Monday, June 25, 2007

What is wrong with Telugu people?

I had some work in the Andhra Bank at Kakinada some years back. I found the forms there for various activities were bi-lingual - in English and Hindi. Now, Andhra Bank may be a nationalised bank but was founded by Late Sri Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitharamayya and by its nomenclature itself identified with Telugus. It is there only to provide service to its customers. How many in Kakinada need the help of Hindi to be served in a bank? This is nothing but tyranny on Telugus.

I would like to know as to in how many Central Schools in AP, Telugu is taught. Even in project schools, where the employees are not generally transferred, telugu is not taught in quite a few. Students, whose mother tongue is Telugu are deprived of even elementary knowledge of their language. In UP Telugu was supposed to be taught as a third language but is not being taught, I know for sure.

Important buildings, monuments, schemes, etc. are not named after Telugu heroes in AP. Why should we not comommorate our heroes. Why Ambedkar when Sanjivayya is available. Why not a Kannamadasu or Joshua if somebody from a particular community is to be named after?

Why do we oblitrate our own hoary history? Why this official censorship? How many Telugus know about the sacrifices done by Duggirala Goplakrishniah? He stands at par with Subhash Chandra Bose in preferring freedom struggle to joining ICS to which he was also selected. In which syllabus is the Chirala-Perala movement included? How many know about V.B.Raju, an outstanding parliamentarian and epitome of honesty? Are not the erudition, honesty in public life, sacrifices made by giants like Tenneti Viswanatham, Vavilala Gopalakrishniah, Tanguturi Prakasam, Veeresalingam, Joshua worthy of being told to future generations?

Apart from official censorship, there is another aspect at which I wonder. You find Subhash Chandra Boses, Jawaharlal Nehrus, Stalins, Lenins and even Hitler amongst Telugus but alas no Prakasam or Durga Bai! How broad-minded we Telugus are!

We experience the cacophony of hindi patriotic songs on Independence/Republic Days in AP but no Ghantasala or Suryakumari. No songs like Maakoddu yee Tella Dora Tanam. No songs of Garimella. How many know such exist.

I have seen India in its length and breadth but I find this trait peculiar only to Telugus.

Ponder...

No comments: