Great injustice done to Telangana

This article is in continuation to the last article focusing on the Jai Telangana Movement (1969-70), which is one of the important topics for the government recruitment examinations. The violations took place blatantly and openly right from the formation of Andhra Pradesh State. As per the agreement, if the Chief Minister was from Andhra, the […]

This article is in continuation to the last article focusing on the Jai Telangana Movement (1969-70), which is one of the important topics for the government recruitment examinations.

The violations took place blatantly and openly right from the formation of Andhra Pradesh State. As per the agreement, if the Chief Minister was from Andhra, the Deputy Chief Minister would be from Telangana and vice-versa. Since Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy who hailed from Andhra region was the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, a Telangana man should have been given the rank of Deputy Chief Minister. But, there was no Deputy Chief Minister in the first cabinet.

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This was against the stipulation in the Agreement. Further, it was agreed to constitute a Congress Committee especially for Telangana region but, the then Chief Minister Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy successfully thwarted the attempt and in a few months the Telangana Congress Committee was merged in the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee. This step was basically aimed at demolishing a well-built organisation that could protect the interests of Telangana region and also not to allow a strong leadership to develop in Telangana. Several crores of rupees accumulated as surplus in Telangana were spent for the development in Andhra area instead of utilising those funds for developmental activities in Telangana. Had the Telangana region been a separate State, it would have attained the eligibility to receive special grants from the Central Government under the Article 275 of the Indian Constitution and all the revenue generated from the regional resources would have been spent for the overall development of Telangana only but then due to merger the funds were siphoned in order to benefit the Andhra area.

Certain posts in government offices with a monthly salary of Rs.300 or less were reserved for Telangana people under Public Employment Act. Most of those posts were usurped by the people from Andhra region and thus Telangana was deprived of appropriate positions both in the administration and also in governmental power.

Great injustice was done to Telangana people even in the appointments to the services which were out of the purview of Mulki rules. Andhra people in multitude numbers secured forged Mulki certificates by fraudulent means and occupied the posts meant for locals. In the matters of combined gradation and promotions, the Telangana employees were put to great deprivation.

The stipulations that were beneficial to Andhra employees were put into practice without any loss of time whereas those conditions that would have positive effect on the service matters pertaining to Telangana employees were referred to the Central Government for clarification or review. By adopting such trickery methods promotions were instantly given to the people whose nativity was Andhra area keeping the Telangana employees’ fate in pending.

Even the pay scales were also altered so as to give benefits to Andhra employees. Earlier, before the merger, Telangana employees were drawing their salaries in a pay scale that was better than the pay scale awarded to their counterparts in Andhra State.

To be continued…