Volume 7, No. 5, May-June, 2006

Several sensational stories continue to fill the pages of newspapers ever since the completion of the AICC session in the third week of January this year, their tenor increasing with every passing day. The district SP of Prakasham even demonstrated before the media audience how blasts can be triggered off from a distance using wireless remotes. Using 10 kg of gelatine packed in a scooter he detonated it and showed how there was no trace of the scooter after the blast. This exercise was meant to convince the media that the Maoists can trigger off blasts anywhere in the state using this sophisticated technology.

Even earlier, there were, of course, stories of how Action Teams set up by the Maoists were planning attacks to create disturbances during the three important programmes that were scheduled in January in Hyderabad—the 93rd Indian Science Congress, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and the 82nd session of the AICC. They spoke of a possible nexus between the Maoists and Pakistan’s ISI. They even alleged that the Maoists had assured the leaders of Islamic organizations in Hyderabad that they would render them all assistance in carrying out "terrorist actions" in the state.

All these stories are being floated by YSR’s police state and the Congress-led imperialist (especially US) stooge government in the Centre only to malign the Maoists, paint them as terrorists having links with the ISI who are planning to create grave insecurity through reckless actions. By doing so, the central and state governments aim at unleashing the most brutal state terror on the Maoists, sympathizers of the revolutionary movement and the revolutionary masses. Going through grave crisis in all spheres and having lost confidence of the people in such a short period after assuming power, the Congress government is bent upon crushing all democratic movements and, like all the preceding governments, has targeted the real opposition to its rule, the CPI(Maoist), so that the democratic movements will be deprived of genuine leadership. Paradoxically, the ministers and police bosses claim day in and day out that the Maoist movement in Andhra Pradesh is finished but at the same time, bring in more security forces, appeal to the Centre to send even more forces and funds, plan to acquire helicopters and pilotless aerial vehicles, and continuously increase their police forces and the crack greyhounds forces. In the first week of February, they announced the setting up of two more greyhounds centres, one in North Andhra and another in Rayalasema. So much is their fear of Maoists even when they are in jail that they kill arrested revolutionaries and their sympathizers instantly.

At the AICC meeting held in Hyderabad in January this year, the Home Minister Shivraj Patil declared that tough measures are being taken to deal with the Naxal "problem" even while his government considered it to be a socio-economic problem. It asked the various state governments to deal with the issue with an iron hand and assured them of all help from the centre. At the meeting of the district SPs, a decision was taken to concentrate on the suppression of the Naxalite movement in the summer season by taking advantage of the thin forest cover during the season. In the first week of February, the chief Minister met the notorious blackmailer David Mulford, the US Ambassador to India, in Delhi and held private conversation with him in strict secrecy. Obviously the discussion between them must have been the question of security for the visit of the international terrorist and butcher George Bush in the first week of March and suppressing the Maoist movement with the advice and assistance from the US imperialists. The DGP too met US officials and held secret parleys just before he left for his 10-day visit to Australia. No wonder, soon after these secret talks with their masters from Washington, the state government commenced its summer offensive in full swing from the first week of February.

In just one week from February 5, the police claimed to have engaged the Maoists in six encounters in Nallamala guerrilla zone in which six Maoists had died. However, fact is that only three of these were real encounters which took place in Prakasham district and one greyhounds constable was seriously injured in one of the encounters while there were no losses in the other two. In a fake encounter staged on February 5th, three Maoists were killed after they were picked up from different places and tortured for two days. Their bodies were thrown near Malakondapenta village in Nallamala forest. Two more were killed in two separate incidents in Guntur district. One deputy commander of the platoon, Bhaskar alias Yalamanda was killed in the Guthikonda forest in Karampudi mandal. On the next day, another militant, Dokka Kotaiah, was arrested and killed near Morjampadu village in Machavaram mandal. Upon getting information about the movement of the PLGA squad, 10 batches of greyhounds, consisting of 40 each, are being swiftly engaged to encircle and wipe out the squad. Combing of the area is going on by selecting one or two pockets and trying to clear them. Helicopters are being used for surveillance. In one incident in Nallamala forest near Rudraram village in Giddalur mandal in Prakasham district on February 8, greyhounds had to turn back after fierce resistance by the PLGA soldiers in which one of the greyhounds constable was seriously injured. They had to airlift him to Hyderabad. It is one of the very few real encounters as almost all the Maoists and Janashakti Naxalites, almost 120 of them, who were killed after YSR took over office, have been victims of fake encounters.

