The Srikrishna Committee report. So, what’s the deal?

By Praveen Dwivedi -
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Before you read this article, I suggest you to read this one (Its an unbiased one which deals with the facts till 31st of December 2010). The following one is going to have my own views and at the end I’ll mention what you’ll have to remember for your CLAT.

As planned, Justice B N Srikrishna Committee (SKC) submitted his report on its deadline, 31st December, 2010 to the Home Minister P Chidambaram. A retired judge of the Supreme Court, a person who headed committees of inquiries like Madras High Court Riots and Bombay Riots and a person who is known as one of the most fair and un-corrupted judges, Justice Srikrishna, has ended up giving a mal juicio by trying to satisfying both the parties and eventually failing to do so. The Srikrishna committee, which has been established to inquire about the demand of separate state of Telangana in February, gave the following six ways to deal with the issue. The present state of Andhra Pradesh consists of three regions: Telangana (literally; Telugu land), Rayalseema and Coastal Andhra. The only common denominator is the language, i.e Telugu.

  1. Maintenance of status quo. The committee commented that this is the least practicable option as there has been injustice happening to the region of Telangana since the last 55 years.
  2. Bifurcation of state into Seemandhra & Telangana, with Hyderabad as Union Territory. The committee said that this would not be a feasible option. Carving Hyderabad out of Telangana would deteriorate and worsen the development of Telangana.
  3. Bifurcation of state into Rayala-Telangana and Coastal Andhra with Hyderabad as an integral part of Rayala Telangana. This means that Rayalaseema, a region with 4 districts would join Telangana instead of Andhra. The Srikrishna committee added that this option would not be acceptable to the people of any region (only God knows why it has been mentioned).
  4. Bifurcation of state into Seemandhra and Telangana, with enlarged Hyderabad Metropolis as UT. The committee remained mum on this point. However, they did say that in option 2 that making Hyderabad UT would be the least feasible option.
  5. Bifurcation of state into Seemandhra and Telangana with Hyderabad as capital of Telangana & Seemandhra until new capital for Seemandhra is built. This is the option which has been demanded by all the people of Telangana since the past 42 years. However, the committee marked this one as the second best option.
  6. Keeping the state united, by providing Constitutional/statutory measures for socio-economic development and political empowerment of Telangana by creating of statutorily empowered Telangana Regional Council. The committee expects something which hasn’t happened in the past 42 years to happen now and they mark this as the best option (which goes against the demand of all the Telangana people). The committee failed to take note of the fact that the Gentlemen’s Agreement made in 1969 has been grossly violated by the Seemandhra legislators. And now, all of a sudden, they expect the region of Telangana develop while the Seemandhra legistors continue to rule.

Things to Remember for your CLAT

  1. The official name of the committee is “Committee for Consultations on The Situation in Andhra Pradesh”.
  2. The following are the members of the Committee :
  • Justice B N Srikrishna, Former Judge of Supreme Court of India
  • Vinod Kumar Duggal, IAS(Retd.), Former Home Secretary, Government of India
  • Prof Ranbir Singh, Founding Vice Chancellor of NALSAR and NLU Delhi, The Present VC of NLU D
  • Dr. Abusaleh Shariff, Chief Economist, National Council of Applied Economic Research
  • Prof Ravinder Kaur, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Delhi

By : Mohammad Asadulla Shareef (Asad)

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

42 COMMENTS

  1. I don’t get the point they’re trying to drive home. Why suggest measures you know won’t do? And besides, what is the big deal in bifurcating Andhra? It’s not like they’re refusing to be under the head of the Indian sovereign!
    And what’s with this *ugly* black and white wire background? It’s depressing and scary. Go for something colourful you guys! Cheers!

  2. I certainly hope I’m not sounding out of context.
    But let’s look at it this way – when the Holocaust happened, everyone said: “Never again!” Yet, genocides happened again and again in Bosnia, Rwanda…you name it.
    When Partition happened, everyone said: “Never again!” Yet, people are still demanding further, and yet further bifurcation.
    If Telangana is given, Gorkhaland, Harit Pradesh and everything else will soon come into aggressive action. Is fragmentation to be the solution, then?

    • Padmini, how is creation of states similar to the partition? Besides, aren’t we already fragmented? Divided by language all over the country? How do you explain that?

      Telangana was already a state which was forcefully merged so that people in the Andhra region could “benefit” from Hyderabad’s already developed infrastructure and institutions.

