People's Democracy

THE Telugu Desam party held its Mahanadu (state level conference) for three days in Warangal town with much pomp and show. It saw to it that Mahanadu proceedings got good coverage in the media. As the ruling party whose government allocated hefty amounts for publicity in the state budget, and disbursed the same under its total control, such publicity in the media was inevitable. Despite this huge publicity, Mahanadu could not attract anybody as there was little substance in the discussions and resolutions adopted. Since the conference was of the party ruling the state, it is natural to expect that it would take appropriate decisions on the problems being faced by the people. However, Mahanadu utterly disappointed on this score.

The first thing which became apparent in the Mahanadu discussions was the political bankruptcy of the Telugu Desam party. The least one expected in such a conference of an important political party was that it would make its stand clear on the issues that had come to the fore at the national, international and state levels. But the TDP had already elevated the practice of keeping mum on issues, in order to avoid problems, to an artistic level. It is strange that a party which often boasts that the prestige of Chandrababu Naidu has spread to international level, did not even open its mouth on international issues. It is amazing that the issue of Palestine, which is causing concern to all internationally, was not mentioned in the Mahanadu. Israel is attacking the Palestine people relentlessly and ruthlessly. It is not surprising that the state terrorism of Israel is not visible to the people of Telugu Desam party which is carrying publicity acclaiming the Israeli technology. However, even if the interest of the people of our country is kept in mind, establishing peace in Palestine is very much necessary. The tensions in the middle east have serious impact on the prices of oil. With the price of a barrel of oil increasing to 25 dollars today, heavy burdens are being imposed on the people of the country in the form of hike in prices of kerosene, gas, diesel and petrol. Nevertheless, the Telugu Desam is not bothered about such issues.

The tensions between our country and Pakistan have intensified. Unmindful of the conditions, the BJP and sangh parivar forces are crying for a war. It is unpardonable that the Telugu Desam party has not taken a clear-cut stand on this issue. It is irresponsible to avoid this by saying that it would support whatever steps the NDA government would take. How is it that those who indulge in drum-beating that their party is playing a crucial role in the national politics do not have their own thinking on an important problem facing the nation?

The Telugu Desam leadership was at pains in Mahanadu to justify the crass opportunistic stand it had adopted on the Gujarat carnage. The speech of the chief minister and the resolutions adopted are apologetic to the leadership of the BJP on the issue of seeking the resignation of Narendra Modi. The stand adopted by the TDP on this issue, from the beginning to the end, smacked of political opportunism, pure and simple. While stating repeatedly that it was fully committed to secularism, it had decided to continue its support to the BJP and the forces of sangh parivar which are responsible for the mayhem in Gujarat. When support is being continued, why should it give up the post of the Lok Sabha speaker? Or, when the misdeeds of the BJP government are so serious as to reject the speakership, why should it continue its support? When it had demanded the removal of Modi government, why did it not participate in the voting in the parliament on this issue? Why were the Telugu Desam MPs, and also the people, kept in the dark without finalising party’s decision on voting till the last minute? In Mahanadu, no attempt was made to answer such questions baffling the party workers. To cover up its political opportunism, the Telugu Desam leadership had borrowed the ideology being propagated by some "intellectuals" of the world - development alone is important and not ideology and policies - If the Telugu Desam workers are to be made to believe the political somersaults of their leadership as diplomacy of another Chanakya, then their minds have to be cleansed of political thoughts by such 'ideology'.The same attempt has been made in Mahanadu. However, the Telugu Desam leadership has not taken note of one aspect - if the workers are made apolitical without establishing proper political policies in the party, it would be dangerous to the party itself. Because of bad companionship, the dangerous politics of the BJP and sangh parivar forces will enter into the political vacuum created within the TDP. With this, the danger of communal forces will intensify in Andhra Pradesh also, which has so far been a stronghold of secularism. DEMONIAC

