Telangana Issue

By: Vamshi Paruchuri

1. States Reorganization Commission & Gentlemen’s

agreement 4

2. 1969 Telangana Movement ( Chenna reddy led Telangana

Movement ) 5

3. 1972 Jai Andhra Movement & Six-Point Formula 6

4. KCR’s Telangana Rashtra Samithi formation & Congress

alliance with TRS 7

5. 2009 Assembly Elections & TRS Alliance with TDP 8

6. KCR hunger Strike & December 9, 2009 Chidambaram

Statement 9

7. Sri Krishna Committee 10

Shrikrishnaʼs Six Option for Telangana" 10
Telangana is a region in Andhra Pradesh. The region borders the states of Maharashtra on
North-West, Karnataka on West, Chhattisgarh and Orissa on North, and Coastal Andhra
region on East and Rayalaseema region on South; both these regions were part of the
former Andhra state which was merged with Telangana to form the current state of Andhra
Pradesh in 1956. The region has an area of 114,840 km2, and population of 30,696,520 per
the 2001 census. The region lies on the Deccan plateau to the west of the Eastern Ghats
range, and includes the northwestern interior districts of former Andhra Pradesh state.

Telangana region has 10 districts: Adilabad, Hyderabad, Khammam, Karimnagar,

Mahbubnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Rangareddy, Warangal. The Krishna and
Godavari rivers flow through the region from west to east. Of the 34 districts in India
which face acute farm distress, nine are in Telangana. The poorest of the poor in an
intensely feudal state live in Telangana.

On December 9, 2009, the Government of India announced that the process for the
formation of Telangana state would be considered upon introduction and passage of a
separation statement by the state assembly of Andhra Pradesh,but retracted its decision
after massive protests. The Government of India has since constituted a five member
committee headed by Justice B. N. Srikrishna to study the feasibility of a separate
Telangana state within the Indian Union.
History of Telangana

When India became independent from the British Empire, the Nizam of Hyderabad
wanted Hyderabad State to remain independent under the special provisions given to
princely states. Rebellion has started throughout the state against the Nizam’s rule and his
army known as the Razakars. The Razakars, led by its chief, Qasim Razvi, massacred many
people and rebels to suppress the movement, but in vain. They destroyed many temples
and monuments across the state. Mass assassinations, similar to Jallianwalabhag, took
place throughout the state. The Government of India annexed Hyderabad State on
September 17, 1948, in an operation by the Indian Army. When India became independent,
the Telugu-speaking people were distributed in about 22 districts, 9 of them in the
Telangana region of Nizam’s Dominions (Hyderabad State), 12 in the Madras Presidency
(Andhra region), and one in French-controlled Yanam. A Communist led peasant revolt
started in 1946 and lasted until 1951, weakening the viability of Hyderabad as an Indian
state in its present form.

The Central Government appointed a civil servant M. K. Vellodi, as First Chief Minister of
Hyderabad state on 26 January 1950. He administered the state with the help of
bureaucrats from Madras state and Bombay state. In 1952, Telangana had tasted
democracy for 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 agitations by some Telanganites to send back bureaucrats from Madras state,
and to strictly implement rule by “Mulkis” (natives of Hyderabad).

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.
States Reorganization Commission & Gentlemen’s agreement

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.
1969 Telangana Movement ( Chenna reddy led Telangana
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.

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 Praja Samithi. In 1971 Parliament elections held in May
1971, Telangana Praja Samithi won 10 out 14 Parliament seats in Telangana. 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 Thakkalapalli Purushothama Rao
got elected from Wardhannapet constituency of Warangal District and rest were defeated.
In 1969, 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.

A memorial was built for students who lost their lives called as Gun Park, near Public
Gardens, Hyderabad.
1972 Jai Andhra Movement & Six-Point Formula

At the end of 1972, when the Supreme Court upheld the Mulki rules, the very next day of
the Judgment, 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, on 21 September 1973, a political settlement was arrived by the Government of

India with a Six-Point Formula. It was agreed upon by the leaders of the two regions to
prevent any recurrence of such agitations in future.

