Movements TG
Movements TG
Movements TG
the first time when it participated in general elections and elected Dr. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao
as the Chief minister of Hyderabad State. The Telugu speaking people in Madras state enjoyed
some form of democracy since 1920. During this time there were violent Mulki agitations by
some Telanganites to send back bureaucrats from Madras state, and to strictly implement Mulki
rules.
Meanwhile, Telugu-speaking areas (Andhra region) were carved out of an erstwhile Madras state
by popular agitation by leaders like Potti Sri Ramulu to create Andhra State with Kurnool as its
capital in 1953.
Merger of Telangana and Andhra
In December 1953, the States Reorganization Commission was appointed to prepare for the
creation of states on linguistic lines . The States Reorganization Commission (SRC) was not in
favour of an immediate merger of Telangana region with Andhra state, despite the common
language between the two.
Paragraph 382 of States Reorganization Commission Report (SRC) said "opinion in Andhra is
overwhelmingly in favour of the larger unit, public opinion in Telangana has still to crystallize
itself. Important leaders of public opinion in Andhra themselves seem to appreciate that the
unification of Telangana with Andhra, though desirable, should be based on a voluntary and
willing association of the people and that it is primarily for the people of Telangana to take a
decision about their future". The people of Telangana had several concerns. The region had a less
developed economy than Andhra, but with a larger revenue base (mostly because it taxed rather
than prohibited alcoholic beverages), which people of Telangana feared might be diverted for use
in Andhra. They also feared that planned irrigation projects on the Krishna and Godavari rivers
would not benefit Telangana proportionately even though people of Telangana controlled the
headwaters of the rivers. It was also feared that the people of Andhra, who had access to higher
standards of education under the British Rule, would have an unfair advantage in seeking
Government and Educational jobs.
The commission proposed that the Telangana region be constituted as a separate state with a
provision for unification with Andhra state, after the 1961 general elections, if a resolution could
be passed in the Telangana state assembly with a two-third majority.
The Chief Minister of Hyderabad State, Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, expressed his view that a
majority of Telangana people were against the merger.
Prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru initially was skeptical of merging Telangana with the Andhra
State, fearing a tint of expansionist imperialism in it. Later, he compared the merger to a
matrimonial alliance having provisions for divorce if the partners in the alliance cannot get on
well.
However, following the "Gentlemen's agreement, the central government established a unified
Andhra Pradesh on November 1, 1956. The agreement provided reassurances to Telangana in
terms of power sharing as well as administrative domicile rules and distribution of expenses of
various regions.
Anti-Nehru politics emerged with the repression of the Telengana movement; many within the
Congress extended their hands to radical and not-so-radical leftist causes. Feroze Gandhi was
among them.
Separate Telangana state movement
1969 movement
In the years after the formation of Andhra Pradesh state, people of Telangana expressed
dissatisfaction over how the agreements and guarantees were implemented. Discontent with the
1956 Gentleman's agreement intensified in January 1969, when the guarantees that had been
agreed on were supposed to lapse. Student agitation for the continuation of the agreement began
at Osmania University in Hyderabad and spread to other parts of the region. Government
employees and opposition members of the state legislative assembly swiftly threatened "direct
action" in support of the students.students.
Although the Congress faced some dissension within its ranks, its leadership stood against
additional linguistic states. As a result, defectors from the Congress, led by M. Chenna Reddy,
founded the Telangana People's Association. In Parliament elections held in May 1971,
Telangana Praja Samithi won 10 out 14 Parliament seats in Telangana.[25][26] Despite electoral
successes, however, some of the new party leaders gave up their agitation in September 1971
after realizing that Prime Minister not inclined to towards Telangana, much to the chagrin of
separatists, rejoined the safer political haven of the Congress ranks.
During this period, the Government promised to correct what critics saw as violation to
Gentleman's agreement in jobs, budget allocations, educational facilities. Prime Minister, Indira
Gandhi was strongly against the division of the state but on her recommendation, P. V.
Narasimha Rao became first Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh from Telangana on September 30,
1971.
