Hyderabad: As Telangana State is set to celebrate decennial celebrations of state formation for 21 days from June 2, we recollect the ten turning points in the annals of the statehood agitation led by TRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao, which led to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and formation of Telangana State on June 2, 2014. KCR in November 2009 announced to undertake fast-unto-death agitation on November 29 to mount pressure on the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre to grant statehood to Telangana. However, the trigger for KCR's decision was the Supreme Court's judgement delivered on October 9, 2009, declaring Hyderabad as 'free zone' for government recruitment giving equal rights to people from all parts of the state to compete for jobs in state capital Hyderabad, which was strongly opposed by KCR.
The ten turning points in Telangana statehood agitation.
1. Supreme Court judgement on Hyderabad 'free zone':
On October 9, 2009, the Supreme Court had pronounced a judgment in a case filed by the Andhra Pradesh Police Officers Association seeking to declare Hyderabad a free zone for Hyderabad city police recruitment. The Supreme Court declared that Hyderabad will be a ‘free zone’, allowing people from other parts of the state to compete for government jobs. Until then, the people of Telangana had a local area reservation of 70 per cent in government jobs in Hyderabad. This was strongly opposed by KCR who argued that Presidential Order 1975 and GO 610 categorically declared that Hyderabad comes under Zone-6 in Telangana and it was not a 'free zone'.
2. KCR's fast unto death agitation:
In November, 2009, KCR announced to sit on fast-unto-death agitation from November 29 demanding Centre to grant of statehood to Telangana immediately with the slogan “Telangana Vachchudo KCR Sachchudo (Either a separate Telanagana state becomes a reality or KCR dies)," which resonated across the state. Through his 11-day fast-unto-death supported by mass protests, Rao achieved what other leaders from Telangana region could not in the last six decades with Centre making an announcement on December 9 in favour of carving out Telangana State. Rao announced to sit on fast in his home town Siddipet in Medak district. He was camping in Karimnagar then. Rao was arrested near Karimnagar town on November 29 morning while he was heading to Siddipet. He was taken to Khammam, where a court sent him to jail for 14 days. Rao launched the fast in Khammam jail and was shifted to Khammam government hospital on December 1 after his health started deteriorating due to fast. On December 1 evening, news broke out that Rao was administered saline in the Khammam government hospital by the doctors with the help of police. and that Rao had accepted the fruit juice offered by the doctors and agreed to end his fast l to save the lives of innocent people who were either committing suicide or clashing with police on the streets after his arrest.
3. Students protests erupt, violence on OU campus:
The news of Rao calling off fast triggered violence on Osmania University campus on November 29 evening. Students vent their anger against Rao for ending his fast by taking out his mock funeral procession on the campus. However, in a dramatic late night development on December 1, Rao announced before the media that he had not withdrawn his fast unto death and it was the police which had forced him to take the fruit juice in the hospital. He said that he was still continuing his fast and will prefer to remain in jail. On December 4 morning, Rao was shifted to NIMS Hospital in Hyderabad, where he continued his fast. Led by OU students, the students in universities across Telangana intensified agitation, and took out rallies which turned violent. Following this, all the educational institutions in the state declared holidays for 15-days. The agitations brought Telangana to a standstill and paralysed normal life with Telangana bandh calls. Following this, the Congress high command instructed CM Rosaiah to convene an all-party meeting on December 8 to seek the opinions of other political parties on statehood to Telangana.
4. Union home minister's statement on Telangana:
Late night on December 9, 2009 at around 11.30pm, then union minister P.Chidambaram read out a statement before the media. He said, “The process of forming the state of Telangana will be initiated. An appropriate resolution will be moved in the state assembly. We are concerned about the health of KCR. We request him to withdraw his fast immediately." However, Chidambaram's announcement met with massive protests from the leaders and people Seemandhra region who contended that the decision was taken unilaterally. Chidambaram's statement evoked sharp protests from Seemandhra region. Students hit the streets demanding United Andhra Pradesh. Samaikhyandra movement gained momentum as Seemandhra leaders threatened to quit their posts demanding Centre to take back the statement on formation of Telangana state.
5. Chidambaram taking back earlier statement:
The developments in Seemandhra region which led to political uncertainty in the state, forced the Centre to go back on its statement on formation of Telangana state. Chidambaram read out another statement on the night of December 23, stating that, "The situation in Andhra Pradesh has altered since the announcement on the creation of a separate state. Wide-ranging consultations would now be held with all political parties and groups in the state, Centre will take steps to involve all concerned in the process."
6. KCR's masterstroke: Formation of Political JAC:
In an angry reaction to Chidambaram's statement, TRS chief KCR announced that MPs, MLAs and other elected representatives of Telangana region will submit their resignations and a 48-hour Telangana bandh will be observed. Within 24-hours, Rao took the initiative to form Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (TJAC) with Prof Kodandaram as chairman to bring all political parties under one umbrella and launch a joint struggle to mount pressure on Centre for granting statehood to Telangana. TJAC intensified T-agitation further by holding "Million March" on Tank Bund on March 10, 2011. TJAC also announced Sakala Janula Samme (People's strike) for 42 days between September and December 2011. On a call given by TJAC, road blockades on national highways throughout Telangana, rail blockades causing disruption in transport services. After 42 days, on October 24, government employees unions called off the strike.TJAC organised "Sagara Haram" on September 30, 2012, at Necklace Road mobilising thousands of people from across the state.
7. Centre forms Sri Krishna Committee:
The Centre constituted a five-member committee for Consultation on the Situation in Andhra Pradesh on February 3, 2010 to look into the demands for a separate Telangana state as well for a united Andhra Pradesh. The committee held meetings with political parties and all other stakeholders in the stat4e. The committee received over one lakh representations from various political parties, civil society organisation and general public from Telangana, Andhra and Rayalaseema regions for and against the bifurcation of AP.The committee led by Justice (Retd) B N Srikrishna Committee, held meetings from April to September 2010. The committee submitted its report to the Centre on December 30, 2010. It was made public on January 7, 2011. The committee favoured united Andhra Pradesh. It recommended six options to solve the Telangana problem while stating that a continuing demand for a separate Telangana deserves some attention and it is not entirely unjustified.
8. UPA coordination committee approves creation of Telangana:
On July 30, 2013, the UPA coordination committee meeting was held in which the coalition parties in the UPA governement decided in favour of Telangana state.
9. Union cabinet clears formation of Telagana State:
The Union cabinet which met on October 3, 2013 cleared formation of Telangana State with Hyderabad as joint capital for 10 years paving for instroduction of bill in the Parliament for bifurcation of AP and formation of Telangana State.
10. AP Reorganisation Bill, 2014 introduced and passed in Parliament:
The AP Reorganisation Bill, 2014 was introduced in Lok Sabha on February 13, 2014. It was passed in Lok Sabha on February 18, 2014. The Rajya Sabha passed the bill on February 20, 2014. The bill was attested by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee on Marhc 1, 2014 and published in the official Gazette on March 2, 2014, where as June 2, 2014, was fixed as the 'appointed day' for formation of Telangana State.
