About Telangana and TDF

Q: What is TDF-USA?
A: TDF (Telangana Development Forum, USA) is a US based non-profit organization formed with the specific purpose of advancing the cause of the development of Telangana. TDF does not have any affiliation with any political party whatsoever either in India or in US. However, TDF helps anyone who has credible track record whether individual or organizations either political or non-political to express their views and plans and visions for the development of Telangana.

Q: Why is TDF, a non-profit and non-political organization is providing its platform to TRS, a political party.
A: Since TDF's main goal is to help advance the cause of Telangana development, TDF will not shy away in providing platforms to political entities that are proposing various views on Telangana development. TDF wants to listen to any credible voice that has a vision for Telangana development. TRS clearly earned that credibility during the past two years that helped to put Telangana as a main issue on the agenda of all political parties. We will do the same (within the limits of our resources) for any other voice that advances the cause of Telangana.

Q: Is TDF an overseas extension of TRS?
A: The answer is clear NO. TDF was formed in early 1999 much before TRS even existed. The idea of creating a platform to bring Telangana people together has been talked about since 1998. TDF is focusing mainly on Overseas Telanganites and educating them about problems of Telangana and how we can help to solve them. TRS is a political party that is working to effect social change through democratic political process.

ON TELANGANA STATE

Q: What is TDF's position on Telangana state?
A: TDF is convinced that unified Andhra Pradesh does not allow the development of Telangana. Hence we think that Telangana state will eliminate main stumbling block for the development - i.e, the inability to control its own resources. History of the past forty-five years clearly shows that other means of protecting interests of Telangana have failed miserably. However, if anyone has any other ideas that have not been trier before, TDF is willing to listen.

Q: What will be the position of Telangana in the Union of India?
A: Same as rest of the 26 states have in the Union of India. Nothing special about Telangana state in this regard.

Q: What will be its relationship with the other Telugu speaking state?
A: Same relationship that other states who speak shared language like Haryana and Punjab, UP and Bihar have with each other. Telangana will also have same friendly relationship with other neighbors like Vidarbha, Karnataka.

Q: What will be its policy towards the people settling from other parts of the country?
A: Same as it is now. No difference. People from other parts of the country and other parts of the word made Telangana/Hyderabad their home and they are happily living with Telanganites. In fact they were living together much before Telangana was merged with Andhra. Why should this change in new Telangana state?

Q: What will be its policy towards the people who have already settled.
A: Same as people from other states settled in Telangana or anywhere else. Andhra people are in Madras/Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Maharastra and any other states. Everyone from any states has a right to settle and make a living in any where in India. Why should this change?

Q: Most of us in US came from India for better lives. We may be taking away some of the jobs that might have gone to local people in US. Is it not the same in Telangana? How can we protest Andhra migrants taking away our jobs and resources?
A: When people move from poor regions/countries to rich regions/countries it is called immigration in search of livelihood. But when people from richer regions/countries go to poorer regions/countries, it is called colonization. For example British came to India for colonizing. Telangana movement is not against poor Andhra people coming in search of livelihood. But it is against elites of Andhra who come to Telangana to rob the resources and divert them to Andhra region. When people come to US for jobs and education, they follow rules and laws set by the local people. But when Andhra colonizers come to Telangana they violated every law and agreement on the books. They could do it because of they control the power structure. That is not the case here in US.

Q: The ideas of Smaller states is good in theory but economically not viable. Will not Telangana be poorer once it becomes seperate state since it will be smaller?
A: If only size contributes for development, then UP/Bihar should have been richest. But in fact they are the poorest of all states even though they are the biggest in size. Goa, on the other hand is very small compared to Telangana, but it is one of the wealthiest states in Indian Union. Telagana was the richest state in India before it was merged with Andhra state. It has budget surplus where Andhra had deficit. Telangana will not be poor. In fact it will have all the benefits of using its rich natural resoucres for its own development.

Q: All Telugu speaking people are one. Why do we need a separate state?
A: There are two states speaking Punjabi, four states speaking Hindi, why should there be only one state speaking Telugu. In addition, Telugu spoken by people of Telangana is not exactly the same as the Andhra bhasha spoken by people of Krishna, Guntur districts. Another reason for separate state is protect and promotion of Telangana language and culture.

Q: Globalisation & Telangana.
A: It is a mistake to construe Telangana question as a part of Anti-Globalisation movement and sentiment. In fact many people who are supporting Telangana statehood are supporters of Globalisation of economy. Both the positions are not contradictory. Telangana movement is against colonization not Globalisation. There is a big difference between them.

Q: What is the blue print for Telangana development?
A: There is no single blue print for the development of Telangana or any other region for that matter. How exactly Telangana will use its resources is best left for the Telangana people to decide through the democratic process. All we can do is to empower Telangana people so that they can control their destiny by taking back the control of their resources.