Two State Solution?

Most of us are familiar with the phrase "two state solution" as it applies to Israel and Palestine. As of July 31st, it also applies to Andhra Pradesh. Originally an amalgamation of 8 separate provinces created in 1950, the northern half of Andhra Pradesh has lobbied for independent status since 1969. To be known as Telangana and composed of 10 of 23 districts of untied Andhra (Hyderabad, Adilabad, Khammam, Karimnagar, Mahbubnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Rangareddy, and Warangal), it will become the 29th state of India sometime next year.

For the next ten years, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will share the same capital, Hyderabad. Some suggest that Ongole, located about 300 km east of Hyderabad in Prakasam district, could emerge as the next capital of the reconstituted state of Andhra Pradesh.

The reasons for separation are deeply held and complex. They are linguistic and religious - economic and political. One of the most frequently cited of these is the claim that the districts in Telangana generate 45% of the state's income, while they receive only 28% of the its resources.

In the United States, we occasionally hear about friction between geographic areas of a state. California, New York, New Jersey and most recently Colorado have all grabbed headlines, whenever rural interests are pitted against urban or liberal sensibilities conflict with conservative. The current situation in India is much more volatile. Over the course of the conflict, pro-separatists claim that 1,000 lives have been lost. Stay tuned.

SOURCE: Hindustan Times, July 31, 2013.