In the year 1972, all candidates belonging to STPS under the leadership of M Sridhar Reddy
contested the assembly elections, however, only Mr Thakkalapalli Purushothama Rao got elected
from Wardhannapet constituency of Warangal District and rest were defeated. In 1969, Mr
Purushotham Rao unveiled Telangana map in the state assembly.Purushotham Rao was for
outright separation during the 1969 movement and he supported the student views.
At the end of 1972, when the Supreme Court upheld the Mulki rules, the very next day of the
Judgement, Jai Andhra movement was started in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions
protesting the protections mentioned in the Gentleman's agreement. P. V. Narasimha Rao had to
resign as Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh on January 10, 1973. President's rule was declared in
the state. Finally, a political settlement was arrived at under the aegis of the Central Government.
A Six-Point Formula was agreed upon by the leaders of the two regions to prevent any
recurrence of such agitations in future. The `Six-Point Formula' included (1) the abolition of
Mulki rules and the Telangana Regional Committee (protections mentioned in the Gentleman's
agreement) and (2) the establishment of a Central University at Hyderabad to augment
educational facilities. (3) In regards to jobs, state divided into six zones, within the framework of
three regions, namely, Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema, and Telangana (Zone V, and Zone VI) with
Hyderabad under Zone VI. Each zone should prefer local candidates for state government jobs.
However according to GOM, the regions were rezoned with Zone I,II,III Coastal Andhra, Zone
IV Rayalaseema, Zone V,VI Telangana.
Movement in 1990-2004
The emotions and forces generated by the movement in 1969 were not strong enough, however,
for a continuing drive for a separate state until 1990s when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),
promised a separate Telangana state if they came to power. BJP created Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh
and Uttarkhand states in year 2000 as promised. But the BJP could not create a separate
Telangana state because of the opposition from its coalition partner, Telugu Desam Party. These
developments brought new life into the separatist Telangana movement by year 2000. Congress
party MLAs from the Telangana region, supported a separate Telangana state and formed the
Telangana Congress Legislators Forum. In another development, a new party called Telangana
Rashtra Samithi (or TRS), led by Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), was formed with the
single point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state, with Hyderabad as its capital.
Grievances of Telangana proponents
Telangana is the largest single region of the three regions of Andhra Pradesh state covering
41.47% of its total area, is inhabited by 40.54% of the states population, contributes about 76%
to the states revenues (excluding central government contribution). From Central govt: 19.86%,
From Telangana: 61.47% (including 37.17% from Hyderabad), From Andhra: 14.71, From
Rayalaseema: 3.90%.
Among others, alleged injustices in water, budget allocations, jobs are the grievances cited by
Telangana proponents. Telangana supporters cite that the majority of water supply is from the
Telangana region, yet canal irrigation disproportionately benefits the Coastal Andhra region with
relative underdevelopment of Telangana. In addition, the share of education funding for
Telangana ranges from 9.86% in government aided primary schools to government degree
colleges which has a share of 37.85%. Above numbers includes the expenditure in Capital
Hyderabad. In addition, budget allocations to Telangana are generally less than 1/3 of total
Andhra Pradesh budget. In addition, there are allegations that the Telangana budget is being
misappropriated. Telangana proponents cite that only 20% of total Government employees, less
than 10% employees in secretariat, less than 5% of head of the departments in Andhra Pradesh
are from Telangana, while those from other regions make up the bulk of employment. Andhra
Pradesh was represented by Telangana chief ministers for only 6-1/2 years out of over five
decades of its existence, with no chief minister from the region being in power continuously for
more than 2-1/2 years.
Proponents of a separate Telangana state feel all the agreements, accords, formulas, plans and
assurances on the floor of legislature and Lok Sabha, in last 50+ years, could not be honoured
and Telangana was forced to remain neglected, exploited and backward. They allege that the
experiment to remain as one state proved to be a futile exercise and therefore, separation is found
to be the best solution.
