Why 35 lakh Hyderabadis are not celebrating

Vicky Nanjappa / Rediff.com, who has widely covered the Telangana statehood demand, reports from Ground Zero as India’s 29th state is born amid cheer, hope and some insecurities.

People in India’s newest state Telangana may be celebrating. But 35 lakh residents of state capital Hyderabad, who hail from the Seema-Andhra region, life seems to have become “different”.

These people have lived in Hyderabad for decades and their feelings or sentiments cannot precede the reality that they cannot just pack up and leave.

Raghuram Reddy, a banker, has been living in Hyderabad for nearly 40 years now. 

Originally from Kadapa district, his family moved to Hyderabad decades ago. 

Reddy told rediff.com, “It feels somewhat different. We feel we are from another state today. The people of Telangana have not been discriminatory, but the kind of statements being made by some has led some amount of insecurity.”

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Sundar Rao, who runs a small business in Hyderabad, says that technically nothing has changed.

“I woke up this morning (Monday) and went to work. The only difference I found is that the streets are filled with festivities. There is nothing for us to worry about. Don't people live in other states? It is the same for us too,” he says, adding, “false propaganda will be spread, but there is nothing for us to fear.”

Housewife Malathi feels that she and her family have become outsiders today.

“Hyderabad has been my home. It may be a joint capital, but then it is just temporary. Ten years from now it will belong to Telangana. Seema-Andhra, I am told, will have its own capital in less than two years. But can we just pack up and leave? That will not be possible,” she says. 

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In the Muslim-dominated Old City, the problem is entirely different.

They are originally from Telangana, but their insecurity stems from the fact that the law and order will be under the Centre’s control.

As per the Bill, the law and order in Hyderabad will be under the control of the Centre for ten years.

However, K T Rama Rao, who has now been sworn in as a cabinet minister, says that the fears of the minority community are overrated.

“We are all Telugu brothers and will live as one. Who has said that the Seema-Andhra people will be under threat? The TRS has made it very clear that the problem would be for those who have sought government jobs with fake certificates and also those who have grabbed land illegally. The Muslims also do not need to worry about the law and order being under the control of the Centre,” he says

“As per the Constitution law and order is a state subject and we are capable of handling that. The Centre will not interfere as they will not find any reason to,” he adds.