What can one say about the self-hatred of the Telugus? The bankruptcy and collapse of politics in Andhra Pradesh has made a monster of the Telangana movement. It is incomprehensible how the elected representatives have not been able to have a single, in-depth discussion on an issue of this magnitude in the State Assembly. The absurd drama now has some actors running to the Center like so many cretins and others taking to the streets, promoting jungle law. The result is this festering wound. Those who claim to fight cultural hegemony no longer seem to have the balance to even condemn, let alone prevent, the degeneration into cultural suicide.
Can words capture the stature of those great Telugus whose statues were demolished or disfigured? Do we have the capacity to mourn for each one individually? One of them, Gurram Jashuva, a man whose poetry can move even stones to empathize with the sufferings of the oppressed. The irony! A few lines in the post below failing to explain to Jashuva what happened and why. In keeping with the abyss that we are in right now, I feel the need to add that I am from Telangana.
Yemanna 
This is not the first time in India, its not the last time either. All I see is politics being played in the name of religion, region, language, caste etc.etc.. Who is to blame? No, not politicians, but we the people. I see that several 1000 “educated” youth of Osmania University vandalized property and public transport facility. They stopped normal business even in Hyd.
In MP, the ruling govt is hell bent on changing names of cities like Bhopal, Jabalpur, Hoshangabad, because they were named after Muslim rulers.. Shame!!
Its the public that has to be conscious of whom they are electing.
Yes, they pick up these non-issues to distract the public from their non-performance.
No doubt, the public has to be conscious. But who will help the middle class overcome their aversion to politics? Who will help the poor today, so they will believe in the vision of a better tomorrow? Those of us who feel strongly about this have to take the plunge, to take the responsibility of doing it, to support those who are already doing it by fighting against all odds.
The time is ripe, the avenues are many, opportunity awaits with open arms.
It needs tremendous personal sacrifices that people are not ready to take. Every one is worried about careers and personal security. At the same time, the people in power have tremendous resources to buy the elections.
But it is true that if left like this, our children will suffer. What we think we earn for our children for their better life is a illusion. When there is unrest, injustice and inequality in society what kind of world will our children grow up in. They will naturally grow up in corrupt, unjust society and inherit some of those qualities in them.
Don’t we all bride. This is because we inherited such a society from previous generation. We have forgotten protest and self critique of our own society after independence.
We have to learn to self sacrifice for the good of the next generation. Unless we do that and take the decisive step nothing is going to change. Our children will bride just like us.
Once corrupted, they take easy ways to earn money, bride, cheat, etc. This is what India is now because our previous generation has not taken a stand and protest.
I share my feelings with you in this regard. I want to clarify that the statue of great writer/poet, Sri Jashuva was not disturbed/destroyed in that episode. Every commn person feel bad and sorry about the incident. It is the fury and anger of the people of Telangana shown against the Government’s inaction in respect of the issue that is lying unresolved since decades and not at all against the great people whose statues are destroyed. This is my personal strong feeling/opinion.
I wish it was true that Jashuva’s statue was left alone. Click here. I did not have the heart to post all the pictures. They can be seen here .
Of course, all sensible people are feeling sorry about it. But there are people in the movement who believe that anything is justified in the name of Telangana. What is the logic behind destroying statues of great people to show displeasure against the Government? This tendency to justify everything by saying “actually our aims are very legitimate and our intentions are very pure” but “little bit , here and there things are going out of hand” is to ignore what is really happening. It is no longer “little bit, here and there”. Refusing to own up to the consequences and refusing to acknowledge that the movement is taking on a self-destructive character will cost us dearly.
Hooliganism refers to unruly and destructive behaviour. Such behaviour is commonly associated with sports fans, particularly supporters of association football and university sports. The term can also apply to general rowdy behaviour and vandalism, often under the influence of alcohol and or drugs.
The leaders are taking the mob in the wrong direction. People take pride in destroying public property. They do not understand that that is their own property and tax money that is being wasted away. On the other hand, the mob is like a power waiting to erupt in whatever direction the leaders take it. If the leaders are encouraging destructive behavior they will actually enjoy vandalism.
It does not stop here, the mob can do anything we have seen that in Gujarat and also in Hyderabad before. The Government needs to heavy security around these mobs so that they do not destroy public property. I guess, the police are also a scarce resource.
The so called “educated” people, have forgotten lesson from Non violence of our Father of our Nation. People take pride in vandalism and destruction and unrestrained power.
This incident and other such incidents have become the ‘soul food’ of the present politicians for whom to take any decision is of no importance in terms of behavior, but loud demonstrations of power and the age old weapon to cause public unrest and put the common man under both mental and monetary turmoil…like the “onion” prices soaring high in one month and next week tons of crop rotting in the government headed store houses. it clearly pictures a deep hatred for politics and forcing the middle class to drop all ethics from “education” in the back seat and run frantically and follow the mob .
I have no different views than all the above .. the need to sacrifice does not come easily to any of us, thus our generation needs a guided, open vision of a better tomorrow. We do have tendencies to be frantic and still be called educated but this should not be put as a ‘tainted’ , instead should be utilized for constructive work or action oriented press. The polity of being in power is the worst enemy in disguise which repeatedly hurts the common man at all levels whether one is educated or not, thus an effort to slowly dilute the power hunger might be a possibility… right?
-onwards
I am from Telangana and given the political context I don’t care much about the statues because they can always be rebuilt and you wouldn’t even notice. But it is astonishing to know that people give more importance to statues than the aspirations of a majority of 4 crore Telangana people.
Sampath, where does the question of more or less importance arise? You seem to have completely ruled out the possibility that the same person might both be sympathetic to the movement and aspirations of people and lament the destruction of cultural icons.
Also, how can you decide on your own that the statues would not be noticed? Some of us in Telangana seem to have become history enthusiasts all of a sudden. Those of us who cared for history and culture even before the movement would acknowledge the greatness and importance of the people whose statues were destroyed without a moment’s hesitation. If your argument is that Telangana icons are missing and that justifies destroying those that are there, my response is here: https://yemanna.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/anthe-jashuva-anthe/
BTW, nice to hear from you after such a long time. Hope you are doing well and that we meet in a more agreeable situation sometime soon :).