Hyderabad –Telangana Issue

Introduction - Telangana Issue 

The struggle for self-determination for Telangana has lasted since 1947, ever since Indian independence. A major princely state of India which has issues similar to those of Kashmir is Hyderabad. Their fate too was undecided. The ruler wanted to remain independent, but faced immense pressure from India. The Nizam made a series of bad decisions, leaving behind peculiar problems. The question was whether Telangana should become part of Vishal Andhra, a bigger state. The idea was never Telangana separating from India, it was Telangana separating from Andhra Pradesh. Telangana was merged with Andhra against popular vote. This separation was not like the creation of Jharkhand or Chattisgarh wherein separation came after a struggle against a pre-existing state for newly emerged grievances. This region was always wanting to be independent. They were clubbed against as one against their view, and they chose to reverse that action. 

Telangana in 2014 became India’s newest state. The princely state of Hyderabad defines what Telangana is today. This state does not have a coastline, it is landlocked, within India. Even If they would have voted to join Pakistan, they would never have been able to make that materialize. Hence that option was ruled out. 

Linguistic Re-Organisation 

Since the 1700’s, Hyderabad had been ruled by The Nizams. The formal language of instruction here at that point was Telegu/Urdu. Nobody spoke English. British influence was minimum, and the government people were answerable to was that of the Nizam’s and not Britishers. In 1956 a committee called the states reorganisation committee was set up, and they treid to understand how to divide states on the basis of language. The second most spoken language of India was [and is] Telegu. Telegu people occupied a large part of the deccan region. [It used to be Bengali/Punjabi before partition but then a signification linguistic area went to Pakistan.] 

The area outside Hyderabad – the rest of Andhra was run by a British Consulate in Madras. Hence these sectors had access to English, education, and lived a very different life from that within Hyderabad.  [Even today after separation, a new capital is supposed to come up for Andhra but the probability is low.]

The Hyderabad Issue 

The nizam is Mir Osman Ali, and he is invited to several conferences by Lord MBt. About the discussion of princely states, but like Kashmir, he chose not to comply. He was adamant on not ceding to India. The Indian govt. did not want to take any chances. In the middle of the country you cannot already have secession. From August 1947 – he tries to make 3 visits to the Nizam, and tells him to solve this ASAP. The nizam signs a standstill agreement with India. He promises not yo cede to Pakistan but needs time to join India. This is a mirror image of what Hari Singh signed with Pakistan and then backstabbed. The time Osman wanted was 10 years. This is obviously stupid. India gives him 4 months. 

Trouble Begins in Hyderabad 

As 1947 ends, India starts seeing troubling developments in Hyderabad. This is that there is an armed insurgency taking place in the state. The nizam had two people who yielded immense power in Hyderabad. PM Layak Ali and Qasam Rizvi who was the head of an organisation looking at land owners/zamindars. In Hyderabad they were called the Razzakars. Rizvi was a Razzakar union leader. He used to make fiery speeches. He realized that India was getting panicky about the whole situation. He in fact declared that Hyderabad may stab India in the back. Layak Ali adds to the same by saying if India pushes us too far, we will start slaughtering Hindus in Hyderabad. Hindu’s will react in revenge. If India wants to try to take away our autonomy, we will burn them from within. These are dangerous threats.  These two were looked at as trouble makers, and Sardar Patel says HOW DANGEROUS such behaviour is. He calls them the Frankenstein Monsters. 

The fears start coming true because pictures start emerging where the Razzakars are organizing ethnic cleansing. They were creating communal disharmony. These scars would take time to heal. The communist party of India says keep religion aside. Re-allocate land, and give the tenants more power. By December 1947 – planes are coming to Hyderabad. These have to cross Indian air space, and they are not coming from Pakistan. The Nizam has sent money to Pakistan, and India’s fear is that this is for money. These planed come from the South Pacific. India decides to have these airplanes checked at Vishakapatnam. The first planed carried food supplies. Some also carry soldier vests. Why would they want that? Are they preparing for a war? Then the planes stop. At this point the Indian army is still battling in Kashmir and controlling riots in Punjab and Bengal. 

The Situation Worsens 

By January 1928, helicopters start coming in. intercepting these is difficult. These helicopters are also unmarked. India landed a couple, and this had Cargo had rocket launchers. There are bills which have to be paid for. Weapons are coming from a man by the name Sidney Cotton – a freehand weapon supplier. During WW2 – the British and American forces had liberated Philippines and lefts 1000’s of tonnes of weapons here. He managed to get his hands on the same and started supplying. These are WW2 supplies, even better than the Indian army. This was spelling trouble. 

The Indian Army Invades 

By April 1948, it becomes clear that Hyderabad needs to be brought of using a Military Invasion. India attacks defeat Hyderabad in 5 days. India over estimated his forces too much. India thought they had an army of his own + Razzakars. However there was no trained army, just Razzakars. These were landlords at the end of the day, and were not trained. India suffered 3 casualties and the Nizam 10,000. 17 september, Hyderabad signs an unconditional surrender, 5 days after the way. The Nizam escapes to Pakistan. 

India faces a problem as to what to do with this part of the country. How does one rule/control this place. They have been ruled for 300 years by a Monarch. They don’t know democracy, administration, bureaucracy etc. The net settlement saw no resistance. Hyderabad surrendered without anything. Problems didn’t really end. Bureaucrats from Madras and Bombay are given charge to handle Hyderabad to get it in sync with the rest of India. 

Telangana Clubbed with Andhra in Re-organisation 

The States Reorganisation Commission is set up in 1953. Before this there were British Consulates, sans any states as such. The SRC travels around the country documenting language and documents. They have to divide India in terms of Language, not dialects. Telegu being the 2nd most spoken language, the SRC gives a suggestion. To rule Telangana and Andhra separately whereas both have the same language, that rift will always remain. The region of Telangana [The Then Hyderabad] has no exposure to English. Hyderabad/Telangana however do not want to join anybody and want to remain independent. Andhra however wanted Hyderabad to be a part of it. They are also putting forward their views more aggressively. The commission says – lets have a 10 year merger and see, otherwise Telangana can go its own way. However Nehru says that like marriage with a divorce Clause. 

1956 – when the states are being reorganized, Telangana/Hyderabad is told you are being merged for trial till 1970. The govt hope that 2 5 year plans would improve situation. Otherwise, they could pull out. The 1970 pull out however was a gentleman’s agreement and was never put on paper. On arrival on 1970 – nobody wants to act on this, and the protests start. Hence, Telangana wanting to go back to its original state isn’t a secessionist movement. 

Telangana feels that they have been treated unjustly and a major water crisis in this area has driven more despair. 

Discussion On The Separation Of Telangana As  A New State 

Vishal Andhra wasn’t working out for Telangana, and they felt highly ignored being a part of this larger scheme of things. The ground reality is that the central government has ignored Telangana. Hyderabad is the oasis, and a lot of efforts have been centred around here. The city of Hyderabad is doing well, but the districts of Telangana are far far behind. A bifurcation of this state in 2014 has given many recommendations– two states, develop own capitals in due course of time and Hyderabad becomes  UT so that it gets better funds which do not get diverted to the rest of the states. Most of Telangana’s GDP comes from Hyderabad. This is why Hyderabad feels it in unfair that it has to earn for the whole state. Another suggestion has been division into coastal and Seem Andhra etc.