Telangana Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao bedazzled everyone over a month ago, inaugurating the aesthetically designed new State Secretariat complex. The very next day, an Opposition leader — MP and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief A.Revanth Reddy — was stopped from entering the august premises. The reason given was that he hadn’t taken permission from the official whom he wanted to meet.
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The Secretariat building remains fortified not only against the Opposition, but also mediapersons, who had unlimited access to all departments in the old secretariat complex. A media point is created outside now, and journalists need prior permission to access any department.
Be it the denial of media entry, removal of government orders from public domain, disregard to Right to Information, informal gag orders on officials, or Chief Minister’s legendary dismissal of media queries at press conferences, they all make one point amply clear: this government does not like questions.
The same approach of iron-clad governance informs the suppression of people’s movements in the newly-formed State, which, ironically, was achieved through the same democratic protests during the erstwhile united State.
The space in front of the Secretariat, which was the venue for all protests and agitations against the government earlier, was shifted to ‘Dharna Chowk’ near Indira Park in the united state, ostensibly to avoid traffic issues. After the formation of Telangana as a separate State, Dharna Chowk was shifted to outside the city, a decision which was challenged in the High Court by civil society members, and reverted later following court directions.
Permission from the police is the next indomitable hurdle that organisers of any protest faced.
“During the agitations for separate State, the protestors cooked on roads and occupied railway lines, yet no action was taken. Now even small gatherings need permission from the police, and that does not come till the last moment. Passing information on to people who have to arrive from outside the city has become a problem due to this,” academic-turned-activist Padmaja Shaw says.
Cordon and search operations have become routine, and people have become compliant, she notes. Permissions were denied for solidarity demonstrations even during the farmers’ protests.
Protests against the National Register of Citizens and Citizenship (Amendment) Act in 2019, despite restrictions, were the last time any massive demonstration was held here. Police had reportedly booked cases against more than 100 organisers and random persons at that time, though the protests passed without any untoward incident.
“Civil society activists and even Opposition cadre are rounded up and detained wherever visits by the Chief Minister or Minister K.T.Rama Rao are scheduled. Dissent is seen as a threat to development. There is severe unrest among farmers due to the recent crop losses, but there are no organising forces,” laments leader of Telangana Jana Samithi M.Kodandaram, who was at the forefront of the Telangana agitation.
Repression is not exclusive to mass movements, but extends to trade unions. Iron heel is the answer to any form of organised protests by employees. Even when the demands are yielded by the government, it would not be without consequences. Ouster orders were given to hundreds of GHMC workers, in response to their participation in a strike for higher salaries in 2018. Though the pay was hiked, and the dismissal orders were revoked subsequently, the fear factor remains.
The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation faced the worst in 2019 when, after a 52-day strike, the government did not budge an inch. Pay hikes were announced after leaders at the forefront admitted defeat and called off the strike. Hostile attitude continues towards the unions even later.
“Elections have not been held for the unions since December 2019. What was the need to stall the democratic process? In response to our petition, the High Court in April 2023 has given three months to the government to conduct elections. Till now, no effort is made,” says general secretary of TSRTC Employees’ Union K.Raji Reddy, claiming that the Chief Minister has vowed to see the end of RTC.Writer and political theorist Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd explains it as exercise for political, social and economic control becoming simpler and more consummate in smaller States. “Telangana State will become another Odisha now, with loyal structures, lack of political energies, and burnt-out fighting forces,” he says.
Legitimacy of dissenters is questioned due to their past collaboration with the emerging rulers compromising their capital of historical trustworthiness, he says. “What worries me is this govt.’s antipathy to education barring a few residential schools and colleges. Universities are completely ruined,” Mr.Ilaiah rues.
