The Telangana protagonist tells INN the reasons for the formation of a separate political entity.
Vithal Rao, more well known as Balladeer Gadar, had recently announced his own political outfit, the Telangana Praja Front. The Telangana protagonist tells INN the reasons for the formation of a separate political entity, and how this entity is different from the many parties fighting for Telangana, in an exclusive interview.
Q: What is the rationale behind launching your own political party?
A: Telangana Praja Front is not a political party, it is a Front. It is the heartbeat of 4 crore Telanganaites, their desire, their aspiration. I am a Balladeer, and the Front is a platform for me to give voice to these desires, these aspirations of the Telanganaites. I am 64 now, and for the past 40 years, I have lent my voice to the heartbeat of the people, hoping that my message would be heard. This, sadly, is not the case. The Front is a different body, in the sense that it is political, yet not so.
I plan to approach the various Joint Action Committees and elicit their opinions on how to take the Telangana movement forward.
Q: You said that you are 64. Why enter the political arena at this age? Especially in light of the fact that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi is fighting for a separate Telangana state?
A: The politics of Telangana Rashtra Samithi start and end on the voting day. The TRS is using the public sentiment as a vote bank - quitting one party, then forming the TRS, and then allying with the Congress in 2004; later joining the Union Cabinet, and then sensing that the TRS hype was diminishing, leaving the Union Cabinet and joining the 'Mahakutami' in 2009, especially after the TDP's anti-Telangana statehood stance; never raising the issue in Parliament, and maintaining silence as soon as a political issue is resolved in a manner which gains personally.
I am a singer first and foremost, and I have given my entire life fighting for Telangana. I will give the rest of it for its sake, gladly.
My aim is to build so much pressure on the government that it gives in to the separate statehood demand before the Srikrishna Committee files it Report by December 31. If a separate state is formed before the year-end, then the people will be saved from a lot of trouble and turmoil.
Q: Why form a separate political party when the Congress leaders from Telangana are working day and night for the creation of a separate State? Do you not have enough trust in these efforts?
A: I have a strong reason for my mistrust of the Congress leaders. My mistrust has a history. After the Independence of the country, at the time of Jawaharlal Nehru, the Fazal Ali Commission had submitted a Report which strongly advocated the need for a separate Telangana State and advised the then government to give in to the aspirations of the people.
The then Congress government, which had the power to create the separate State, chose not to accept the recommendations of the Fazal Ali Commission's Report. They 'softened' the issue and let it go by.
Indira Gandhi is called by some people of India as the 'Rani of India'. She enjoyed amazing powers during the days of her prime ministership. She could have solved the issue easily, but she too also neglected the genuine aspirations of the Telangana people.
The present Telangana MPs have not raised their voice in favour of a separate state in Parliament even once. Not one of these MPs from the region has ever raised the issue in Parliament. How long could we go on trusting these leaders? We have lost faith in their dedication to Telangana.
The people of the region have been struggling for the creation of a separate State, and these leaders are taking advantage of the peoples' struggle. At the end of the day, they have left it to 'Amma' in New Delhi and say, "Amma, the issue is now in your hands,; if you so desire, then please give Telangana."
Q: Members of TDP and the BJP are also fighting for Telangana. Do you also not trust them?
A: The BJP-led NDA government had created smaller states during its rule at the Centre but did not create Telangana. The reason behind this was simple. The NDA government relied on the TDP to survive in power.
The TDP is anti-Telangana, even if its leaders do not say this in so many words. If the NDA government had started the process for the creation of Telangana, the TDP would have withdrawn support. This was a chance the NDA government was reluctant to take.
Q: You have vowed not to return home from the date of formally finalising the Front's constitution till a separate Telangana state is achieved. What is the rationale behind this decision?
A: My life till now has been dedicated to Telangana and its people. Whatever life I have left, I want to dedicate to the region since I have no other goal in life.
Q: There have been rumours floating that your Front was formed with the backing of ruling party, to weaken the TRS. How far are these rumours true?
A (with a smile):- There is no truth to these rumours. My only goal is Telangana and its well-being.
Courtesy: INN