K Srinivasulu

The Osmania University, now a 100 years old, has, especially from the 1940s onwards, played a pivotal role in shaping the intellectual, social, cultural and political life of Telangana. But tragically, the present dismal state of affairs in its portals does not befit its centenary status. Sincere support from the Government of Telangana is the need of the hour.

In the untimely death of Jos Mooij on 28 February we have lost a conscientious and inspiring scholar whose work in the area of policy studies has touched many of us. I had known her for more than a decade since the days of her affiliation with the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS),...

It is unfortunate that the Srikrishna Committee turned out to be insensitive to the passionate disapproval in Telangana of a Samaikya (United) Andhra identity. This seems primarily because of the hegemonic thinking that puts a premium on development and technology in meeting people's aspirations. This thinking finds favour with the coastal Andhra capitalist elite, for this class believes in the global consensus on neoliberal development as a panacea for all social problems. This in essence means the subordination in Telangana of the people's collective aspirations to the interests of capital.

Even after Y S Rajasekhara Reddy won power in Andhra Pradesh in 2004 by tapping the widespread anger about the agrarian crisis, he retained the patriarchal benevolence and ruthlessness of the factionist politics of the Rayalaseema region. While YSR instituted many schemes to address the needs of the poor, this largesse was also designed to feed a network of supporters. YSR's rule marked a clear departure from the time-honoured "politics of accommodation" in the Congress: perhaps for the first time, a uniquely parochial Reddy regime was put in place throughout the state. Turning the new approach of the Congress in New Delhi to his advantage, YSR managed to marginalise opposition to his leadership and thus emerged as the most powerful Congress chief minister of Andhra Pradesh in recent times.

The committee's prescriptions of an export-oriented strategy, if pursued, would in the long run transform handlooms once the symbol of swadeshi into objet d'art to be displayed in museum of national heritage and culture.