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Telangana or Telingana is a region in the Indian state of
Andhra Pradesh comprising of 10 districts. The region lies
on the Deccan plateau to the west of the Eastern Ghats
range, and includes the northwestern interior districts of
Warangal, Adilabad, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda,
Rangareddy, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Medak, and the state
capital, Hyderabad, which all together represent 42% of the
total area of the state and is home to 40% of its total
population. Area of Telangana is bigger than 15 states of
India, i.e. Bengal, Kerala, Bihar, Assam, Punjab, Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh, Tripura and newly formed Uttranchal,
Jarkhand and Chattisgarh.
The Krishna and Godavari rivers flow through the region from
west to east.
History : Telangana region was mentioned in the Mahabharata
as the Telinga Kingdom which said to be inhabited by the
tribe known as Telavana and said to have fought on the
Pandava side in the great war of Mahabharata. It is also
evident from the fact that there are Pandavula Guhalu in
warangal district (wherein Pandavas spent their life in
exile (Lakkha Gruham)).
And, in Treta yuga, it is believed that Lord Sri Rama along
with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, spent their life
in exile at Parnashala on the banks of Godavari river which
is about 25 km from Bhadrachalam in Khammam District of
Telangana.
Telangana region has been ruled by many great dynasties like
Sathavahanas, Chalukyas, Kakatiyas. Telangana came under
Muslim rule in 14th century for the first time by Delhi
Sultanate followed by Bahmanis, Qutb Shahis and Mughals. As
the Mughal Empire began to disintegrate in the early 18th
century, the Muslim Asafjahi dynasty established a separate
state known as Hyderabad. Later Hyderabad entered into a
treaty of subsidiary alliance with the British Empire, and
was the largest and most populous princely state in India.
Telangana was never under direct British rule, unlike
Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh,
which were part of British India's Madras Presidency.
Telangana Rebellion : The Telangana Rebellion was a
Communist led peasant revolt that took place in the former
princely state of Hyderabad between 1946 and 1951.
The revolt began in the Nalgonda district and quickly spread
to the Warangal and Bidar districts. Peasant farmers
revolted against the Nizam and the local feudal landlords (jagirdars
and deshmukhs). The initial modest aims were to do away with
the illegal and excessive exploitation meted out by these
feudal lords. The most strident demand was for the writing
off of all debts of the peasants.
At the same time the Nizam was resisting the government's
efforts to bring the Hyderabad state into the Indian Union.
The government sent in the army in September 1948 to quell
the rebellion but faced armed resistance. The Communist
party instigated the peasants to use guerrilla tactics and
around 3000 villages (about 41000 sq. kilometres) came under
peasant-rule. The landlords were either killed or driven out
and the land was redistributed. These victorious villages
established communes reminiscent of Soviet mir (social)s to
administer their region. These community governments were
integrated regionally into a central organization. The
rebellion was lead by the Communist Party of India under the
banner of Andhra Mahasabha. Among the well-known individuals
at the forefront of the movement was the Urdu poet Makhdoom
Mohiuddin (d. 1969). The violent phase of the movement ended
in 1951 after the accession of Hyderabad into the Indian
Union in 1949.
The rebellion and the subsequent police action lead to the
liberation of Hyderabad state from the Nizam's rule on 17
September 1948 and the dominion was merged into Indian Union
eventually. Elections of 1952 lead to the victory of
Congress party in Hyderabad state. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao
was first chief minister of the Hyderabad state from 1952 to
1956, after which the region was merged with the Andhra
state to form present day Andhra Pradesh State.
Post-independence history : India became independent from
the British Empire in 1947. The Nizam of Hyderabad wanted to
retain his independence from India, but his state of
Hyderabad was forced to join the Indian Union by way of
police action in September of 1948 as the Hyderabad State.
When India became independent, the Telugu-speaking people
(although Urdu is spoken in some parts of Telangana
districts) were distributed in about 22 districts; 9 of them
in the Telangana region of Nizam's Dominion (Hyderabad
State), 12 in the Madras Presidency and one in
French-controlled Yanam.
By undertaking a fast-unto-death for achieving the state of
Andhra (not the now Andhra Pradesh), Potti Sriramulu was
crucial in the formation of Andhra State, which was the
first state in India that has been formed on a purely
linguistic basis by carving it out from Madras State in
1953. The resource hungry Andhra State was later merged with
Telugu speaking area of Hyderabad State (Telangana), to
create Andhra Pradesh state in 1956 against the
recommendations of States Reorganization Commission headed
by Justice Fazal Ali, also known as Fazal Ali Commission.
