The recent decision by the Central government on Telangana and Hyderabad has created a lot of anxiety among the people of the state. We are seeing a lot of protests and bandhs in Seemandhra regions.
People in Hyderabad from these regions are confused and there is anxiety everywhere. Adding fuel to this are the Telugu News Channels, that conduct some or the other debate everyday, making the issue even more critical and increasing the anxiety among the people.
In this article, we are not going to write on the needs of people in Seemandhra, instead we will discuss on the genuine needs and constraints of ‘good Seemandhra migrants’ in Hyderabad and the ways to address them.
Who are good migrants
Now you may ask who are these good seemandhra people? They were well-run traditional and professional business owners, private employees who add value to the existing economy, culture and cosmopolitan nature of the city. They are the people who mix up with Hyderabadi culture and have good association with the city and its people. They do their part to develop the city.
Here are some examples – Andhra tea stalls, Andhra sweets shops, restaurants offering Andhra Biryani, etc (they all add variety of food). There are many employees in private companies where these people are high performers. When we really asked these people about their concerns, they said clearly they have none.
There is another set of people from Seemandhra, who came to Hyderabad with mercenary attitudes. They are the people who want to exploit the city and its infrastructure. They just came to Hyderabad for material benefit. They don’t have any positive association with city. They make money here, live here, want their kids to be in city schools/colleges but still think they are not part of the city.
After migrating to the city, even after spending some decent number of years by leveraging the opportunity the city offered, still they do not establish a connection with it. They often feel foreign about the land.
Good migrants add value to the city
Coming back to the main topic, after bifurcation no matter what the government policies are, we Hyderabadi’s, need to support the needs of good migrant people from Seemandhra who really add value to the city.
Migrations are not new to Hyderabad
One thing we need to remember here is migrations to Hyderabad are not new. The city developed a cosmopolitan nature due to the presence of people from various regions and cultures – Maharastrians, Kannadians, Keralites and some people from abroad are part of Hyderabad culture. While a few of them came to Hyderabad some centuries back, others came a few decades back and became part of its culture.
How to support good migrants?
In terms of supporting the needs of seemandhra people, employers, educational institutions and especially every educated Hyderabadi has a role to play.
- Even post bifurcation we can still find people looking forward to work in private firms in the city. So, for them and also for the existing employees opportunities must be provided the same way as they were before separation – based on merit. An environment should prevail in such a way that people with right intentions and potential feel comfortable to work.
- No discriminations should be created based on region or accent of the language they speak.
- Similarly, when it comes to schools/colleges managements should make sure that hatred is not infused in the students of the two regions. Students from Seemandhra should not feel insecure while studying in the city. (Remember, we never saw this in good Hyderabad schools/colleges – so don’t make it an issue).
There is nothing to worry about for the well settled migrants in the city. They still belong to the city and continue to live as usual.
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Educated Middle Class Professionals in Hyderabad Will Be by and Large Unaffected by Telangana Decision