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Mainstream, VOL LI, No 43, October 12, 2013

Mounting Concern

Monday 14 October 2013, by SC

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EDITORIAL

The situation in Andhra has considerably worsened in the last few days. The indefinite strike by the Seemandhra electricity workers protesting against the bifurcation of the State and emergence of the separate State of Telangana engendered an unprecedented power crisis that affected other southern States as well. As a consequence the collapse of the southern grid became a distinct possibility which is why the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry exhorted the Central Electricity Authority to intervene forthwith. The latter thus directed the State (Andhra) to guarantee that the situation on this score does not spin out of control and result in the tripping of the entire southern grid.

The Centre had anticipated the Seemandhra agitation for ensuring the maintenance of a united Andhra State when the Congress’ core committee and CWC (and subsequently the Union Cabinet) took the decision for the State’s bifurcation paving the way for formation of the new, 29th State, of the Indian Union. But the scale of the movement and intensity of the feelings of the people of the region (comprising coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema) were probably underestimated. This was a folly on the part of the Centre because that meant they did not take into account the capacity of the politically influential Rayalaseema leaders and economically influential coastal Andhra leaders to effectively retaliate. These elements were doubtless emboldended by what party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi did in relation to the Ordinance to protect tainted politicos. But now the Centre has made it abundantly clear that following the final decision on setting up Telangana, the Union Cabinet cannot go back on it. However, all efforts will be made by the GoM (set up for the purpose of working out the details of division of the State) to assuage the feelings of the Seemandhra citizens while reining the Telangana Rashtra Samithi so that its leaders do not complicate matters further by articulating their maximalist agenda. Hopefully the GoM’s active intervention would be helpful in bringing down the emotions so as to bring about an amicable parting of ways between the constituents of the two areas.

What is a matter of greater concern is the recent state of affairs in J&K. The security lapses in the State that enabled the non-state actors from across the border to launch high-impact attacks on the Indian Army have started ringing alarm bells in the Defence Ministry in New Delhi’s South Block. Of course, the Army’s assertion that those non-state actors enjoyed the full patronage, support and assistance of the Pakistan Army is beyond question. But the attacks have doubtless exposed chinks in our armour.

All this does not mean that the India-Pakistan dialogue needs to be suspended as is the demand of jingoists. But what is imperative is to take necessary measures to remove the military weaknesses and plug the strategic loopholes at the earliest.

The country will be reassured only if in the wake of the mounting concern in this regard our preparedness to meet any eventuality is made foolproof in the days ahead.

October 10 S.C.

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