Merger of Telangana and Andhra :
In December 1953, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru appointed
the States Reorganization Commission to prepare for the
creation of states on linguistic lines. This was headed by
Justice Fazal Ali and the commission itself was also known
as the Fazal Ali Commission. The efforts of this commission
was overseen by Govind Ballabh Pant, who served as Home
Minister from December 1954. The commission created a report
in 1955 recommending the reorganisation of India's states.
The States Reorganization Commission (SRC) was not in favour
of merging the Telangana region with the then Andhra state.
Para 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." The concerns of Telanganas were
manifold. The region had a less developed economy than
Andhra, but a larger revenue base (mostly because it taxed
rather than prohibited alcoholic beverages), which
Telanganas feared might be diverted for use in Andhra. They
also feared that planned dam projects on the Krishna and
Godavari rivers would not benefit Telangana proportionately
even though Telangana controlled the headwaters of the
rivers. Telanganites feared too that the people of Andhra
would have the advantage in jobs, particularly in government
and education. Para 386 of States Reorganization Commission
Report (SRC) said "After taking all these factors into
consideration we have come to the conclusion that it will be
in the interests of Andhra as well as Telangana area is to
constitute into a separate State, which may be known as the
Hyderabad State with provision for its unification with
Andhra after the general elections likely to be held in or
about 1961 if by a two thirds majority the legislature of
the residency Hyderabad State expresses itself in favor of
such unification."
The central government decided to ignore the SRC
recommendations and established unified Andhra Pradesh on
November 1, 1956. However, a "Gentlemen's agreement"
provided reassurances to the Telangana people.
Gentlemen's agreement of Andhra Pradesh (1956) : Here is the
document of Gentlemen’s Agreement that is signed between
Telangana and Andhra leaders before the formation of the
state of Andhra Pradesh in 1956.
1. There will be one legislature for the whole of Andhra
Pradesh which will be the sole law making body for the
entire state and there be one Governor for the State aided
and advised by the Council of Ministers responsible to the
State Assembly for the entire field of Administration.
2. For the more convenient transaction of the business of
Government with regard to some specified matters the
Telangana area will be treated as one region.
3. For the Telangana region there will be a Regional
Standing Committee of the state assembly consisting of the
members of the State Assembly belonging to that region
including the Ministers from that region but not including
the Chief Minister.
4. Legislation relating to specified matters will be
referred to the Regional committee. In respect of specified
matters proposals may also be made by the Regional Committee
to the State Government for legislation or with regard to
the question of general policy not involving any financial
commitments other than expenditure of a routine and
incidental character.
5. The advice tendered by the Regional Committee will
normally be accepted by the Government and the State
Legislature. In case of difference of opinion, reference
will be made to the Governor whose decision will be binding.
6. The Regional Committee will deal with following matters:
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Development and economic planning within the framework of
the general development plans formulated by the State
Legislature.
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Local Self Government, that is to say, the Constitutional
powers of Municipal Corporations, Improvement Trusts,
District Boards and district authorities for the purpose of
Local Self Government or Village Administration.
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Public health and sanitation, local hospitals and
dispensaries.
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Primary and secondary education.
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Regulation of admission to the educational institutions in
the Telangana region.
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Prohibition
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Sale of agricultural lands.
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Cottage and small scale Industries, and Agriculture,
Cooperative Societies, Markets and Fairs. Unless revised by
agreement earlier this arrangement will be reviewed after
ten years.
7. Domicile Rules : A temporary provision be made to ensure
that for a period of five years, Telangana is regarded as a
unit as far as recruitment in the subordinate services is
concerned; posts borne on the cadre of these services may be
reserved for being filled up by persons who satisfy the
domicile conditions as prescribed under the existing
Hyderabad Mulki Rules. ( 12 years of Stay in Telangana area)
8. Distribution of expenditure between Telangana and Andhra
Regions--- Allocation of expenditure with the resources of
the state is a matter which falls within the purview of the
State Government and the State Legislature.. Since ,
however, it has been agreed to the representatives of Andhra
and Telangana that the expenditure of the new state on
central and general administration should be borne
proportionately by the two regions and the balance of income
should be reserved for expenditure on the development of
Telangana area, it is open to the state government to act in
accordance with the terms of agreement in making budgetary
allocations. The Government of India propose to invite the
attention of the Chief Ministrer of Andhra to this
particular understanding and to express the hope that it
will be implemented.