The cold-blooded killings of arrested Naxalites, elimination of leaders of democratic organizations and civil liberties activists, and a reign of terror on the revolutionary masses is imperative for the YSR government notwithstanding their pompous claims in their election manifesto that there would be no fake encounters in future and that a judicial enquiry would be conducted to go into all the fake encounters that took place during the TDP regime. As reported in these columns several times previously, the state of AP had been transformed into a police state at least by the mid-1980s and is continuously being further fascised over the years. Fake encounter killings and suppression of democratic rights of the people had peaked during the reign of Chandrababu Naidu and, barring the brief interregnum during the period of talks from June-December, the situation began to grow even worse since January 2005.

Whether it is YSR or some other ignoramus, whoever might be in power, the crisis-ridden economy in the state and the vice-like grip of the World Bank on the state does not allow much democratic space to the people to express their dissent in real terms. Like a Shylock, the Bank wants its pound of flesh, no matter if thousands die of hunger or commit suicides, and if the democratic rights are trampled underfoot most brutally. And YSR, with his blood-stained factionalist background, like his predecessor Chandrababu Naidu, is a good muscleman for the Shylock. Caught in neck-deep crisis and a series of scandals, YSR’s cabinet naturally depends on the Bank to give the government a breathing space by advancing massive loans. By the time YSR leaves office in another three years, loans would pile up so much that whoever comes to power then would become an even more loyal agent for the Bank. Such is the vicious cycle in which the state is trapped.

Today the situation has become so explosive that every other day we witness people protesting against the anti-people policies of the YSR government and the unfulfilled promises and assurances by the Congress. For instance, in the past two months alone, there were protests by peasants against the move by the government to scrap the free electricity scheme for the rabi season if paddy was sown obviously upon the instruction of the World Bank (however, the government had to step back due to the massive protests). The farmers also rose against the decision of the government to supply the measly 7 hour electricity in two and even four instalments and the struggle is still continuing (it is worthwhile to note that the Congress, in its election manifesto, declared it would ensure 12 hour power supply for irrigation). There are protests against the decision making it mandatory for all farmers to fit capacitors and foot-valves to their pump sets before March 31st, and on several such issues.

The MRPS, representing the Dalit sub-caste of Madigas, threatened to disrupt the AICC session in January if their long-pending demand of classification of reservations for dalits was not met and it was only after the Chief Minister personally assured the leaders of MRPS that it would recommend the issue to the Congress high Command and see that it is passed in the Parliament that their massive rally was withdrawn at the last moment. Dairy milk producers came into the streets against the authoritarian order of the government scrapping the unions on February 4th. Even elected sarpanches, MPTC and ZPTC members clashed with the police when their peaceful procession was lathi-charged causing grievous injuries to many, including several women, on February 2nd; they were demanding that they be given their traditional power to issue checks as it was scrapped by the government through an ordnance (the government had to ultimately backtrack from its decision and was forced to restore the checkpower of the representatives of local bodies on February 15th). Teachers took to the streets in Chittore district and several of them were grievously injured when the police resorted to brutal lathi-charge not leaving even those who had fallen down. The long-dormant student community too went on strikes on several issues in many parts of the state.

And most of the irrigation projects under the much-trumpeted jalayagnam, which boasts of providing irrigation to one crore acres in the state, are caught in deep controversy. Opposition to Polavaram and Pulichintala projects has been growing stronger by the day. Almost all the parties have now joined hands in opposing some of these projects. The CPI, CPI(M), TRS and even the TDP, have undertaken padayatras, meetings, and demonstrations against the Polavaram dam or for decreasing its height. They have also tried to utilize people’s anger against the GO increasing the capacity of Pothireddypadu head regulator.