2004 and later
In 2004, for Assembly and Parliament elections, the Congress party and the TRS had an electoral
alliance in the Telangana region with the promise of a separate Telangana State.[50] Congress
came to power in the state and formed a coalition government at the centre. TRS joined the
coalition government in 2004 and was successful in making a separate Telangana state a part of
the common minimum program (CMP) of the coalition government.[51] In September 2006,
TRS withdrew support from the Congress led coalition government at the centre on the grounds
of alleged indecision by the government over the delivery of its electoral promise to create
Telangana
2004 and later
In 2004, for Assembly and Parliament elections, the Congress party and the TRS had an electoral
alliance in the Telangana region with the promise of a separate Telangana State.[50] Congress
came to power in the state and formed a coalition government at the centre. TRS joined the
coalition government in 2004 and was successful in making a separate Telangana state a part of
the common minimum program (CMP) of the coalition government. In September 2006, TRS
withdrew support from the Congress led coalition government at the centre on the grounds of
alleged indecision by the government over the delivery of its electoral promise to create
Telangana.
In December 2006, the TRS won the by-election to the Karimnagar parliamentary constituency
with a record margin. The TRS continued to pressure for the creation of aTelangana state in
2008.
All TRS legislators in Parliament and in the State (4 MPs, 16 MLAs, 3 MLCs) resigned in the 1st
week of March 2008 and forced by-elections to increase the pressure on Congress party to take
action.
By-elections for the 16 MLA seats, 4 MP seats were held May 29, 2008. During the election
campaign, the TRS party said it is a referendum on a Telangana state but both Congress and TDP
parties said it is not a referendum on Telangana and also said that they are not opposed to the
formation of Telangana state. To the disappointment of Telangana proponents, the TRS retained
only 7 out of 16 MLA seats and 2 out of 4 MP seats after the by-elections.
In June 2008, Devender Goud, who is considered number two in the TDP, a politbureau member
and Deputy Leader of the Telugu Desam Legislature Party, resigned from the party saying he
would devote his time and energy to the formation of a separate Teelangana state. In July 2008,
Mr Goud along with some other leaders like Mr. E Peddi Reddy formed a new party called Nava
Telangana Praja Party or NTPP.
On 9 October 2008, in a historical turnaround from its 26-year history TDP announced its
support for the creation of Telangana.
Konda Laxman Bapuji of the Nava Telangana Party announced that "We solemnly declare
statehood for Telangana on November 2, 2008."
[edit] 2009 and later
In February 2009 the state government declared that it had no objection, in principle, to the
formation of separate Telangana and that the time had come to move forward decisively on this
issue. To resolve issues related to it the government constituted a joint house committee.
Ahead of the 2009 General Elections in India, all the major parties in Andhra Pradesh supported
the formation of Telangana. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) again announced that they would
create two more states, Telangana and Gorkhaland, if they won the election. The Congress Party
still says it is committed to Telangana statehood,but claims Muslim minorities are opposed to
creation of separate state along with majority of people. Some analysts, however, feel that the
"Muslim reluctance card" has been deftly played by then Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara
Reddy, who is staunchly opposed to the formation of the new state.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had promised to work for Telangana statehood. Telangana
Rashtra Samithi (TRS) joined a Mahakutami (or grand alliance) with TDP and left parties to
defeat the Congress party for denying statehood for Telangana.
The Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), newly founded by film star Chiranjeevi, supported Telangana
statehood. Nava Telangana Party merged with PRP after it realized that there is not enough
political space for two sub-regional Telangana parties with Telananga statehood as main agenda.
Congress returned to power both at center and state. In AP, Congress won 154 out of 294 MLA
seats and 33 out of 42 MP seats. Within Telangana, Congress won 50 out of 119 MLA seats and
12 out of 17 MP seats.
In September 2009, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) died in a helicopter crash
while flying in bad weather.
On November 29, 2009, the TRS president, K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) started a fast-untodeath demanding that the Congress party introduce a Telangana bill in the Parliament. He was
arrested by the government of Andhra Pradesh.Student organizations, employee unions and
various organizations joined the movement. Telangana strikes shut down Telangana on Dec 6th
and 7th. Student organizations planned a massive rally at the state Assembly on Dec 10th.
Government warned that the rally did not have permission and deployed police troops through
out Telangana. The apparent decline in KCR's health led to a sense of urgency to take a decision
on the issue of Telangana statehood.