• Accelerated development of the backward areas of the State and planned

development of the State capital with specific resources earmarked for these
purposes and appropriate association of representations of such backward areas in
the State legislature along with other experts in the formulation and monitoring of
development schemes for such areas should form the essential part of the
developmental strategy of the State. Constitution at the State level of a Planning
Board as well as Sub-Committees for different backward areas should be the
appropriate instrument for achieving this objective.
• Institution of uniform, arrangements throughout the State enabling adequate
preference being given to local candidates in the matter of admission to educational
institutions and establishment of a new Central University at Hyderabad to
argument the exiting educational facilities should be the basis of the educational
policy of the State.
• Subject to the requirements of the State as a whole, local candidates should be given
preference to specified extent in the matter of direct recruitment to
◦ non-gazetted posts (other than in the Secretariat. Offices of Heads of
Department, other State level offices and institutions and the Hyderabad City
Police)
◦ corresponding posts under the local bodies and
◦ the posts of Tahsildars, Junior Engineers and Civil Assistant Surgeons. In
order to improve their promotion prospects, service cadres should be
organised to the extent possible on appropriate local basis up to specified
gazetted level, first or second, as may be administratively convenient.
• A high power administrative tribunal should be constituted to deal with the
grievances of services regarding appointments, seniority, promotion and other
allied matters. The decisions of the Tribunal should ordinarily be binding on the
State Government. The constitution of such a tribunal would justify limits on
recourse to judiciary in such matters.
• In order that implementation of measures based on the above principles does not
give rise to litigation and consequent uncertainty, the Constitution should be
suitably amended to the extent necessary conferring on the President enabling
powers in this behalf.
• The above approach would render the continuance of Mulki Rules and Regional
Committee unnecessary.
KCR’s Telangana Rashtra Samithi formation & Congress
alliance with TRS

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, After Resigning as TDP legislator Kalvakuntla
Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) was formed new party ‘Telangana Rashtra Samithi’ (TRS), with
the single point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state.

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.
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 April 2006, the then Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy sent a report
to Congress against the formation of the new Telangana state. 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.

2009 Assembly Elections & TRS Alliance with TDP

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. The small 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 with Telananga statehood as main agenda, but later reversed
itself and merged instead into the Telugu Desam Party.

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.
KCR hunger Strike & December 9, 2009 Chidambaram
Statement

On November 29, 2009, the TRS president, K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) started a fast-
unto-death 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.

On December 9, 2009, P. Chidambaram, the Union Minister of Home Affairs announced

that the Indian government would start the process of forming a separate Telangana state,
pending the introduction and passage of a separation resolution in the Andhra Pradesh
assembly. KCR thus ended his 11 day fast, saying from his hospital bed that this was a “true
victory of the people of Telangana.”

Pro-Telangana supporters celebrated the central government decision while those from the
Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions (Andhra region) protested. In fact, within a short
time of the Home Minister’s declaration, sensing the public mood, MLAs from the Coastal
Andhra and Rayalaseema regions (Andhra region) submitted their resignations in protest
of the process of creation of a new state within Andhra Pradesh. By the 16th of December,
at least 147 legislators (including Praja Rajyam Founder Chiranjeevi and many Members of
Parliament had resigned in protest of the Government’s decision to begin discussions on
forming a new state of Telangana. 22 Ministers from the State Cabinet, all from Andhra
(Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema) regions submitted their resignations.

On December 23, the Government of India announced that no action on Telangana will be
taken until a consensus is reached by all parties.
Sri Krishna Committee

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. Subsequently, Andhra (Coastal Andhra
and Rayalaseema) region MLAs started withdrawing their resignations while MLAs and
ministers from Telangana started submitting their resignations, demanding the Centre to
take immediate steps to initiate the process of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh. The Home
minister conducted an all party meeting on the 5th of January to elicit views of all parties
in the State. Further, on the advice of Congress party’s central leadership, all of the
Ministers from Telangana withdrew their resignations. Rallies, hunger strikes, suicides
continue, sometimes turning violent, 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 resignations of all legislators on Jan 28, demanding the
Centre to spell out its stand on separate Telangana and start the process of creating the
State within a timeframe. The Union minister for Home Affairs P Chidambaram
announced on January 28 that a Committee to examine the demand for a separate
Telangana would be announced after a week. On the 3rd February the government
announced the 5 member committee that would look into the issue of Bifurcation of state.

On February 12, Central government announced Terms of Reference to B.N. Srikrishna

Committee with a deadline of December 31, 2010. Telangana-JAC rejected the terms of
reference saying that it “undid” Union home minister’s statement in New Delhi on
December 9, 2009.

Shrikrishna’s Six Option for Telangana

The report of Justice Srikrishna Committee, a deciding factor for future of Andhra Pradesh
came out with six options including options of continuity of united State and separation of
Telangana. The six options can be outlined as follows:

Option 1: Maintaining status quo: The committee said it is of the unanimous

view that it would not be a practical approach to simply maintain status quo in
respect of the situation.

Comment: “Some intervention is definitely required and though maintaining the existing
status quo is an option, it is favoured the least.”