There were protests throughout the state against the busfare hike announced by the govt on February 7th. News of the government entering into an agreement with Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd for handing over 25,000 acres of prime agricultural land in Nalgonda district for laying the gas-pipeline met massive protest from the affected villages. YSR in Hyderabad and Ambani from Mumbai, hastily denied any such deal as having taken place and tried to reassure the people. The proposed prestigious industrial corridor from Vishakhapatnam to Araku has been facing growing opposition from the people, particularly the adivasis. 10,000 acres in this beautiful tract of land stretching from Vishakhapatnam to Araku, a tourist attraction in the Eastern Ghats, has been handed over to Jindal, the aluminium baron, for mining bauxite.

There are also protests against the plans to extract uranium from Peda Adiserlapalli mandal in Nalgonda district. The hitherto unknown adivasi hamlets of Pedagattu and Nambapur suddenly became news due to the discovery of huge deposits of uranium amounting to 1.12 crore tons. The Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) had asked for the acquisition of 1316 acres of land for extracting and enriching the uranium ore. The mines are said to last for 20 years at the rate of extraction of 1250 tons per day which give 686 kg of enriched uranium. To extract the uranium 22 ½ tons of explosives are required every month. And also 22,50,00 litres of water every day. The uranium project brings disastrous consequences to the Nagarjun Sagar dam situated a few kilometers away and on the people living in the districts of Krishna, Guntur, Prakasham and Khammam. In the past three years three meetings were held by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board to gather public opinion on the issue. In all the three meetings people expressed their strong opposition and apprehensions against the project. Bypassing the feelings of two crore people living in the area under Nagarjun Sagar ayacut the central ministry of forests gave the green signal to the UCIL. People from the region and various states as well as prominent environmentalists and anti-nuclear scientists undertook a padayatra for five days from January 3-7 this year coinciding with the 93rd Indian Science Congress taking place in Hyderabad. Among those who attended the protest march were: nuclear physicist Dr.Surendra Gadekar from Gujarat, Rajan Naidu, a human rights activist from London, Ramakrishna from Citizens for Alternative to Nuclear Energy (CANE), Shukla Sen of the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace from Mumbai, Balagopal from Human Rights Forum, and several activists from all over the country and abroad. Extensive signature campaign was taken up and mass protests against the uranium plant are being planned by the people.

It is interesting to note that it was the same YSR who opposed the uranium plant when he was a leader of the Opposition and had lectured in the Assembly on how dangerous the consequences would be if the extraction was permitted. Just as he went back on every promise made prior to the elections, this hypocrite and double-dealer now finds the uranium plant essential for the progress of the country, no matter if crores of people and animals are affected, and land, water and air are polluted by the radiation!!

The most important of all, the role of the World Bank, is being called into question by various sections of the people who feel cheated and betrayed by the complete reversal of the promises made by the Congress during the elections. They have not forgotten YSR’s vehement attack against the TDP’s sell-out to the World Bank and his promise that, if voted to power, the new government would review all the projects of the World Bank agreed upon by the TDP regime and will not take loans with such humiliating conditions. YSR had not only not reviewed the nature of Bank "aid", but had strengthened the bond with the Bank agreeing to the most humiliating conditions, even surpassing Naidu. He has gone all out to attract the imperialist MNCs and the CBB houses to the state by offering them land, power, water, cheap labour and other incentives.

The major loans taken, or in the process of taking, from the World Bank by the YSR government are: Rs. 3000 crores for the modernization of the Nagarjun Sagar multi-purpose project, Rs.1000 crores for the maintenance and protection of dams, Rs.1200 crores for the development of municipalities, Rs.1600 crores for Economic Restructuring, and several thousand crores for Polavaram and other projects. These are greater than the funds obtained during the 9-year rule of the TDP. The Bank has made it mandatory for the government to implement water reforms if it has to obtain the loans for irrigation projects. The Central Finance Minister and World Bank’s trusted agent, P. Chidambaram, as well as the Bank, had instructed the state government to increase water cess. The Bank had further demanded levying a special water cess on the peasants to meet the expenses for the construction and maintenance of the dams. It had instructed the government to set up a Water Regulatory Commission to supervise the usage of water and implementation of water reforms.