Proposed Telangana state formation process
2004 to 2009
Flag of TRS
For the 2004 Assembly and Parliament elections, the Congress party and the TRS had an
electoral alliance in the Telangana region that promised a separate Telangana State. Congress
came to power in the state and formed a coalition government at the centre; TRS joined the
coalition and was successful in making a separate Telangana state a part of the common
minimum programme of the coalition government. In April 2006 the then Chief Minister Y. S.
Rajasekhara Reddy categorically said that the state would remain united. In September 2006
TRS withdrew support from the coalition government because of their failure to deliver on their
promise to create an independent Telangana state.
In December 2006 the TRS won a by-election to the Karimnagar parliamentary constituency
with a margin of 2.01 lakh votes.
TRS and Congress leaders from Telangana continued their fight for the creation of a Telangana
state in 2008. All TRS legislators in Parliament and in the State (4 MPs, 16 MLAs, and 3 MLCs)
resigned in the first week of March 2008 and forced by-elections to increase pressure on the
Congress party to take action. By-elections for the 16 MLA seats and the 4 MP seats were held
on 29 May 2008. During the election campaign, the TRS party called the by-election a
referendum on a Telangana state. The Congress and TDP parties said it is not a referendum on
Telangana, and said that they were not opposed to the formation of Telangana state. The TRS
retained only 7 out of the 16 MLA seats and 2 out of the 4 MP seats as a result of these byelections.
In June 2008, Tulla Devender Goud, a politbureau member and Deputy Leader of the Telugu
Desam Party, resigned from the party, saying he would devote his time and energy to the
formation of a separate Teelangana state. In July 2008, Goud and other leaders such as E. Peddi
Reddy formed a new party called Nava Telangana Praja Party (NTPP).
On 9 October 2008 the TDP announced its support for the creation of Telangana.
Konda Laxman Bapuji of the Nava Telangana Party announced that "We solemnly declare
statehood for Telangana on November 2, 2008."
2009
In February 2009 the state government declared that it had no objection, in principle, to the formation of
separate Telangana and that the time had come to move forward decisively on this issue. To resolve
related issues, the government constituted a joint house committee.
In the lead-up to the 2009 General Elections in India, all the major parties in Andhra Pradesh supported
the formation of Telangana. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) again announced that they would create
two more states, Telangana and Gorkhaland, if they won the election. The Congress Party said it was
committed to Telangana statehood, but claimed that Muslim minorities were opposed to the creation of
separate state, along with the majority of the people. The MIM party and Muslim leaders within Congress
felt that the new state would jeopardize the interests of minorities, the safety and welfare of Muslims, and
the future of the Urdu language.
The Telugu Desam Party promised to work for Telangana statehood. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS)
joined a Mahakutami ("grand alliance") with the TDP and other parties to defeat the Congress party for
denying statehood.
The Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), founded in August 2008 by film star Chiranjeevi, pledged support to
Telangana statehood if it becomes inevitable. The Nava Telangana Praja Party announced that it would
merge with PRP after it concluded that there was not enough political space for two sub-regional
Telangana parties that had Telananga statehood as their main agenda, Devender Goud later quit PRP
and returned to the Telugu Desam Party.
In the 2009 elections, Congress returned to power both at the center and state. It won 154 out of 294
Assembly seats and 33 out of 42 Parliament seats. Within Telangana, Congress won 50 out of 119
Assembly seats and 12 out of 17 Parliament seats.
On 29 November 2009 TRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) started a fast-unto-death,
demanding that the Congress party introduce a Telangana bill in Parliament. He was arrested by the
government of Andhra Pradesh. Student organizations, employee unions, and various organizations
joined the movement.General strikes shut down Telangana on 6 and 7 December. Student organizations
planned a massive rally at the state Assembly on 10 December. The government warned that the rally did
not have permission and deployed police troops throughout Telangana. The apparent decline in KCR's
health led to a sense of urgency to the issue.
On 16 December, there was a split in the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) over the Telangana issue, with its
leader Chiranjeevi as well as 16 out of 18 party MLAs (the remaining 2 hailed from Telangana) opposing
the division of Andhra Pradesh, while Telangana leaders in the party were unhappy with the shift in the
party's views.
On 23 December, the Government of India announced that no action on Telangana will be taken until a
consensus is reached by all parties. The TRS reacted by calling for another general strike on 24
December 2009, an action aimed at stalling the regional economy.
