Tuesday, September 03, 2013

Minding My Own Business

Vasu Reddy From Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com

There is absolutely nothing I can do or add to the crisis of dividing my state in India. Absolutely nothing. Since we all heard the announcement from the Congress leadership that Andhra Pradesh will be split into parts, there has been a lot said and written for and against the division by all people of the state all over the world. I too have written several weeks on the confusion that has raised from the decision to bifurcate the state, and it is absolutely and utterly confusing at best and there is no plan, process or people's involvement into how to go about dividing the state, except Congress have to split the state, and that's it.

I can't seem to mind my own business about the decision to split my state, and however much I discuss this with whosoever who may want to discuss it, and however much I write about the decision and its haphazardness and what might happen to my brothers who live in the state; a plethora of issues that I am incapable to even thinking about, and everyone else in India and outside keep talking about and discussing on the decision to separate my state, by there is not a thing we can do about it, except talk and talk.

While the non resident Andhra folks have been looking at the internet, watching every possible Indian channel on cable television, and burning the telephone lines with their friends and family (some with even total strangers), and a few NRI even going on hunger strike in the USA and some other countries in support of a united Andhra Pradesh, the center's decision as communicated has been as stated, and no change in the posturing of the ruling party. The folks that used to go on hunger strikes, and destruction and suicides and constant saber rattling have gone silent as their demand for a separate state has been accepted by the central government and they are now making new threats and demands on the so called settlers. The whole exercise has been quite television worthy, and for those who are living faraway, it is a reminder of helplessness and what is happening in the good old state.

From ten thousand miles away I have absolutely no influence on even making a case for anything that people are fighting for in the state. There in no discussion happening amongst the leaders with any influence that seems to appeal to the general public in the state, and the center after making the wild decision to separate the state is unable to present a plan that can appease the people. It is a guarantee that whatever the central leadership announces or decides next will further make a mess out of a already messy situation. No one will like it, and everyone will simply dismiss it as a heavy handed and political decision made for survival, rather than in the best interest of the state.

The whole mess is fodder for news magazines and television channels and great business for telephone companies and internet providers and anyone who can transmit the situation. Its an overload of useless and unwanted information that increases anxiety of the audiences. I try not to worry about the ramifications of a separate state and next trip to my home state, I might have to land in an airport that is no longer in my state. Not that the airport makes a whole load of difference but it will sure fell strange, for the very fact that the last time I left it was my state's pride possessions with a brand new and shiny airport, and now I will have to land in another state and then travel thru a couple districts to get back into my state. I really want to mind my business and not get too excited about the ramifications of the division, but I keep thinking about it, and it makes no absolute sense to keep pondering the situation.

People of the state have already started discussion on how best to deal with the separation and probably want this thing to be done and over with. The kids are not going to school and people don't want to work anymore, and everyone is protesting about something or the other. So, the difficulty of leading a normal life has really become difficult. The guessing game on what might happen to the new state and its capital, and its water requirements, its infrastructure and its everything is up in the air and no one has answers to the real questions. All you hear is we will do justice to both of the divided regions of a state.

It is a constant reminder that life will not be the same for my folks, and for some of my family and friends who have relocated for work and business and have made new home for themselves, and their kids who are all of a sudden being told that they might have to relocate to their parents native place, but it is not theirs. No one for sure knows what to expect after the division as the politicians continue to create as much noise as they possibly can, without any answers on the questions people have. Everyone is worried and that’s exactly what is probably the reaction wanted by the central government. They have no idea of what they have planned to do except keep people on the edge while they figure out how to get more seats in the parliament to be in power. The government at the center want to mind their own business; which is try to get back into power for one more term, and here we are trying to figure out what our business will be in the future, or if we will have anything left for doing business.

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