Gone are the days when Shakespeare said "What's in a name!" But pro-Telangana activists say that everything lies in the name alone, even if the name isn't officially declared yet. Conventionally, a state is formed first and then a name is given to it. What should we do, when formation of state gets delayed? "Let's first form a name, the state will come sooner or later" - seems to be the logic working nowadays.
Call it wishful thinking or daring the powers-that-be. In many parts of Telangana, it is renaming with a vengeance that is being carried out by pro-Telangana groups. As though throwing a challenge to the government that if you are not going to give us a legal identity of our choice, we are going to embrace it, and if not force it, anyways.
With this, Andhra Bank has now become Telangana Bank, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has been rewritten as Telangana Tourism Development Corporation (TGTDC). Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is now Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC). Andhra Bhavan hotel has become Telangana Bhavan hotel. From eateries to government offices, even number-plates on vehicles are proudly showing off the 'AP' cut-out and replacing it with a TG.
The government doesn't seem to be in a mood right now to take action to curb this kind of insolence. There are more urgent worries that need its attention, After all, its own ministers and MLAs in Telangana are on a warpath, defying the leadership at the state and even the Centre. So even if rewriting history may not be so easy, this is perhaps an attempt to write out the road to a dream destination.
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