A Joint Action Committee (JAC) was formed with the pro-separation members of the major political
parties. There were reports that members of the JAC had widely divergent approaches on the issue of a
separate Telangana.Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema region MLAs started withdrawing their
resignations while MLAs and ministers from Telangana started submitting their resignations, and
demanded that the Centre take immediate steps to initiate the process of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh. The
Home minister conducted an all-party meeting on 5 January to elicit views of all parties in the State. On
the advice of Congress party's central leadership, all of the Ministers from Telangana withdrew their
resignations. Rallies, hunger strikes, and suicides continued throughout Telangana to protest against the
delay in bifurcating the State. The all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) started relay hunger
strikes and threatened the resignations of all legislators on 28 January, demanding that the Centre spell
out its intentions and create a timetable for change. Union minister for Home Affairs P Chidambaram
announced on 28 January that a Committee to examine the demand for a separate Telangana would be
announced in a week. On 3 February the government announced the five-member committee that would
look into the issue.
The Telangana Joint Action Committee said the agitations would continue until a Bill was passed in
Parliament. On 3 February, the JAC organized human chain a distance of 500 kilometres (310 mi) from
north to south in Telangana. Organizers claimed its longest human chain in India.
The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind supported a separate Telangana state with the slogan "Justice for Telangana
and Telangana for Justice" under the leadership of Malik Motasim Khan. The Jamaat, with its student
wing Students Islamic Organisation of India, organised a rally at Nizam College grounds on 7 February
2010
On 12 February, the central government announced Terms of Reference to the Srikrishna Committee,
with a deadline of 31 December 2010. Telangana-JAC rejected the terms of reference saying that it
"undid" the Union home minister's statement of December 9 in New Delhi.
All ten TRS MLAs, one TDP MLA, and one BJP MLA insisted that the speaker of Assembly accept their
resignations. The rest of the Telangana MLAs withdrew their resignations.
On 16 February, Congress legislators from the Telangana region resigned from the Joint Action
Committee due to "unilateral actions by KCR.".
The SKC compiled information which indicates that between 30 November 2009 and 27 February 2010,
313 Telangana people committed suicide over the delay in the formation of Telangana state.
The Srikrishna Committee solicited suggestions and views from political parties, social organisations, and
other stakeholders on 21 February. The committee received over 60,000 petitions by the deadline of 10
April. The committee began personal interactions with the various stakeholders, including the political
parties, starting on 16 April. The committee met with the leaders of TRS, PRP, CPI, MIM, TDP,and
various organizations from throughout Andhra Pradesh.
On 6 July, Telangana congress legislators and ministers met with the Srikrishna committee and made
arguments in favor of the formation of Telangana state.
All the Telangana MLAs who resigned in protest in February were re-elected in by-elections on 27 July
2010 with huge majorities. Congress and TDP candidates who decided to contest the elections, ignoring
the appeal of JAC,lost their deposits by obtaining less than one-sixth of the votes in many constituencies.
TDP candidates lost their deposits in all constituencies.
In a report submitted to the Srikrishna Committee, ministers from Seema-Andhra region stated that the
demand for separate Telangana under grounds of self-respect and self-rule is anti-national and will sow
seeds for disintegration of the country. They said that all the districts of Telangana were well-developed
between 1992 and the present. This statement evoked strong protests in Telangana and demands for the
dismissal of those ministers. In a report dated 9 August, the central government declared 13 districts in
AP are backward, and 9 out of 10 Telangana districts are backward.
On 16 December 2010, two weeks before the deadline for the submission of the Srikrishna report, TRS
organized a public meeting in Warangal. It was estimated that 1.2 to 1.5 million people attended this
meeting. News reports said that even more would have attended, but they were stranded on the roads
due to traffic jams reaching between 20 kilometres (12 mi) to 35 kilometres (22 mi) along roads leading to
Warangal city.Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K. Chandrasekhar Rao appealed to Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh to note that the people of Telangana were losing patience. He demanded that
the Centre introduce the Bill on Telangana in the next session of Parliament.