Without even letting out a whimper, the YSR government had agreed to increase the water cess, set up a water regulatory commission, increase the registration fee, and so on. The Water Regulatory Commission will have the authority to supervise the usage of water, collection of user charges and to increase the water cess. The water regulatory commission will come into existence within six months and this is being done secretly fearing opposition from the people. The World Bank wants every drop of water to be assessed and like a Shylock, it wants to squeeze the peasants for the loans that it is advancing for the irrigation projects. The setting up of the Regulatory Commission has been the demand of the Bank for the past 5 or 6 years, but the previous TDP regime had not gone beyond setting up Water Users’ Associations. What CBNaidu hesitated to do, the new agent YSReddy has taken it up prostrating before the feet of the Bank. All the minor, medium and major irrigation projects as well as tanks will come under the supervision of this Commission and the government will abdicate all responsibility of subsidizing the water. There is also a "suggestion" from the Bank that the Commission be given the authority to advise the peasants as to what crops should be grown on which soil. The peasantry will be at the mercy of the Bank and the big Corporate firms that impose user charges for every drop of water used. Water, under YSR, will soon become a high-priced luxury out of reach of the already suffering peasantry in AP.

And in return for the loan sanctioned to the Municipalities, the Bank had ordered the scrapping of the Rent Control Act. Huge "Aid", no doubt, at a huge cost for the people who will be further flattened by the huge burden of debt translating into heavier taxes, cess, tariffs, cuts in subsidies, denial of democratic rights and the very right to life!

The so-called Jalayagnam of the YSR government requires a total amount of almost one lakh crores against the initial projected estimate of Rs.46000 crores. It had allotted Rs.10,000 crores in the past two budgets and promises an equal amount during the current budget and another Rs.30,000 crores in the next two budgets. The jalayagnam, the government claims, is aimed at providing irrigation to one crore acres of land in the state. Obviously it is a pipe dream of the rulers and they are completely dependent on World Bank loans to raise the required funds. And even more obvious is the fact that it has to abide by all the conditions imposed by the Bank such as complete scrapping of the free electricity scheme, increase in power tariff, water cess, busfares, further cuts in subsidies, user charges for health, education etc., closure of local industries, provision of incentives to the entry of MNCs, cutting down staff strength in government departments, RTC, and other corporations, privatization of all and sundry, clamp-down on the strikes ruthlessly, enacting fascist measures to create "Law & Order", suppression of the Maoist movement with an iron hand through cold-blooded murders and suppression of all democratic rights, and so on. And all these measures are being implemented in an aggressive manner by the YSR regime just like the Chandrababu’s regime.

As imperialism needs authoritarianism and fascist rule to implement its policies and increase its loot and superprofits, all democratic norms are given a go bye in the process. YSR virtually runs a one-man dictatorial rule with no consultation in the Assembly or even the state cabinet let alone taking the public opinion on the crucial issues. He had unilaterally taken decision to break the talks process with the Maoists after the first round in October 2004, entered into agreements with the World Bank with regard to the loans related to the Economic Restructuring, allotted contracts to his near and dear ones, Party bigwigs, and those close to the Congress party, and had even met the notorious Mulford after his blackmailing remarks and held secret conversations on how to place the state’s resources at the feet of the US. It is holding secret parleys with the World Bank regarding the third instalment of the loan to the tune of Rs. 1400 crores and has refused to divulge the details of the agreement.

