Chasing the Telangana dream since 1952

In 1952, a young intermediate student from Osmania University walked in with a bunch of friends to tell the 1st States Reorganisation Commission that Telangana should not be merged with Andhra into a grand state. And why. He was all of 18 then.

Tuesday will mark a poignant moment for Jayashankar when he walks into North Block to plead why Telangana region should be separated from Andhra Pradesh, an argument which has endured over six decades.

If there is a thread joining Telangana's continuing appeal over 62 years and four generations, Jayashankar may be it. The man, however, underplays his role in the struggle for statehood. "I have just sensitized the people of Telangana through research and academic studies, and by educating them on injustice," the statehood ideologue said.


It will be yesterday once more when the former vice-chancellor of Kakatiya University, along with TRS boss K Chandrasekhara Rao, makes a forceful plea for division of AP at the all-party meeting called by Centre on Tuesday. "Telangana is bound to come. I am optimistic," the academic-turned-activist told TOI.

His pursuit of one dream in a lifetime may be a record of sorts. Telangana has erupted at regular intervals and Jayashankar has been in the forefront always. He was a teenaged activist when he met the first SRC.
Then, in 1962, he was part of a campaign which rocked the region. As a lecturer, in 1968, he participated in the revived agitation.

The big hope came when he worked with Channa Reddy in 1971 in what is remembered as the most successful Telangana upsurge since 1947. It again resulted in disappointment till the retired professor of economics came across a rebellious TDP leader to forge a new statehood platform — TRS.

"I never joined a party," he said, adding, "My range is from RSS to TRS. Anyone who stands for Telangana can be done business with." This time, however, the 76-year-old says Telangana is round the corner. He has not given up hope.

Sources: Times of India

Responsible Leaders - Page Not Found

I've been closely following the separate Telangana Movement past couple of years. This is the first time I noted that responsible politicians who can make a difference err on the language they are using.


Taking example of TRS President K. Chandrasekhar Rao who infamously said "Telanganawale jaago and Andhrawale bhago" in November 2009. This is one of the most irresponsible statements that any politician can make. Actually, he should have been jailed for making this statement which goes against the basic tenets of Indian Constitution.

Even though Iam a hardcore Telangana supporter (being born and brought up in Hyderabad), I sincerely feel that we can achieve Telangana only through peaceful and Gandhian means. Violence has no place in a democratic setup like ours. That too a politician like KCR who is in such an influential position cannot afford to give such idiotic statements. He has to understand that his statements like this are only adding fuel to the Samaikya Andhra leaders.


In this aspect, I have to commend politicians like BJP MLA from Amberpet, Mr. Kishan Reddy who proclaimed that anyone and everyone has place in Telangana and we have to abide by the Indian Constitution. He said, being a capital city, it is but natural that people from all the areas of the state and the country tend to swarm because of job generation. Mr. Reddy said what happens if Americans or Australians or British say the same and kick out people of other nationalities ?? We are only fighting for a separate state but not separate people. We need to get Telangana only with peaceful means.


Also, in yesterday's Vidyarthi Garjana (Students Roar), couple of speakers where aggressive enough to create apprehensions in the minds of lakhs of Andhras who have made Hyderabad their Home. One of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) leaders, Mr.P Ravi stated that if Hyderabadi Andhras donot support Telangana then they wont allow the Andhras who go to their home towns for celebrating Sankranti Festival be allowed back. Some leaders also said that they are ready to die or kill for getting Telangana state.


Fringe elements like this are highly dangerous for the Agitation. Of all the hundreds of leaders who are fighting for Telangana, only a couple of leaders are giving irresponsible statements. The problem is that only such people are getting highlighted which is giving a bad name to the mostly peaceful agitation. Leaders who are fighting for a United Andhra Pradesh are only using the statements of such leaders to rake up sentiments in Andhra areas.

One more thing which I want to highlight is the continuous attacks on film shootings that are taking place in Telangana areas. This is absolutely wrong. Telugu film field has actors from all the areas and film field is responsible for creation of thousands of jobs. The attacks on film shootings will only take away these jobs where even people from Telangana region are employed. All the actors have Fans across the state and we need to understand that they cannot take a stance here on Telangana.

The political leaders who are leading have to be responsible and at the sametime, make sure that the fringe elements are kept in check. Then only we can achieve a safe and economically developed Telangana.