The Srikrishna committee on Telangana submitted its report in two volumes to the Home Ministry of India
on 30 December 2010. The home Ministry announced that it would hold talks with all eight recognized
political parties of Andhra Pradesh on 6 January 2011 and make the report public on the same day.
He said that even while the committee's own analysis and data supports the formation of an independent
Telangana, it only recommended this as the second-best option.
Protests in Telangana continue in the form of strikes, hunger strikes, suicides, giving petitions and roses
to public officials, and the boycotting of public events. The state government's RacchaBanda program
(which promises social benefits for everyone) in Telangana has been obstructed by protesters and had to
be conducted by using the police, who used preventative arrests and other measures. In some areas, the
programme had to be cancelled due to uncontrollable protests. Telangana proponents boycotted this
program, saying it was intended to dilute the pro-Telangana agitation. KCR, in a meeting in Hyderabad, in
a attempt to ridicule Andhra people who say they taught how to make Biryani to Telangana people,
allegedly remarked that Andhra Biryani tasted like cow dung triggering protests.
A movie called Jai Bolo Telangana based on the Telangana movement received censor clearance only
after protests by Telangana supporters.
Journalist Kuldip Nayar said that if the state is divided, development will take a back seat. He remarked
that Andhra Pradesh could achieve rapid economic growth only if it remains united.
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev supported the demand for a separate Telangana state and warned the centre
that the movement may turn violent if there is a delay in the formation of the state. Another Hindu
guru, Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, supported the Telangana demand when his stance was sought by some
students.
leaders to suppress the Telangana movement.Telangana leaders were complaining about Sri Krishna
committee's integrity since its member secretary attended party hosted by Seema-Andhra leaders in
November 2010.
A Telangana lecturers' forum was organised by the JAC toured Telangana to create awareness of the
need for introduction of a Telangana bill and to prepare people for the upcoming non-cooperation
movement.
On 26 April, a division bench comprising the Chief Justice of the AP high court has stayed the order of
Justice L Narasimha Reddy who had directed the Centre to make public the secret Chapter.
Non-cooperation movement
On February 17, 2011 noncooperation movement was started and it last for 16days which was
participated by 300,000 government employees and caused Rs 8 billion per day in revenue to
government.
In February and March, Assembly session was boycotted for weeks and Parliament session was
disrupted for several days by Telangana representatives.
AprilJuly 2011
Fearing law & order problem due to violence similar to the Million March incident, State police refused to
give permission to TRS to hold their formation day public meeting in Parade grounds in Hyderabad. In
spite of the personal request to Union defence minister A K Antony by KCR, the defence ministry turned
down the request as the party could not get police clearance.
Telangana political parties and organizations vowed to intensity the movement in May which was in
suspended last 2 months due to students examinations. TRS party also threatened to include a 'boycott'
of the academic year at all levels in the entire Telangana region. Students of the Osmania University also
had their summer vacation cancelled to conduct classes during the summer vacation and make up for the
loss caused to academic activities due to Telangana agitation on the campus till March this year. A series
of violent incidents on the campus had forced the university administration to postpone several
exams. Congress party's leadership also reportedly said they will take decision on Telangana
after assembly elections concluding on May 10.
The state government sanctioned Rs 75 lakh for repair and re-installation of statues on Tank Bund,
demolished during the Million March programme. Along with installation of the 16 statues, another new
statue of social activist from Telangana, Komaram Bheem, would also be installed.
After the State Assembly Elections, it was reported that the Congress will wait till 2013 to announce a
decision on Telangana issue. Sources also reported that the Central government has decided against
creation of Telangana state and will instead announce a Political & Economic package to the region
including Deputy CM post for a leader from the region & also granting national status to the Pranahitha
Chevella project. Any attempt at agreeing for the separate T demand was felt will make things difficult for
Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal as a similar demand for Gorkhaland in that state can intensify into a big
agitation.
Both TJAC & the Telangana Congress leaders set fresh deadlines to renew their agitation. While the
TJAC threatened another Million March and bandhs starting June 10, the Congress MPs have decided to
wait till June 25 and resign if separate statehood is not achieved by then.After this deadline, instead of
resigning from their positions, they set another deadline till July 5 after which they vowed to launch an
indefinite hunger strike.
