A recent tweet by former Union Minister and current General Secretary in-charge Communications, Indian National Congress, Jairam Ramesh set thousands of true-blue Telugu tongues wagging across the states of Andhra and Telangana. Many cracked jokes, on the bloated, self-image of the Congress, implying itself to be trustworthy and reliable. He had tweeted that even though Indira Gandhi and NT Rama Rao were bitter rivals politically, she invited him to be present at Sriharikota after the launch of the SLV-3-D2 in April 1983. He quoted this from a book by Ved Prakash Sandlas titled, “The Leapfroggers”.
They were bitter political rivals, but Indira Gandhi invited N.T. Rama Rao to be present at Sriharikota after the successful launch of the SLV-3-D2 on April 17 1983. This is from Ved Prakash Sandlas' 2018 classic, ‘The Leapfroggers’. pic.twitter.com/dtRxanmyqF
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 29, 2023
Many argue this hasn’t been the case since Nehru and his family took over the reins of the party in the post-Independence years, taking away its credibility after sidelining Gandhi, Vallabhbhai Patel, Ambedkar, and many other tall leaders of the pre-Independence era.
A South Indian state that took the brunt of the Congress party’s deceptive politicking and suffered because of its subservient local political leaders, was Andhra Pradesh which lagged behind the other South Indian states for a long time, in terms of per capita income, education standards, the standard of living, job creation, job opportunities, and industrialisation.
Andhra was the one South Indian state that the central Congress leadership could always count on for votes in return for personal favours to its self-centred local leaders. The people of Andhra had no strong political opposition/political will in the state and even when a handful of thinkers did take a stand on important matters, the shrewd local and central Congress politicians would engineer a coup or create conditions in which sincere intentions for the welfare of the state could never be fulfilled.
The Congress party reaped rich dividends from a state it exploited heavily – politically, socially, and economically. It took undue advantage of a state that asked little to nothing in return for voting it to power, the most number of times in the South. Yet, ironically, this ungrateful party enabled the split of the larger state into Andhra and Telangana for its own selfish electoral gains and perceived electoral advantages. To the party’s surprise, the Telugu people have finally woken up to the truth of the party and have rejected it in both states over the last decade. The bitter fruits of its ill intentions/improper decisions for the Telugu states seem to have finally caught up with the Congress party.
The strong reaction of the Telugu people to Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh’s recent tweet implying his party’s supposed goodwill and actions towards the Telugu people, is a clear indication of the common man’s mistrust of the Congress party in the Telugu states and the people’s lack of respect for the party’s biased decisions and actions in the Telugu states. The people have plenty of questions for the party and called out its blatant half-truths taken out of context! They questioned the information stated in Jairam Ramesh’s tweet and applauded the fact-based information stated in the BJP’s (Amit Malviya) tweet, which was a firm reply to the earlier Congress tweet.
Here is a list of facts, indicative of the Congress’s disgraceful and distasteful treatment of the aspirations of the Telugu people, its opportunistic attitude towards the larger, united state of Andhra Pradesh, and its politically motivated role in the bifurcation of the state into Telangana and Andhra.
1. Potti Sreeramulu’s Hunger Strike And Tragic Passing – 1950s: Potti Sreeramulu, known for his association with Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggle, embarked on a hunger strike in 1952, seeking a separate Telugu-speaking state. The Congress government initially ignored his protest but eventually relented, albeit with significant delays. Unfortunately, Sreeramulu lost his life during the fast. It’s worth noting that Prime Minister Nehru’s announcement of a separate Andhra Pradesh came three days after Sreeramulu’s passing, leaving questions about whether prompt action might have saved his life.
2. Deception Against Neelam Sanjiva Reddy – 1969: The year 1969 witnessed a significant incident where the Congress, led by Indira Gandhi, displayed a lack of regard for Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, a prominent figure from Andhra Pradesh. Despite Indira Gandhi’s initial support and even accompanying Reddy during his presidential nomination filing, she later tacitly encouraged Congress members to vote against him, resulting in his defeat, a clear case of political deception.
3. The Era Of Instability – 1950s to 1980s: The Congress party’s practice of frequently changing state leadership, often without regard for stability or public aspirations, was evident in Andhra Pradesh from 1956 to 1983. During this period, the state witnessed more than ten Chief Ministers, including three in the year 1982 alone.
4. Insult To Tanguturi Anjaiah By Rajiv Gandhi – 1982: In 1982, Rajiv Gandhi, who had recently assumed the role of Congress General Secretary, publicly humiliated Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister T. Anjaiah upon his arrival at Begumpet airport. This incident left Anjaiah visibly upset, underscoring the apparent disregard the Congress party had for Telugu leaders.
5. Betrayal of NTR – 1984: Following his historic electoral victory, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) faced a treacherous move orchestrated by the Congress. This involved his removal from the Chief Minister’s office in a coup led by Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, a member of NTR’s own cabinet. The Indira Gandhi-led government dismissed NTR’s Telugu Desam government, aided by a pliant Governor, triggering a revolt within the regional party. This incident allowed Congress-supported dissidents an opportunity to purchase the allegiance of MLAs before the assembly session, a clear departure from established norms. The sight of an ailing NTR being wheeled to the President, accompanied by 161 supporting MLAs, remains etched in the memory of the Telugu people.
6. Disrespect Towards PV Narasimha Rao – After 1991: The Congress party, particularly its dynastic leadership, appeared to harbor animosity toward individuals outside their family who achieved prominence. PV Narasimha Rao, a grassroots politician who rose to become Prime Minister, initiated critical economic reforms. However, even in death, he faced disrespect from the Sonia Gandhi-led Congress party. His remains were denied entry into the Congress party office for tributes and were turned away on the road. This incident underscored the perceived lack of respect that the Congress had for the Telugu people.
(Shivani is a freelance writer based in Vijayawada)
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