To,
Late Dr. Y S Rajasekhar Reddy
Swarg Avenue,
Heaven.
Dear Sir,
On the eve of your 61st birth anniversary, the first thing I can say is, 'I wish you were alive'. Although I am not a Congress supporter by any means, I have had immense amount of respect for you and still do. Andhra Pradesh, the name which was once synonymous with peace, harmony and happiness is now nowhere close to being called 'Swarna Andhra Pradesh' - the golden AP you had dreamed of. I am sure from somewhere above, you are watching what transpired in our homeland after the unexpected and severely shocking event of your demise.
It pains me the way things have turned to be in my city and my state at large. You must be aware of the riots that took place during the struggle for the separate state of Telangana. So many men, especially students died, many immolated themselves. And in most cases, they were the only hope for their family. I admit that, neither do I have the intellect to have an opinion on the need for a separate state nor do I fully know the facts. I only know that lives were lost, properties were destroyed, immolation took place, exams got postponed, businesses lost, APSRTC raised fares to cover for losses. My favorite egg-dosa thela from Kukatpally, I hear escaped to his native village in coastal Andhra because of the riots. In your absence, institutions offering IIT foundation classes from 6th Standard are growing faster than the speed at which leaders exit from Praja Rajyam Party. And above all this, a GREAT divide was created between people of different regions of your Andhra Pradesh. Sir, I am sure, if you were alive, all this would never have happened.
After you were gone, we wasted at least 20 days in Bandhs, Strikes and other such forms of unproductive demonstrations. If you were here and would have gestured a finger on lips, things would have been different. Another thing that pisses me off is the traffic police of Hyderabad. They are present around every corner of every road to drill a hole in our pockets on some pretext or the other. Are they feeling like a teenager whose parents have gone out of town? This never happened when you were here. While the traffic cops are busy filling their pockets, let me also tell you that there is no progress in traffic situation from Punjagutta to Paradise. It has gone worse since the launch of Tata Nano. It still takes 1 hour on non-rainy days and upto 3 hours on rainy days. The other day, even your dream venture - the 108 ambulance got stuck in Punjagutta traffic.
The Secunderabad MLA and the Hyderabad city mayor are at loggerheads. The TRS chief and the Vijayawada MP exchange pleasantries on a regular basis. The Telugu news channels have gone insane - they have a two hour programme on how men climb cell phone towers to prove their love, half hour interview of a man who killed an MLA and hardly any mention of RK Laxman's hospitalization. However, how would they know who RK Laxman is anyway?
You were like that strict school principal whose mere presence invented the term, "pin drop silence". But now, after your exit from this world, even the Manikchand gutkha eating erstwhile actress has started talking violence here. Since your loss is irreparable, I will not complain more as all such attempts will prove to be futile. Many places where I have been to, people have put up your laminated and framed photographs on the walls of their homes, shops and offices. This speaks volumes of the space you had occupied in their hearts.
Your leadership skills were unmatched and most importantly, your presence made everyone stand up on their toes and a few others keep their lips sealed until further notice. And that is the Siamese twin of management, control. And control, is what is missing today. The only other man who is capable of most of the above is your old friend Sri N Chandrababu Naidu. Our next best option.
Finally, I have one more thing to say to you - Andhra Pradesh needs HELP. When you meet God, please let him know.
Happy Birthday Sir.
- Deepak Karamungikar
P S: I don't support any political party. They are all the same. It is some individuals who make the difference.