Option 2: Bifurcation of the state into Seemandhra and Telangana, with

Hyderabad as a Union Territory and the two states developing their own
capitals in due course:

Comment: “There is a definite likelihood of serious backlashes in the Telangana region

and on overall consideration, the Committee found this option was also not practicable.”
Option 3: Bifurcation of the state into Rayala-Telangana and Coastal Andhra
Regions with Hyderabad being an integral part of Rayala-Telangana:

Comment: “This scenario is not likely to be accepted either by the pro-Telangana or by

the pro-United Andhra protagonists.

While this option may have economic justification, the committee believes that this option
may not offer a resolution which would be acceptable to people of all three regions.”

Option 4: Bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into Seemandhra and Telangana

with enlarged Hyderabad Metropolis as a separate Union Territory. This
Union Territory will have geographical linkage and contiguity via Nalgonda
district in the south-east to Guntur district in coastal Andhra and via
Mahaboobnagar district in the south to Kurnool district in Rayalaseema.

Comment: “This is likely to receive stiff opposition from Telangana protagonists and it
may be difficult to reach a political consensus in making this solution acceptable to all.”

Option 5: Bifurcation of the state into Telangana and Seemandhra as per

existing boundaries with Hyderabad as the capital of Telangana and
Seemandhra to have a new capital.

Comment: “The committee feels that this option has to be given consideration. The
continuing demand for a separate Telangana has some merit and is not entirely
unjustified. In case this option is exercised the apprehensions of the coastal Andhra and
the Rayalaseema people and others who were settled in Hyderabad and other districts of
Telangana with regard to their investments, properties, livelihood and employment would
need to be adequately addressed.”

“Considering all aspects, the Committee felt that while the creation of a separate Telangana
would satisfy a large majority of the people from the region, it will also throw up several
serious problems. Therefore, after taking into account of the pros and cons the committee
did not think it to be most preferred, but the second best option. Separation is
recommended only in case it is unavoidable and if decision can be reached amicably
amongst all the three regions.”

Option 6: Keeping the state united by simultaneously providing certain

definite constitutional/statuary measures for socio-economic development
and political empowerment of Telangana region-creation of a statutorily-
empowered Telangana Regional Council:

Comment: “In this option, it is proposed to keep the state united and provide
constitutional/statuary measures to address the core socio-economic concerns about the
development of the Telangana region. This can be done through the establishment of a
statutorily-empowered Telangana Regional Council with adequate transfer of funds,
functions and functionaries. The regional council will provide a legislative consultative
mechanism for the subjects to be dealt with by the Council.”

“The united Andhra option is being suggested for continuing the development momentum
of the three regions and keeping in mind the national perspective. With firm political and
administrative management it should be possible to convey conviction to the people that
this option would be in the best interest of all and would provide satisfaction to the
maximum number of the people in the state.”

“It would also take care of the uncertainty over the future of Hyderabad as a bustling,
educational, industrial and IT hub/destination. For management of water and irrigation
resources on an equitable basis, a technical body, ie, Water Management Board and an
Irrigation Project Development Corporation in expanded role have been recommended.
The above course of action should meet all issues raised by Telangana people
satisfactorily.”

“The committee discussed all aspects of this option and while it acknowledges that there
will be certain difficulties in its implementation, on balance, it found it the most workable
option in the given circumstances and in the best interest of the social and economic
welfare of the people of all the three regions. The core issue being one of the socio-
economic development and good governance, the committee keeping the national
perspective in mind, is of the considered view that this option stands out as the best way
forward.”
TRS &BJP MLA’s Resignation
All 10 of TRS MLAs, 1 TDP MLA, 1 BJP MLA insisted speaker of Assembly to accept their
resignations. Speaker accepts resignations of 12 MLAs. Rest of the Telangana MLAs
withdrew their resignations which disappointed Telangana JAC.

On February 16, Congress legislators from the Telangana region resigned from the Joint
Action Committee due to “unilateral actions by KCR.”

As of February 22, 2010, more than 25 Telangana people committed suicides over the
delay in the formation of Telangana state.

Sri Krishna Committee solicited suggestions/views from the political parties, social
organisations and other stakeholders on February 21. Committee received over 60,000
petitions by the deadline of April 10. The committee began personal interactions with the
various stakeholders, including the political parties starting from April 16. The committee
met with the leaders of TRS, PRP, CPI, MIM, TDP, and various organizations from
though out Andhra Pradesh. And prepared report on issue and submitted to Home
Ministry on 30th 2010.

We are all hope that the right solution will come out soon……