The indefinite general strike (called 'sakala janula samme' in Telugu) in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh has been going on for four weeks now, paralysing public life in the region. The government appeals to the Joint Action Committee, a committee of sundry political parties and unions which called for the strike demanding a separate Telangana state, to end the strike as it is causing prolonged inconvenience to the people. The JAC is in no mood to relent. It counters the appeals of the government saying all the people of Telangana are volutarily striking and it will continue until a separate state of Telangana is declared. Local dailies are carrying stories and pictures saying the strike is intensifying with each passing day.
It may seem like the strike is going to continue until the union government declares a separate state of Telangana. It is not going to be. I think the strike will end soon, irrespective of what the union government will announce or not announce.
Not everyone in Telangana is striking. Parents want their children to go to school. They are not striking. Farmers want power, fertilizers and seeds. They are not striking. Businessmen want to run their business. They are not striking. Indeed they all want the strike to ease, if not end. Other than the politicians and die hard Telangana activists, it is only the employees of the state government who are striking. Politicians and activists have always been staging some kind of protest or the other. People understand it is their full time job and are not much bothered by their protests. It is only the strike of the employees of the state government that is inconveniencing people. If the employees call off their strike, the general strike will instantly be rendered ineffective and will also be called off soon.
Why would the employees call off their strike? Not because they are concerned by the plight of people. But because the strike is turning out to be against their own interests. The state government has stopped paying salaries to the striking employees. They have already lost a month's pay. They can't afford to lose another month's pay. Many of them are also losing all the other income aka bribes, we know employees of some departments make lot of extra money on the job. Most of the employees would want to go back to work, but they wouldn't want to be seen as losers who gave up. They would negotiate a compromise with the government to treat all or part of the strike period as paid holiday and to issue a statement which will let them save their face. The government will eventually agree to a compromise formula and will also make a hollow statement just to show the employees as victors. And thus the strike shall end.
It may seem like the strike is going to continue until the union government declares a separate state of Telangana. It is not going to be. I think the strike will end soon, irrespective of what the union government will announce or not announce.
Not everyone in Telangana is striking. Parents want their children to go to school. They are not striking. Farmers want power, fertilizers and seeds. They are not striking. Businessmen want to run their business. They are not striking. Indeed they all want the strike to ease, if not end. Other than the politicians and die hard Telangana activists, it is only the employees of the state government who are striking. Politicians and activists have always been staging some kind of protest or the other. People understand it is their full time job and are not much bothered by their protests. It is only the strike of the employees of the state government that is inconveniencing people. If the employees call off their strike, the general strike will instantly be rendered ineffective and will also be called off soon.
Why would the employees call off their strike? Not because they are concerned by the plight of people. But because the strike is turning out to be against their own interests. The state government has stopped paying salaries to the striking employees. They have already lost a month's pay. They can't afford to lose another month's pay. Many of them are also losing all the other income aka bribes, we know employees of some departments make lot of extra money on the job. Most of the employees would want to go back to work, but they wouldn't want to be seen as losers who gave up. They would negotiate a compromise with the government to treat all or part of the strike period as paid holiday and to issue a statement which will let them save their face. The government will eventually agree to a compromise formula and will also make a hollow statement just to show the employees as victors. And thus the strike shall end.
1 comment:
This blog post just reflects how non Telanganites react to the on going strike. Telangana people are waiting to end the strike but non Telangana people are waiting more eagerly and restlessly for that to happen. Sakala Janula Samme impacted most of southern India. Now people came to know how Telangana region was keeping electrons to flow. Rail roko might be boiling blood to those people who depend on this region but never understand the sentiment. This way SJS is already a super success. Students from other regions who got admissions in Telangana colleges might be repenting. People who bought lots of land as an investment might want to kill Telangana movement. One have to see Jai Telangana muggulu from past 1.5 years in front of each home to know the intensity of the feeling/sentiment.
Till now no one answered why AP should be united except burping brother hood and same language crap.
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