As the Congress held high-level discussions to find a solution to the long-pending Telangana state demand, all kinds of baseless arguments were put forth by vested interests to deny the region’s people. Like, if Telangana state is formed, it might trigger many more such demands leading to the disintegration of the country. This argument is not supported by facts. After the first States Reorganisation in 1956, another 14 states have been created. Their formation has hardly given rise to any new demands for separate statehood.
Some others have argued that the bifurcation would lead to an increase in Naxal activities. The Naxalite movement has nothing to do with the separate state movement. It has its own dynamics. In Andhra Pradesh, Naxalism emerged in the 1970s, a time when the landlords had firm control over the villages. Over time, many changes have occurred in rural society. The landlords are no longer a force to reckon with. Also, state institutions are now accessible to the weaker sections, which has gone a long way in securing justice for...
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