News India Times
May 1, 2015
6
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Community
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What role did Telugus in the
United States play in the forma-
tion of Telangana state?
Telugus here can play only a
limited role in Indian politics.
But our people here tried their
best. For example, when my
father was fasting in India (fast
unto death for separate state-
hood in 2009), they protested in
all parts of the United States,
including in front of theWhite
House, as well as in 60 other
countries. Their input was
tremendous and they worked
very hard.Whenever there was a
step backwards towards our goal,
these guys would step up.
Where all have you traveled on
this trip to the U.S. – and
why/what did you do at these
various venues?
Majorly the trip was to launch
the North American chapter of
Telangana Jagruthi, my nonprof-
it. Also, we initiated a chapter of
Telangana Rashtra Samiti over-
seas. Currently it is in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, but
there will be branches coming
up in other states in the future.
Also, there is Telangana
University in my constituency
and I am linking with Chicago
State University so that every
year 20 to 25 students from there
can come here and study. I am
also trying to link with other uni-
versities.
I was also part of a six-mem-
ber MP delegation to Princeton.
This 20-day trip has been very
busy.
How are relations between the
Union government in New Delhi
and the K.C. Rao-led state gov-
ernment?
There are two things at play
here: Before the elections the
relations are very political
between the BJP and TRS. But
now, playing politics is over
between the two governments.
One good thing about the
Modi government is it is propa-
gating cooperative federalism,
which is what we believe in –
that when states progress, so will
the country. In Parliament also,
we play a very neutral role. If
something is good for the people
in the state or nation, we support
them.
Has the Union government been
meeting its obligations to
Telangana?
No, nothing as of now. During
the state reorganization many
promises were made, for exam-
ple that a 4,000 megawatt power
plant would be built immediate-
ly. Nothing has come of that yet;
there was to be a steel plant –
nothing. That there would be a
separation of the High Court –
again nothing. None of the
promises have been fulfilled.We
hope the Central government
will step up to the plate.
What kind of relationship is
there between the BJP and
Telugu Rashtra Samiti govern-
ment? Will there be an alliance?
I wouldn’t want to comment
on that as I have no clue what is
going to happen in the future.
There are no formal discussions
on alliances. But the two seem to
be working cordially.We are a
new state.We don’t want a nega-
tive relationship with either the
center or the states. For instance,
we have a water sharing agree-
ment with Andhra Pradesh.
At the state level – what are the
highlights of Telangana’s per-
formance?
Some immediate changes
have been seen by the people
and the country. There is an
improvement in social security
services. Old-age pension has
been increased from Rs. 200 to
Rs. 1,000 per month. Assistance
to the physically handicapped
has been raised from Rs. 500 to
Rs. 1,500.
We have put in place a new
program called Shaadi Mubarak.
There was a peculiar practice of
sending minority girls to Dubai
etc. So we are giving families Rs.
51,000 for the marriage of their
girls, but only girls who are above
18 years of age in order to pre-
vent child marriages.
So, this will stop sex trafficking
and we have seen examples of
this helping.We have to tackle
issues of abuse of the girl-child
and its connection to poverty,
education and other factors.
So the state has conceived a
new education program called -
KG to PG – free education for the
girl-child from kindergarten to
post-graduate level. This kind of
program is not found in any
other state or anywhere in the
developing world.
Because now we feel we have
the resources to control and we
always said we would deal with
the social security issues.
Once these issues of welfare of
people like clean drinking water,
electricity, and general welfare of
the people are tackled, invest-
ment will happen.
Like in the U.S., the basic
necessities of infrastructure are
available.We are trying to work
like a developed country.
This is also accompanied with
curbing corruption.We want a
graft-free government.We
sacked the deputy chief minister
because of that. And my father
has said he will not spare even
his own son or daughter.
In the new configuration, how
are the relations between
Telangana and Andhra? (In
Andhra, the BJP has an alliance
with Telugu Desam)
The BJP alliance with Telugu
Desam doesn’t matter to us.
What matters is the attitude of
the Andhra Pradesh Chief
Minister.We were supposed to
get 55 percent of the power in
the sharing agreement. (When
that did not come through) we
had trouble in the first six
months, trying to solve the prob-
lem.We had to buy expensive
power from other states. Till date
Andhra Pradesh has not given us
our share.
We don’t have issues with the
people of Andhra Pradesh, but
with the government. And we
will face that for the next nine
years – till the 10-year agreement
period is over.
Championing Telangana
Telangana Member of Parliament K. Kavitha Rao at the launch of Telangana Rashtra Samiti Party (TRS) NRI cell in Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 18. Below, Rao receives blessing from a priest.