      • Yes, your article makes that clear. It’s well written.
        We’re already very divided already. That’s what I’m saying. We keep breaking up more and more, and then what happens to national integrity?

  3. I need more on-ground info on the issue, Asad. I really don’t understand how a separate state, comprising of the Telangana districts will help solve the problem. Since it will not automatically create resources/education/jobs/awareness.
    Again I say, I don’t understand, so I’m asking.
    And I have a few views of mine, which shouldn’t be completely incorrect.

    Accha, another question for you- What would you call the Kashmir issue-social-political-economic-partisan?

    *Let’s not discuss here, since it’ll only mean straying away from the topic, but on my mail(subject to your time availability).

    • Paaras,

      Your assumption is wrong. First, this is not creating a “new state”, it is giving back the “old state”. Second, Hyderabad generates a major chunk of the resources, HYD stays in Telangana, and since there are fewer districts, there will be better development.

      Second, even if we take the development argument, TG hasn’t really seen any development since its merger, in fact, it was the only state that was a surplus state back in the day, not it is a deficit territory because the resources have been diverted. There has been no “resources/education/jobs/ “awareness” anyway, give us the state, and we’ll manage all of it on our own, if we don’t – at least we don’t have anyone else to blame.

      I don’t know Asad’s opinion on Kashmir – but Kashmir’s issue is territorial and cultural. For me, India & Pakistan – both are imperialist, but TG is different, very different from J&K.

  6. But then don’t you think it is a wiser choice to first prepare a plan of action and then agitate(obviously for genuine reasons) ? Will it not provide a much more solid ground to validate the demand, in the eyes of those who will make the decision, finally?
    Also, the Kashmir and Telangana issue, as you say, are quite different, but there seems to be little difference from what people see, since it merely projects as a few handful trying to mobilise the masses for achieving their end, in the absence of a clear plan of action.
    Also, the oppression faced by people, over the decades, is another similarity, apart from both having been projected(as outside people see it) as mere political issues.

    • Paaras, we have been agitating since 42 years. Almost the whole local media here is controlled by the Coastal Andhra capitalists and they never broadcast the atrocities and the level of agitation which is going on in Telangana. I agree that a plan has to be created, but its not easy to have an action plan for 4 crores of people.. There is no one group which is demanding the state. Some tens and hundreds or groups are doing and these groups in themselves have differences amongst them. Hence, its not possible to have a common plan of action.

      And regarding Kashmir, I say we shouldn’t relate this to Kashmir. Though they have a few similarities, they are two different issues!

      • Exactly my point !
        This is precisely the reason why an action plan should be devised, to show, that this isn’t merely an attempt by the few(ministers obviously) to carve out a state merely to gain power there, and then be able to fulfil their personal agenda.
        I do hope that the sensible few, like you guys, can do something of the sort, and therefore knock some (common)sense into the decision makers.
        The people deserve it.

        • Yes, the people deserve it. and whom do we show that to? .. There have been meetings by Student Unions in which around 10-15 lac people attended. And recently on 16th of December 2010, there has been a meeting called MAHA GARJANA in which some 27 lac people attended. I think this is enough of a sign to everyone that Telangana’s people need Telangana. And the agitation is at the peak right now. Lets just hope the state is carved out…

          • @Asad: What next, after the state is carved out? As in, what would be the benefits vis-s-vis before the creation of the state?

            • Lots of benifits. Firstly, we would have sufficient water for ourselves. Its a convention that if a river is flowing from one state to the other, the first state should satisfy its water needs and leave the extra water to the next one. So, we get more dams and projects to supply enough water for drinking and agricultural purposes. Secondly, the Telangana people will get 3 lac Govt jobs. That means, 3 lac families would get livelihood. Thirdly, there is going to be some 20 thousand crores of surplus every year. (Hyd has loads of revenue). This surplus will be used to develop the backward regions of Telangana. So on and on…

            • I see. Actually, I sit in the north-east. Disruption and blasts and killings in the name of secession and nationalism are a part of the daily headlines here. Hence, any attempt leading to separatism tends to leave me wary.Obviously the Telangana context is different. Thanks for the write-up, it did clear a lot of cobwebs.

  7. I see.
    Actually, I sit in the north-east. Disruption and blasts and killings in the name of secession and nationalism are a part of the daily headlines here. Hence, any attempt leading to separatism tends to leave me wary.
    Obviously the Telangana context is different. Thanks for the write-up, it did clear a lot of cobwebs.

    • The north-east terrorists have lost their agenda in their attempts to drug-deal and smuggle arms.
      And today, there’s virtually no group that enjoys popular public support.
      Which place, you?

      • I have to disagree.
        You must have heard about the infamous insurgent leader who was released recently. He was treated like a long lost prodigal hero. People were cheering him on. Flags of his organisation were fluttering (before the govt. banned that!).
        And look at Manipur. Nagaland.
        Just because mainstream media doesn’t cover it much, it does not mean terrorism has vanished from the north-east.
        I’m from Guwahati, safer than most, but yet not 100% risk free.
        Case in point, October 30, 2008.

        • I have to disagree as well.
          I’ve stayed in Guwahati and Phulbari, and Dhekiajuli.
          I’ll address it point-wise.
          ULFA. When I say popular support, I mean support by the masses. I saw all that all right. the flags, etc.
          There are still people who support it. But the support has lessened considerably, esp after attacks that have led to civilian deaths, and attacks on schools.
          The people who were out with banners constitute not a very big part of the public. I used the word ‘virtually’. This case is an exception.
          Another reason why the ULFA has lost ground is due to links with the ISI, with some reports suggesting that it wages a proxy war for the ISI.

          NSCN(Isak Muvaiah): The groups cadre were feared. They were probably the most feared ever, in terms of skill, ruthlessness, and unrighteousness. But since drug-smuggling and arms smuggling infiltrated, there was little base to show that they were doing what the initial aim was. The group has presently declared ceasefire.

          NDFB: Though they claim to be fighting for the Bodo tribe, most of the members are themselves Christians. The group propagates the use of Roman language, as opposed to what the tribe actually uses-Devanagri.
          Have also been responsible for the killing of a popular Bodo leader.

          Though this doesn’t, to any measure, mean that the people are not discontent. they have been ignored for years. Rebellion raves in their hearts today too.
          My point was only about the present groups.

            • @aymen: I’m not equating.
              The whole point is just about understanding and learning how the two strands are different. Learning, not arguing. I’m keeping my cup empty.
              So, Gorkhaland is viable as well, huh?

              @paaras: I agree, support among masses is less especially after Dhemaji. Nonetheless, the masses do not OPPOSE the group. Sadly, they’re too scared/indifferent. Now, guess what happens next. These groups will start entering politics. You must have come across this statement made a couple of years ago : that no govt. has come to power in the state without the support of the ULFA. No one countered that.
              No wonder that our hon’ble CM is actually getting invited to Bihu festivities by the insurgent group.

          • @paaras: I agree, support among masses is less especially after Dhemaji. Nonetheless, the masses do not OPPOSE the group. Sadly, they’re too scared/indifferent. Now, guess what happens next. These groups will start entering politics. You must have come across this statement made a couple of years ago : that no govt. has come to power in the state without the support of the ULFA. No one countered that. No wonder that our hon’ble CM is actually getting invited to Bihu festivities by the insurgent group.

    • Soon there’ll be a gorkhaland…a TG…a VIdarbha…a Kashmir of ‘Antarctica like sovereignty’…and then there’l be some ‘more Manmohan lines’ for TAR…Arunachal Pradesh will host ‘Beijing Olympics’ and ‘Expo’…Punjab will have its way…and if Punjab gets it going…why should Maldives be far behind ?…

      In the end…the aryans…the dinosaurs..the East India Company…and Chenghiz Khan & co…will leap out of our history n geography books and invade us back again !

  9. A separate people will remain separated. The people of TG have never been “integrated” with the CA people as such. They’ve been living separately in the same state. There is no national integration. Divide the states and let there be self-rule.

  10. The committee failed to take note of the fact that the Gentlemen’s Agreement made in 1969 has been grossly violated by the Seemandhra legislators. And now, all of a sudden, they expect the region of Telangana develop while the Seemandhra legistors continue to rule.

    Can u pls elaborate a bit upon this? I didn’t get it properly..Thanks a lot 😀

    • That is said by the Srikrishna Committee. There are hundreds of factual mistakes in the report that way. This is just one of them.

      See, it has been established that Telangana is backward. Even Anti-Telangana people agree with that. The only dispute is on how to indemnify the loss and develop it. Whether it should be made a separate state or whether it should remain in the same state and be developed? (The latter has been tried several times, for instance in 1969 when Article 371-D was inserted into the Constitution)

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