Another major trend at the Mahanadu was the showering of numerous praises on the reforms process. In this, the chief minister led from the front. Others had lent their helping hand. Like worn out records, they recounted again what has been said before in several forms and on several occasions. Not even a single attempt has been made to review the impact of the reforms which have been implemented so far, and draw appropriate lessons. They are not even prepared to think about the kind of impact reforms in the power sector had on the people.Though it is being propagated that these reforms possess a humane face, the conditions arising in the state today make it clear that the face of these reforms is not humane but demoniac. It is not incidental that the Telugu Desam party, which claims that it is dedicated to the upliftment of the state and its people, has not even mentioned a word at the Mahanadu about the deteriorating conditions of the people. The reason for this is that the Telugu Desam government is acting as though it is accountable to the World Bank rather than to the people. Ever since the commencement of reforms in the state, suicides by farmers have been on the rise and have spread to all the districts. This year, 80 farmers have committed suicide so far. The handloom workers are facing starvation deaths and are also committing suicides. About remunerative prices, there is grandiose propaganda of the government, but no actual benefit to the farmer. As the price is not remunerative, in several districts stocks of paddy are lying with the farmers. The misery of farmers is continuing in Anantapur. Though the monsoon has set in, the government is negligent in supplying seeds of groundnut. During this summer, 1500 people died of heat wave. It is a major natural calamity. The government has done nothing to face these conditions and help the affected families. Daily one scandal or the other is surfacing regarding the finance companies. Thousands of ordinary depositors are being exploited fully. The government has failed utterly in curbing these scandals and in providing security to the money of depositors. The government is turning a blind eye to the wrong methods adopted by the corporate colleges, which is leading to many suicides by the students. Atrocities on dalits and weaker sections, lockup deaths in police stations and the police highhandedness on the people are increasing. The government has turned the food-for-work programme into a swallowing scheme for the corrupt. While on the one hand, soapbox speeches regarding welfare of the people were being delivered at Mahanadu, on the other, decisions imposing burdens on the people were being taken in the state capital. Water charges were increased in Hyderabad and Vijayawada. Fare of bus passes for students were increased. These are in addition to the power tariff, property tax and user charges which were enhanced earlier. To keep the people in an inebriated condition, a decision was taken to keep open the bars till midnight. Did it not strike even one ‘brother’ of the Telugu Desam whether reforms with humane face means such decisions? Or, even if it did strike, were they not daring enough to open their mouth before their leader?None of the issues stated above has found a mention at the Mahanadu. It is strange that none of those who attended the Mahanadu thought that such problems were existing at all. The Mahanadu has once again made it clear that the Telugu Desam leadership is confident that it is enough if the World Bank and the rich supporting their party are satisfied, no matter what happens to the common people.Even without examining the fate of the Vizag declaration made last year, one more -Warangal declaration - was announced in this Mahanadu. Agriculture, irrigation projects, development of backward areas and employment creation are the issues incorporated in it. However, it is not made clear from where funds would be mobilised to achieve these ‘targets’. So far, the chief minister used to proclaim that development would be achieved by taking loans. During the last five years loans to the tune of Rs 35,000 crores were taken. However, development is nominal. Now he is saying that we have to mobilise our own resources and not debts. Did enlightenment descend on him now? Or, has the World Bank dictated to him to impose burdens on the people for mobilising funds? It would have been better, if it were explained. Despite the highpitched bluff about the successes of the Telugu Desam government, it seems that the leadership has a remote sense of fear about the increasing dissatisfaction among the people. It is getting expressed in the leadership's repeated statements, in order to create confidence among the cadres, that victory in the next elections would be certain again. The Telugu Desam leadership is refusing to note that soapbox oratory would not create confidence among the cadres and that confidence in the party would increase through clear-cut policies and firm practice. This would have become clear if a little bit of self-introspection was made.Though Mahanadu has not given any message and direction to the Telugu Desam cadres and the people of the state, it has made the party’s political opportunism, subservience to the World Bank and the supremo’s love for glorification crystal clear.