Demolition of a Culture

I remember when I was a kid, my parents used to take me to tank bund almost once in 2 weeks. That was a perfect getaway which gave a holiday kind of feeling then and I guess its the same even today. The lake on one side of the road and statues/park on the other side always attracted me.

Later my telugu teacher inspired me to see the statues at tank bund as a part of our education tours. At that age, I felt so happy and informed to see Gurajada Apparao, Kandukuri Veereshalingam, Alluri Seetharamaraju, Kavitrayam (Nannaya, Thikkana, Yerrapragada) and various literary, political, social and cultural icons of Telugu heritage. Thus the statues became a part of my education and childhood memories.

Demolition of these statues caused grief and a kind of unrest and uncomfortable feeling in me. Its like something close to my heart was destroyed. Statues will be reinstalled for sure but this mad act has created a friction and lack of confidence and trust among regions yet again, only much deeper this time.

Demolition of statues is a direct rip off from Talibanized Afghanistan. Now this is happening in my city. This is unacceptable and unforgivable.

Relating the demolition of these statues to success in Telangana movement is completely insane. Those 33 statues include statues of Pothana, Rudaramadevi and few eminent people from Telangana too. Even if the number of Telangana heroes' statues are not proportionate, it doesn't warrant for demolition of other great people. Those icons don't deserve this mistreatment for the very reason that none of them committed any injustice to Telangana. Potti Sriramulu when started a movement for Andhra Pradesh, never suggested any discrimination against Telangana, neither did any of the social workers or respected cultural icons whose statues were demolished. Issues propped up later due to mismanagement and vested interests.

Telangana movement started with the pretext that Telangana, its people, culture and identity are facing injustice and insult. Now the so called upholders of Telangana identity are committing the same injustice and insult to people of other regions of Andhra Pradesh. Victims have become oppressors now. Tables turned big-time.

If those who participated in million march or whatever feel they are marginalized or discriminated, they should understand that the same treatment should not be inflicted on their Andhra or Rayalaseema counterparts. Cursing Andhra people, destroying their property, heritage, respect don't only widen the gap but also dilute the sympathy of fellow Telanganites.

In my previous post about the issue (Who Developed Hyderabad ?) I wrote about the heart-burn of Telanganites, but its become irrelevant now as the movement has turned into a revenge seeking platform and I would hate to associate myself with people doing such acts.

Other side of the coin, media should not incite hatred among masses because they were attacked by some goons during million march. This propaganda will only put two regions on opposite sides of a huge chasm. Politicians, especially those who never raised a voice against much destruction that happened in Telangana and Seemandhra in the last 2 years, should observe restraint by not adding fuel to fire by referring to the same incident again and again. Goons who committed this vandalism must be brought under scanner, but the government has to avoid witch hunting during the process.

Bottom line: Everybody has to understand that movements should aim at showcasing their issues but not demolishing culture, vandalizing heritage or physically, mentally or verbally inflicting other parties in contest.