Owaisi Effect: After Chandigarh model, Now Puducherry model!

Union Minister JD Sheelam demanded before the GoM that Hyderabad be made a UT on lines of Puducherry. After demanding UT status for Hyderabad, Seemandhra leaders, including union ministers were criticized by MIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi. As MIM’s concern would mainly be around losing political representation in Hyderabad as UTs won’t have an elected legislature, Seemandhra leaders made minor adjustment and are now demanding Hyderabad be made another Puducherry. Puducherry is also a UT but has an elected legislature with partial statehood powers due to a constitutional amendment. That would mean MIM can survive as a political party by retaining it’s constituencies in Hyderabad. Seemandhra leaders hope this should cool down MIM’s tempers.

But by making this demand, Seemandhra leaders are not confirming what Telangana activists have been accusing them of – that they behave like colonial rulers. Today’s Puducherry is an enclave of areas away from each other which formed the border of French India and is hence a colonial legacy. By demanding similar status for Hyderabad with partial statehood and connecting it to expresslane highways to Andhra, looks like Seemandhra politicos too want to leave a colonial legacy.