Coffin of special state status lowered into the grave

When someone promises moon, it’s so soothing. Resplendent and radiant, the moon up there rains its cool, silvery glow on the earth. Amaravathi city, the proposed capital of Andhra Pradesh, is one such moon.

The ruling parties here in Andhra Pradesh and there in New Delhi promised moon. They said rivers of milk and honey flows in the to-be-built city. They promised that it would be city of bountifulness and endless prosperity. They churned out bubbles and bubbles of colourful dreams in the run-up to the 2014 elections. Both the ‘Naidus’ vied with one another to dole out promises and dish out dreams. One went on to become the chief minister, while the other is a key minister at the Centre. Both ludicrously sold mirages to the Andhraites. It has been one year since the division took place and it has been one year they are firmly in the saddle. The promise of special status is not even a distant bleep on the radar.

Now they are glibly saying that special status was ‘mission impossible’ and all that they can offer is a special package. They say even Bihar is not getting the special status and that as a matter of policy, the government is against the spcial status to any state. The NDA government has said it in so many words right in the hallowed parliament. The terse message from Delhi to Andhra Pradesh is “You will have to be on your own!.”

The TDP churned out a Mahishmathi-like VFX-rich Amaravathi in the virtual world and sold this to gullible Telugus in real world. One has to wait and see what the TDP would do now? Will Chandrababu glibly say: “We are disappointed and will meet PM and others. We shall not rest till we achieve special statehood?” Or will he Donne the greasepaint of defiance and say: “Who is this minister? The PM has not said anything on this. His word is final.” One would not be surprised if the leaders tie themselves in verbal knots and take recourse to word play.

The leaders holding flags of both Yellow and Saffron varieties are adept in molly-cuddling the gullible people with false promises. It remains to be seen what those who exchanged scarves and held their hands high at rallies will do now. Will it be somersault or contortionist pose this time around?

Everyone knows how Naidu garu, who promised loan waiver saying he is experienced enough to pool up resources for writing off loans, turned the loan waiver into a farce of the first order. The growing suicides of farmers tell the tale of betrayal and farcical reneging.

There are excuses and excuses. “The loan waiver promise was made when AP was united. Now the state is divided and we do not have resources to waive the loans,” cries the leader. But, he did not mind splurging a whopping Rs 1600 crore for Godavari Pushkarams. One thing is clear. The government is poor when it suits it and rich when it needs to. Some people for sure have come above the poverty line thanks to Pushkarams. The unfortunate persons, whose lives were snuffed out in the stampede at Pushkar Ghat, stand testimony to it.

The powers that be are brazen. They are utterly unconcerned. They know the newspapers scream from roof tops and the TV screens tear themselves apart over the issue of special status. They know the Opposition would stage dharnas and protests. But, the ruling party can always go on the offensive and sidestep the issue. Meanwhile, there would be another issue, another controversy and the public at large would slip into amnesia.

One can be sure that there wouldn’t be any rumbling even when the coffin of special state status is lowered into the grave No one is going to raise his voice. Only meek and token noises will be made because no one is really interested in special status.

These people will now weave tales of Amaravathi. The virtual images of verdant parks, glass buildings, metros, sky buses, expressways and ilk will be doled out to soothe one into slumber.

How will AP, a poor state, will get the resources to build a capital city of this order? Will anyone build it for free for us? Of course, nothing to worry. ‘He’ has the ‘experience’ and will do it!!

Gopinath Reddy