The recent flow of events in the national capital and the union government’s cabinet meetings has revealed that the creation of a separate Telangana carved out from Andhra Pradesh is all but inevitable. The entire nation has witnessed how the students across various universities in the Telangana region stood up for their demand of statehood assisted by flamboyantly aggressive shows of anger and rage. This is not an isolated instance but the reality lies much deeper inside the turmoil as it is with the help of these students that the dream of Telangana’s statehood is soon turning into reality.
Why students behind the cause?
The root of the conflict lies in the unequal division of academic and professional opportunities between the students of coastal Andhra region and Telangana. The students sulking with feelings of betrayal feel that since they hail from Telangana, they are not given equal opportunities like their Andhra counterparts. Instances are there where lesser experienced Andhra citizens get quality government jobs while highly educated youth from Telangana stay jobless for ages. Students feel that such steps are intentional to keep the masses and the region of Telangana in a persistently laggard state. Undercurrents of vengeance are flowing deep in their veins that have retaliated back in the form of a separate statehood demand in order to get a chance to uphold their rights and exercise their freedom.
How effective have been the students
The students have actively participated in the claim of a separate Telangana state since the year 1969. They not only participated in the movement but they took a bold and resistant stance in the cause while leading from the forefront in many cases. The student leaders have been so active in their cause that the decision by TRS leader K C Rao to go on a hunger strike demanding the statehood status was fuelled by their resolute and defiant movement. Their activities have even drawn appraisal from political leaders who have given the student leaders a large share of the credit behind the creation of Telangana. They have positively cashed in to the concept that strength lies in numbers and followed in line with the quote.
What lies next for the students?
The student leaders have often fought the Telangana movement from the forefront anf thus many of them have become household names and easily recognizable faces. With their newly created political identity, many in the leadership of Telangana’s student’s youth brigade want to build on to that image. A few days back, the student leaders who fought political elections did so with the assistance of well established parties like BJP, TRS or INC but now they want to create a new space altogether for themselves by forming parties of their own. They wish to fight elections on their own and carry on with the good work they intend to do in the newly formed state.
Telangana’s benefits from the students
In the coming days, just like before, Telangana can bank upon its student force to bring new reforms and restructuring in the academic, professional, social, cultural and demographic spheres. Eradication of biasness and inequality, restoration of culture and heritage of the region, development of infrastructure and improvement of livelihood are some of the changes the state can expect from the students working for a better tomorrow for the residents of Telangana.