidst 400 farm suicides - was the Telangana fight for it?
©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/