It declared that there would be no free electricity to farmers who sow paddy in the rabi season but had to backtrack only after massive protest by the peasants all over the state. Then it ordered that all the farmers should fit capacitors and footvalves to the pumpsets by March 31st failing which their connections would be withdrawn. Even these the farmers have to buy from the market at exorbitant rates. Farmers are gheraoing officials and attacking offices demanding that the govt should supply these instruments at subsidized prices. Thus attempts are being made to tax the farmers through so-called regularization of power and thereby increase the state revenues. The Congress had promised in its election manifesto that it would give 12 hour uninterrupted power supply for irrigation. But it had continued the same 7 hours of supply that was prevalent during TDP regime. In fact, this was one important reason why TDP was defeated in the pols and Congress came to power. But now the YSR government had not only gone back on its promise of giving power continuously for 12 hours but even the 7 hour supply is being given in two instalments. This had given rise to massive protests from the peasants.

With a proposed cost of Rs.13,500 crores, Polavaram project is said to irrigate a mere 2.95 lakh acres! And at an unimaginable cost in terms of human suffering due to displacement, submergence, destruction of natural forests and animal life, destruction of the adivasi society and culture, and the natural beauty of Papikondalu, an attraction for tourists. It completely submerges 275 adivasi villages, displaces around 2 lakh adivasis in the three districts of Khammam, East and West Godavari. Khammam district is the most affected with 205 villages being submerged. It submerges a land area of 1,10,567 acres of which 8000 acres is natural forest. Once the project is completed it will submerge upto 95 km stretch of land and a total area of 601 sq km thereby affecting areas in neighbouring Chattisgarh and Orissa too. The YSR government has commenced work on the project in gross violation of the Constitutional laws like 1/70 Act in the Sheduled Areas, provisions of the Panchayathi Raj Act, Bachawat Award regarding the inter-state water disputes as areas in Chattisgarh and Orissa will be submerged, and so on.

The central environmental ministry had given its permission in end October. Permission given by the ministry of environment and forests to the project is like the thief giving himself a god conduct certificate. The Polavaram project is similar to the Sardar Sarovar project in Gujarat which had displaced lakhs of people with no rehabilitation to the majority. Of the Rs.1400 crores demanded by the government of MP for rehabilitation the Gujarat government had given a measly 100 crores. The plight of the displaced people is indescribable. As a result of the issues involved the Gujarat government is unable to increase the dam height to 110.64 metres since January 2004. The case will be no different with regard to the Polavaram project. In accordance with the Supreme Court directive to the Gujarat government issued in the beginning of this year, it should not try to increase the height of the dam until even the temporarily displaced persons are given land and jobs as compensation. The Gujarat government is yet to implement this decision.

It is clear that the AP government will also face the same problem even if it succeeds in constructing the dam. Due to the pressure from various sections an Experts Committee has been appointed by the government to recommend the optimum height of the project and the report is due. The project is confronting massive opposition from various organizations like Adivasi Sankshema Parishat, Tudum Debba, Adivasi Gram Committees and parties such as CPI, CPI(M), TRS and even the TDP. Those opposing the project are demanding that no work should commence until the report of the committee is submitted. Several organizations have now taken up struggle armed with traditional bows and arrows demanding scrapping of the project or decreasing the height to prevent submergence.

Another important aspect is the problem the project poses to the Telangana region as it is situated on the river Godavari. Without having any worthwhile projects to irrigate Telangana the waters are being used to irrigate the relatively developed Coastal region and to provide power to the Big Business houses. This makes future construction of dams in Telangana region difficult. In fact, the low-cost Ichampalli project in Telangana has been languishing for years due to sheer neglect and step-motherly attitude of successive governments and now the construction of Polavaram dam has made the people of Telangana restive. Several small dams across Godavari and Krishna rivers would irrigate the entire land in Andhra Pradesh but the rulers, with the advice of the World Bank and the CBB, are interested in having huge projects for their needs of electricity not to speak of the huge profits involved in the construction of these massive projects.

An amusing joke doing the rounds in AP is YSR’s claim that the adivasis themselves are keen on having the Polavaram project. He wants the world to believe that people, may be due to their suicidal tendencies, would very much like to drown themselves!! Why has the YSR government taken up the Polavaram project in spite of massive opposition and huge destruction of human, plant and wild life and providing irrigation to just less than 3 lakh acres? The secret lies in the pressure from the imperialist MNCs and the CBB houses which want electricity from this multi-purpose project and irrigation is only a secondary aspect. For the benefit of these vultures, their paid agent is determined to crush any opposition to the project and cause death and destruction in a vast area. And this secret is carefully hidden from the people. Even the Project Design is not placed before the Assembly or the people in spite of repeated demands from the opposition parties as well as allies.