9. The existing educational facilities including Technical
Education in Telangana should be secured to the students of
Telangana and further improved
10. The cabinet will consist of members in proportion of
60:40 percent for Andhra and Telangana respectively, out of
40 % of Telangana ministers, one will be a Muslim from
Telangana. If the Chief Minister is from one region the
other region should be given Deputy Chief Ministership.
Check out the the
number of chief ministers and their regions since the formation of AP state.
Signatories from
Telangana Region
Signatories from
Andhra region
Separate Telangana movement
1969 Movement : In the following years after the formation
of Andhra Pradesh state, however, the Telangana people had a
number of complaints about 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. This movement also know
as Jai Telangana movement led to widespread violence and
deaths of hundreds of people and students of this Telangana
region. Approximately 360 students gave their lives in this
movement.
Although the Congress faced dissension within its ranks, its
leadership stood against additional linguistic states, which
were regarded as "anti-national." As a result, defectors
from the Congress, led by M. Chenna Reddy, founded the
Telangana People's Association (Telangana Praja Samithi).
Despite electoral successes, however, some of the new party
leaders gave up their agitation in September 1971 and, much
to the disgust of many separatists, rejoined the safer
political haven of the Congress ranks.
Movement in 1990-2004 : The emotions and forces generated by
the movement were not strong enough, however, for a
continuing drive for a separate state until 1990s when Bharatiya Janata Party, promised separate Telangana state if
they come to power. But the BJP could not create separate
Telangana state because of the opposition from its coalition
partner, Telugu Desam Party. These developments brought new
life into separate Telangana movement by year 2000. Congress
party MLAs from Telangana region, supported the separate
Telangana state and formed a Telangana Congress Legislators
Forum.In another development, a new party called Telangana
Rashtra Samithi (or TRS) was formed with the single agenda
of creating a separate Telangana state, with Hyderabad as
its capital.
Proponents of 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. 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, Congress party and TRS had an electoral alliance
in Telangana region with the promise of separate Telangana
State. Congress came to power in the state and formed
coalition government at the centre. TRS joined the coalition
government in 2004 and was successful in making Separate
Telangana state as part of the common minimum program(CMP)
of the coalition government. In September 2006 TRS withdrew
support for the Congress led coalition government at center
on the grounds of indecision by the government over the
delivery of its electoral promise to create Telangana.
In December 2006, TRS won the by-election to Karimnagar
parliamentary constituency, which is considered by many as
referendum on Telangana state, with a record margin.
There is lot of pressure on Congress party to create
Telangana state in 2008.
All TRS legislatures in Parliament and in State(4MPs,
16MLAs, 3MLCs) resigned in the 1st week of March 2008 and
forcing by-elections which can be viewed as referendum on
Telangana state; to increase the pressure on Congress party
and to intensify the movement.
By-elections for the 16 MLA seats, 4 MP seats were held May
29, 2008. During election campaign TRS party said it is
referendum on Telangana state but Both Congress and TDP
parties said its not referendum on Telangana and also said
they are not opposed to formation of Telangana state. To the
disappointment of Telangana proponents TRS retained only 7
out of 16 MLA seats and 2 out of 4 MP seats after the
by-elections.[18] Telangana proponents are also happy that
all major parties in the state said that they are not
opposed to the formation of separate Telangana state.
In June 2008, Devender Goud, who is considered number two in
the TDP, a polit bureau 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 Telangana state. In July 2008, Mr Goud formed
a new party called Nava Telangana Praja Party, which later
on was named as Nava Telangana Party.
On 9 October 2008, in a historical turnaround from its
26-year history TDP announced its support for the creation
of Telengana.
Declaration of statehood : The Nava Telangana Party, led by
the former home minister of Andhra Pradesh, T Devender Goud,
declared Telangana as a separate province within India on
November 2, 2008. Konda Laxman Bapuji, the ernest freedom
fighter announced that "We solemnly declare statehood for
Telangana on November 2, 2008." Goud released ten pigeons in
the air symbolising the ten districts of the region, while
he also unfurled the national flag on the occasion. Along
with his party activists he was later arrested when they
tried to barge into the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat to change
the name plate -— from Andhra Pradesh to Telangana. A
scuffle then followed between between the police and the NTP
workers before the part workers were taken to the
Chikkadapalli police station. Other NTP workers soon
descended on the scene and staged a dharna to protest
against the arrest. |
