In the last few years there has been a fight between Telangana seekers and Samaikyandhra seekers about Hyderabad. Opinion after opinion says that the primary reason for the lack of resolution is that both seek Hyderabad.
Many long time Hyderabadis are very amused with this situation. As one gentlemen quipped every body wants Hyderabad, but nobody cares about real Hyderabadis.
Well let us define Hyderabadis first: Hyderabad was a state and a capital city. So anyone from Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Gulbarga (Karnataka) and Adilabad (Andhra Pradesh) can claim to be Hyderabadi. We are not using this definition, since brothers and sisters from Telangana and Seemandhra are claiming only the city. So that should clarify on who is Hyderabadi.
Then there is MCH, GHMC and HMDA. Since GHMC was formed in 2007 and HMDA was created in 2008, we can ignore GHMC and HMDA areas, they are living only six years and five years. MCH itself was an amalgamation of several municipalities.
Then there were those who recently came to Hyderabad and set-up their own Narayanas, Chaitanyas, CBITs and GRECTs, since they did not like the standards of cosmopolitans specifically – the lack of importance to caste, swacha Telugu and probably they could not digest that institutions were treating all kids the same.
Then there are those who think after attending Iftar parties, hosted by spending public money, Hyderabad means minority community. Conveniently forgetting that Hyderabad State did not join India until 17th September 1948 that too only after the Indian army did Police action alias ‘Operation Polo’. The then rulers vaulted to Pakistan and anywhere else in the world that accepted their view point or riches.
Also, many people conveniently forget that majority ran away from Old City for fear of life or losing job due to the constant curfews (which professional employer would retain employees who cannot report to work for 2 weeks every year even if it was something they could not control. Curfews came to control the ‘events’ that many believe were orchestrated by Telangana or Seemandhra leaders.
By and large the claims of development has bypassed most Hyderabadis:
- Whether it is for drivers, maid servants, skilled craftsmen – have you seen any social upliftment of their kids. Despite their sacrifices to get their children educated, why did they not get a better life?
- Elderly parents abandoned by Children because all jobs have moved to the outskirts – not an inch made available within centre city for new generation jobs!
- Land owners unable to develop their land because of restrictive clauses in developing in the centre of city while allowing skyscrapers in the outskirts!
- Small time private/government employees who could not sufficiently ‘settle’ their kids despite having access to all advantages of growing in the city.
Just in case, you think these are all lazy – remember each of them was a dynamic person who uprooted themselves from their native place to become a productive member of the city. So they are hardworking, pretty smart and modern people. Was the lack of progress probably due to the environment; where the only metric of development is the rate of increase of prices around the outskirts.
So political parties, stop claiming your love and affection for Hyderabad. What have you done for us Hyderabadi’s all these years? Your craving for taking control of Hyderabad to line your pockets by developing outskirts at the cost of the city centre is so obvious. Wait, wait for this election buddies. People may show these political parties some tough lessons. Enough of nominating ‘Basti’ leaders for MLA/MP tickets so that they will do “attention” or “stand-at-ease” at your will. Hyderabadis may just shake things up for you a bit in the next elections.
You may also like to read:
- Hyderabad – Little Known History
- Painful to See Migrants to Hyderabad with Mercenary Attitudes
- Time for Hyderabad to Protect its Culture – Lessons to Learn from Switzerland