The problems of displacement and lack of timely and proper rehabilitation plagues other projects initiated by the government. Survey for acquisition of over 10,000 acres of land has been completed in Kurnool and Anantapur districts for the construction of the canal for the Handri-Neeva project and will be acquired within a month. But no moves are made to compensate the peasants for the lands. Several thousand more acres are to be acquired for the 607 km main canal and 597 minor canals cover-ing the four districts of Rayalaseema. The projects involving a sum of Rs. 1305 crores in the first phase and 1880 crores in the se-cond phase is also a money spinner for the big contractor-bureaucrat-politician nexus.

Another issue that had drawn the ire of the peasantry is the proposed increase in the capacity of Pothireddypadu head regulator. The TDP undertook a padayatra for 20 days in Jan-Feb this year demanding the scrapping of the GO providing for increase in the capacity of Pothireddypadu. The increase would divert the Krishna water to Rayalaseema region and deprive the peasantry of water in the five districts under Krishna delta and Nagarjun Sagar ayacut areas.

The so-called Left parties such as CPI and CPI(M), which have been wagging their tails before the Congress ever since their combined victory in the 2004 polls in the state and the centre, are clearly in a big fix. The UPA government at the Centre and the YSR government in the state had completely bulldozed all their demands and protests against pursuance of anti-people policies. The Common Minimum Program-me adopted by the UPA constituents after they came to power in May 2004 had been consigned to the scrap-heap from the very moment it was agreed upon. There has been hardly any issue on which the so-called Left’s opinions were given any credence. While the central government had gone ahead with the privatization of the profit-making Mumbai and Delhi airports, allowed entry of FDI into the retail sector thereby ruining the local producers, retailers and wholesale traders, decreased the interest rates on Provident Fund, swapped down the objections of the Left concerning the privatization of profit-making PSUs, increased the petro prices five times and is thinking of increasing them again, refused to recall the US Ambassador for openly blackmailing the Indian government by dictating that it should vote against Iran in the IAEA, shifted completely into the American camp by voting against Iran, and so on, the Left had only let out a few whimpers.

Likewise, in AP, it became a passive onlooker as the YSR government went ahead with its anti-people policies in a ruthless manner negating every promise it made prior to the last Assembly elections, and had only let out a few noises as YSR proved himself to be as loyal and trusted an agent for the World Bank as his predecessor Chandrababu Naidu. The so-called Left has been making noises on the Polavaram project, bus fare hike, suppression of the democratic rights of the people, and so on but has preferred to keep the government in power at the Centre. Its opposition to fake encounters has proved to be only fake as cold-blooded killings of arrested revolutionaries and unarmed sympathisers and even democratic intellectuals continues unabated. There is not a word from these sham communists for a judicial enquiry and their support to the Congress government makes them accomplices in the fascist suppression being let loose by YSR’s police state. This should be no surprise going by its notorious history in West Bengal since Naxalbari, and also in today’s West Bengal, where it is in power, its real ugly face is revealed through its cold-blooded killings of revolutionaries and sympathizers of the revolutionary movement.

While it is trying to mobilize the masses against the World Bank projects, loans and on issues like Polavaram project and busfare hike, it is at a loss to explain why it is continuing its support to the UPA government. This broker which tries to mediate between the government and the people, acts as a safety valve for letting out the anger of the people into peaceful parliamentary channels. It is forced to take up mass mobilizations when its very credentials are at stake. It had once served the TDP as a tail and now is wagging its tail before YSR. Though barking occasionally in anger that its appeals are completely thrown into the dustbin, the Left has been basically protecting the Congress compradors in the name of fighting BJP’s communalism. BV Raghavulu, the AP State Secretary of the CPI(M) and a politburo member, had agreed that his party can only play the role of a speedbreaker i.e., slow down the pace of privatization and liberalization or try to give it a human face but cannot stop it. But these brokers are unable to act even as speedbreakers given the pace at which the neo-liberal reforms are proceeding and all the provisions in the common minimum programme are abandoned.