As a solution to the Telangana problem, Congress has implemented a clause in the Gentlemen
Agreement by appointing Damodar Raja Narasimha a Dailt leader from the Telangana region as the
Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
In a unique form of protest, people from all walks of life came together on Hyderabad's roads on June 19
on a call given by Telangana JAC for 'vanta vaarpu' or a cook-and-eat agitation to demand a separate
Telangana state. While various groups made arrangements on a massive scale for cooking food on roads,
families set up small kitchens with gas stoves.
strike, less than 150 turned up and only 50 managed to remain till evening. Even the initial rush was
accounted to "visitors" and not those who were willing to sit on the fast.
On July 13 and 14, resigned Telangana Congress representatives(MPs, MLAs, MLCs) were on hunger
strike due to their party's central leadership's silence on Telangana issue even after their resignations.
On July 20, 30-year-old Yadi Reddy was found dead 100 yards from Parliament House in Delhi. An eightpage suicide note says the young driver from greater Hyderabad region of Telangana was upset over the
government not creating a new state for his homeland. He goes to Delhi all the way from Hyderabad just
to commit suicide. Suicide letter addresses Prime minister and ruling Congress party president.Telangana
JAC called for road blockade on July 21 though out Telangana in memory of him. Telangana
representatives, including those from ruling party, requested the in-charge of state owned guest house in
Delhi, AP Bhavan, to house the deadbody so that the they can pay last respects to Telangana martyr, but
it was denied. The officer wrote a letter to Delhi police that Yadi Reddy's body should not be allowed in AP
Bhavan and instead should be directly sent to the cremation ground after post-mortem. Protesting against
the "lack of respect" shown for "Telangana Martyr", TRS leaders including MLAs and former MPs got
violent in the AP Bhavan in Delhi. Harish Rao & KTR also assaulted a government officer. This led to
protests from Dailt leaders who condemned the attack on a Dailt officer by Harish Rao.The officer who
was slapped says that Mr Rao later apologised to him; he also said he wrote the letter under instructions
from higher officials. Amid tight security, the body was airlifted from Delhi to Hyderabad and was moved
to his native village after arresting scores of Telangana supporters who want to bring the body in
procession to Telangana martyr's memorial.Telangana JAC called for Telangana shutdown on July 22 to
protest the insult to Telangana Martyr. The bandh call drew mixed response from people with about 80%
buses running in the Greater Hyderabad region. There was also an attack on the farmhouse of a TDP
MLA. At least 12 RTC buses worth `8 crore were damaged in the city and around 638 persons were taken
into preventive custody and 41 cases were booked under Section 151 of CrPc. Four cases were
registered against agitators for attacks on private and government properties.
The speaker of the AP assembly on July 23 summarily rejected the resignations of all 101 MLAs citing
that they were made in an emotionally surcharged atmosphere. The T Congress leaders then set another
deadline till July 31 to continue with their agitations. All Telangana MPs who earlier submitted their
resignations and were boycotting the parliament session also decided to attend the parliament monsoon
session citing Sonia Gandhi's ill health.
KCR also remarked in his speech that he would rather die consuming poison than facing the humilation if
separate state is not created.. This statement was criticized by many leaders suggesting that this will
provoke youth to commit suicides.
In a protest seeking deletion of 14(f) section from presidential order, TRS youth wing leaders tore pages
of the state song in government text books and made a bonfire of them.
On August 5, Leader of opposition in Parliament, Sushma Swaraj, in her 30 minute long speach, talked
about Telangana movement in last 55years, criticized the government for the delay in the formation of
Telangana and criticized the Sri Krishna committee report saying it done injustice to the people of
Telangana. She read the suicide letter of Yadi Reddy who committed suicide on July 20 near Parliament
protesting the delay in the formation of Telangana.
On September 8,2011 a World record breaking number of Postcards were sent by the youth and students
of Ramagundam - Godavarikhani Town Area to the Prime Minister of India, Dr.Manmohan Singh
demanding immediate formation of Telangana State with Hyderabad as its capital. A total of 15095
postcards were sent in 12 different languages creating a new World record of sending most number of
postcards on a single day from a single location in an event organized by the members of FCI YUWA Fertilizer City Youth Welfare Association.