The Movement for the Formation of Telangana State

Key Points:

1. After Hyderabad merger with India, Hyderabad state became a democratic state in 1952 and Burgula Ramakrishna Rao became its first elected Chief Minster.
2. Andhra region was separated from Madras Presidency in 1953 and Tanguturi Prakasam became its Chief Minister.
3. On the initiative of the Union Government, the leaders of both sides met in Delhi and reached what was called “Gentlemen’s Agreement” on 20th February 1956. The signatories to the agreement were B. Gopala Reddy, N. Sanjeeva Reddy, G. Latchanna, A. Satyanarayana Raju from Andhra and B. Ramakrishna Rao, M. Chenna Reddy, J. V. Narsing Rao and K. V. Ranga Reddy from Telangana.
4. This paved the way for the merger of the two states though conditional and subject to satisfaction of Telangana people. Thus, the new state of Andhra Pradesh with its capital in Hyderabad was formed.
5. Around the same time, several leaders from Telangana came together to form a forum called Telangana Praja Samithi to work for the formation of a separate state, later took the shape of a new political party. The central government held long talks and came up with an Eight Point Plan which basically consisted of setting up several committees.
6. In response to the Telangana agitation, a counter movement started in 1972 in the Seemandhra regions called “Jai Andhra Movement” demanding not only greater development of the coastal districts but also the removal of Mulki rules relating to domicile status.
7. In addition to uneven development, the people of Telangana also felt that they were being culturally discriminated against. After the merger, the language and culture of Coastal Andhra was promoted as the ideal language and culture and those of Telangana were treated as being backward.
8. A Telangana Information Trust was set up in 1989 by the intelligentsia to bring out information on injustices done to Telangana. On November 1, 1996, Telangana Vidroham meeting was organized in Warangal by a group of intellectuals. This gave rise to several popular meetings leading to the formation of several organisations for demanding the formation of Telangana state.
9. Many organizational experiments like Telangana Jana Parishad, Telangana Mahasabha, Telangana Janasabha, and Telangana Aikya Vedika were tried out with political enthusiasm and spirit of activism but no political party emerged. Telangana Rashtra Samiti was formed in April 2001.
10. Chandrashekar Rao, the leader of Telangana Rashtra Samiti, announced an indefinite fast to begin on 29th November 2009 at Siddipet. He was arrested and lodged in a jail even before he started his fast. He continued the fast in Khammam Jail and subsequently in hospital too.
11. The Congress Core Committee heard the presentations from Andhra side and Telangana side and finally took a decision in favour of bifurcation. Accordingly, the bill was passed in Parliament bifurcating the State of Andhra Pradesh with June 2, 2014 as the appointed day.

Key words:

1. Gentleman’s Agreement: The leaders of both sides met in Delhi and reached what was called “Gentlemen’s Agreement” on 20th February 1956. They basically agreed on 14 points. Thus, the new state of Andhra Pradesh with its capital in Hyderabad was formed.
2. Joint Action Committee (JAC): In order to unify the people, all parties and organizations came together to form Telangana Joint Action Committee. Under its leadership, six major agitations were launched: Non-cooperation Movement, Million March, Sakala Janula Samme (forty two day general strike), Sagara Haram (human chain around Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad), Sansad Yatra (March to the Parliament) and Chalo Assembly.
3. Dhoom - Dhams: Dhoom - Dhams (public song and dance programmes), in garjanas (massive public meetings to proclaim the demands), padayatras (marches). The traditional Bonalu (offering to deities), drawing rangoli, was also invoked to express the popular Telangana demand.
4. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi: Telangana Jana Parishad, Telangana Mahasabha, Telangana Janasabha, and Telangana Aikya Vedika were tried out with political enthusiasm and spirit of activism but no political party emerged. It was in this context that Telangana Rashtra Samithi was formed in April 2001.