The TRS, which won a significant number of seats in the last Assembly elections on the plank of separate Telangana, is characterized by internal rifts, vertical splits, and dissension. At least six MLAs had left the Party and floated a new Party. Every few days, heroic statements are made by its leaders, KCR and Narendra, that they will launch a massive agitation if the demand is not met within such and such a deadline, which, of course, goes on extending. They claimed that they are building a one lakh-strong Telangana Jagaran Sena, a voluntary organization of youth which will spearhead the agitation if the Congress High Command does not meet the demand. They justify their clinging on to the posts in the central government by claiming that it is helping them to lobby within the UPA. Every now and then grand meetings are organized with pompous names but the fact is the Congress had completely sidetracked the issue and relegated it to the backseat.

During the recent AICC session in Hyderabad, there was not even a mention of the issue despite assurances by the TRS to their cadres that the Congress was going to announce its decision. The much-publicised UPA sub-committee on separate Telangana, which was set up soon after the UPA government came to power, has not submitted its report yet although the TRS was fooling the people for almost an year that the report would be out any day and at the most by the end of December last. At the time of the AICC session the TRS once again set a deadline that the UPA sub-committee should submit its report within two months but the Chairman of the Sub-committee, Pranab Mukherjee, phoophooed the demand and said that he was not bound by any deadlines. Worse still, he called for a Consensus on the issue which alone could lead to a final decision.

The issue of Consensus had long been expressed by YSR knowing very well that the CPI, CPI(M) and the TDP were opposing separate Telangana. It is a subtle way of saying that there can be no separate Telangana and placing the onus of responsibility on other parties who oppose the issue. At that time, the TRS claimed the question of Consensus was the personal stand of YSR and that the UPA and Sonia Gandhi were favourable to the idea of a separate state. Now when Pranab Mukherjee himself uttered the same formula, these shameless leaders are claiming that Mukherjee had spoken in their favour! These self-seeking politicians have now increased their pace of lobbying with the BJP as they know that without a majority vote in the Parliament the issue will be defeated. And, despite all their talk of a voluntary force and militant agitation if their demand is not met within a stipulated period, they are totally unprepared and reluctant to mobilize the people into struggle on the issue.

Now the two major players in the game, the Congress and the BJP, are challenging each other to spell out its stand first. This you-first, you-first game continues to this day. Meanwhile, the Congress MLAs hailing from Telangana region have been demanding that the Congress High Command should declare its stand in favour of separate Telangana. The people of Telangana, vexed by the betrayals and fraud perpetrated by all these political chameleons and hypocrites, are waging struggle in their own way under the leadership of the Maoists or with their support and are preparing for bigger battles ahead.

At the time of writing, the 45-day-long Assembly sessions have just commenced. The Budget this year, no doubt, will have the strong imprint of the World Bank even if it is prepared by its local satraps in Hyderabad. The World Bank, which had advanced massive loans during the regime of Chandrababu Naidu to various projects in the state, had made the state of Andhra Pradesh an experimental state by initiating reforms in every sector with the aim of weakening and eliminating the revolutionary movement and spent massive sums on infrastructure towards that end. It had coerced the central government to yield to its demand of dealing directly with the state governments, and has succeeded in trapping the state further into its stranglehold. It is clear that it will leave no stone unturned to see its neo-liberal model state implement its every diktat and unleash the worst form of authoritarian rule on the 8 crore people of the state.

And confronted by the explosive situation in the state arising from the World Bank-dictated policies, the fascist regime in Hyderabad, with the active assistance and guidance from Delhi and Washington, is preparing for a blood-bath to suppress the ongoing people’s war. But the same explosive situation is bound to lead to an intensification and expansion of the people’s war despite the tall claims by the YSR-Jana Reddy-Swaranjit gang that it will be wiped out within two years.

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