By-polls; TRS demand undemocratic! -Bhandaru Srinivasrao (I.I.S.)

By-polls; TRS demand undemocratic! -Bhandaru Srinivasrao (I.I.S.)

In a democratic society, any citizen can take part in any election any where.  That’s the right enshrined in our constitution.  Then, how come the separatist Telangana Rashtra Samiti and other students’ organizations like the Osmania University JAC and Kakatiya University JAC dare held out threats against those aspiring candidates who wanted to contest the bypolls which necessitated due to the resignation of 12 legislators protesting against the Centre’s decision to constitute Justice BN Srikrishna panel?

Such a demand is not only undemocratic and unlawful act and the government should not hesitate to book cases against those who indulge in holding out such threats. Instead, those who are demanding for bifurcation of the state can campaign in a peaceful manner to convince the electorate of the region to vote for those who toe the separate statehood line.  None can object to such a move. Yet, their campaign should not be provocative and attract legal action as such undemocratic moves only result in disturbing the peace in society.

With the announcement of the possible elections before August by none other than one of the Election Commissioners, the ruling Congress and its main rival, Telugu Desam Party, have already begun the process for candidates hunt.  Scores of aspiring candidates already forming queues before these two major party headquarters and engaged in hectic lobbying for ticket!  Contrary to this, the TRS and those who are fighting for separate statehood are only trying to scare the contestants.  They wanted all those who resigned en masse (10 of TRS and one each of TDP and BJP) on a directive from the T-JAC Chief Prof Kodandaram, only they should return to state Assembly uncontested.  Can such a demand be allowed in a democratic society like ours?

Prof Kodandaram is a respected teacher.  I feel, he is well versed with country’s democratic functioning and also of the contents of the Constitution.  He should discourage those militant elements who wanted to make such undemocratic demand and wants to pursue it further.  Otherwise, one bound to suspect that the TRS has no faith in Indian democracy and may attract the treatment that being meted out to other unlawful organizations and political parties.  Violence has no place in the society.  Every peace loving citizen should adhere to this.  As a citizen of this great nation, one enjoys the freedom to travel, live, breathe and enjoy life in which ever part of the country he chooses to.  None has the right to restrict movements of an individual based on regional chauvinism. 

What the TRS and those organizations which really wanted to accomplish their dream of separate statehood for Telangana should seriously concentrate and ensure return of all those who resigned for the cause in the forthcoming by-polls.  As far as the regional ‘sentiment’ is concerned, one has little faith in that argument.  This was based on the past experiences of TRS in elections.  Doubting Thomases  on Telangana ask; “if the sentiment is so strong, then why electorate are not supporting TRS at hustings?.  The TRS had only seen only erosion (numerically) in all elections it contested since 2004. 

Onus is on TRS now to change this belief among its baiters. It has a point or two to prove by retaining all the 10 seats  (remaining two belong to TDP and BJP) it had won in 2009.  It should put all its energies to impress upon the electorate in these constituencies to strengthen their hands to take the fight for separate statehood to its logical conclusion. If it retains all the 10 seats and also ensures victory for TDP and BJP candidates who also resigned along with other TRS MLAs and establish that the sentiment for separate statehood is strong, it shall send the right kind of message even to Srikrishna Panel make note of it and incorporate this fact while submission of its final report sometime during the year end. 

Time is ripe for polarization of electorate for the cause.  The ball is now back in TRS court and how it handles and sees all its nominees retain their seats is the look out of its most vocal leader K Chandrasekhara Rao.

 It’s his responsibility to best utilize this golden opportunity to disprove the argument of ‘Telangana is no more a myth, but set to become reality, sooner than later, if he ensures all electorate fall in line and help retain his nominees.”  

One only wish KCR and Prof Kodandaram control their tempers and show their maturity in understanding the democratic process and disprove their critics of what they are capable of.  Good luck to them! (( 09-06-2010 )

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