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Sunday, October 16, 2011

Book Review:REGIONALISM IN INDIA BY G.R.S RAO

                    Andhra Pradesh has been in news about the agitations for separate telangana state since1968. The book describes the formation present Indian states after independence with linguistical basis. It does not confine only to telangana issue it describes many historical aspects related to India and Andhra Pradesh.this book is about 180 pages with 8 chapters and 12 appendices. Each chapter describes a topic. The book aims to explain the reader about various aspects of the problem in telangana and for finding a solution. Book presents lot of data from various sources which can be used to compare and understand the problem.
    
                  The book describes the the problem of telangana in its first chapter. Author briefly explains the formation of states in india by States Reorganisation Committee. The method of studying the problem by him explained in second chapter most of the information was taken from government sources and communication media. Opinions and attitudes of people about the problem was taken by the author bout the number of people interviewed is very less. Author excluded the opinions on rayelaseema people’s opinion are totally excluded. The study of rayalaseema is extremely important as far as the telangana problem in concerned because the rayaseema is also not developed in comparison with costal Andhra. Chapter 3 describes brief history and people of Andhra Pradesh.  the fourth chapter deals with explaining the formation of Andhra state,processof reorganization of states, Pros and cons of linguistically forming the states but author did not consider problems with states reorganization by language in other areas of India the discussion confines to Andhra Pradesh only. The book states that the problems against redistribution of states is highly locally dependent and cannot be generalized. Author discussed different arguments leaders had some for vishal Andhra some for separate telengana and Andhra states. It mentions many considerations and opinions States Redistribution Committee. But government did not consider all the suggestions made by States Redistribution Committee and declared state Andhra Pradesh merging all telugu spoken areas of the country. Chapter 5 is very interesting it explains about the safeguards allotted for telangana changes the area in ten years of vishal Andhra. The boo describes the safeguards as political, educational,employment ,financial administration and miscellaneous. The author explained all details of safeguards and their results in ten years of enforcement.  All political safeguards are explained with the effects of the safeguard authors says that None of the three items of safeguards in Gentlemen’s Agreement found a place either in the note on Telangana Safeguards or in any follow up legislation because they were “political “ arrangement. The second section talking about the educational safeguards and effects showed many tables with relevant data to analyses development of educational sector in the telangana. It is made clear in the literature that the educational safeguards favored telangana a lot. Number of student in schools and number of scholars in colleges increase substantially compared with other areas of Andhra Pradesh.  And author mentioned that the provision of restrictiong admission to the educational institutions in the telangana region to the students belonging to that region had some times unitended consequences in the foam of difficulties for the education of children of people who shifted to the telangana region in general and the sates capirtal city that is Hyderabad. Similarly author explained about the safeguards provided for the employment of the telangana people and its effect, financial issues, administration machinery and other topics like language, prohibition and sale of agricultural land. The upheaval and the dialogue chapter 4 explains about the politics in the implementation of safeguards  agreed in Gentle men’s agreement  and rise of agitations for separate telangana state in telangana region. It discusses about the measures taken by government if India to solve the problem such as formulating eight point formula and appointment of a high power committee of justice. Then the 7th chapter is essence of Opinion survey lead by the author. This part discusses about the opinions of different people, teachers in universities and students. It gives a brief summary of sample’s opinions with many data tables .And an elaborate discussion is made in the chapter 8 called Summing Up. The chapter concludes that the expert’s opinion was available at all important stages concerning the Telangana problem but they were unable to assert and exert themselves for most part.
            
                  The appendices added in the end of the book include statements by States Re-organization committee. Terms of The Gentlemen’s Agreement, Note on Telangana Safeguards Tabled in Lok sabha, The Andhra Pradesh Regional Committee Order, 1958, The Public Employment Act 1957 etc.
                 
            The book describes all historical aspects behind the agitations for the separate state. It contains lot of data that can be analyzed to understand the development in different regions. But there were always positive and negative aspects around every measure taken to maintain peace and control which made the problem very complex.

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