Yes the 60 years struggle of Telangana has come to an end now. Telangana is a reality and thanks to the students, leader and most importantly the people of Telangana who stood up to the self respect slogan. We all know the history but here we are providing glimpses of it.
It all started in the year 1948, when Indian Army in the name of “Operation Polo” tried to get inside the Hyderabad state [in which Telangana is also a part] for the dissolution of it in India. However, quite a few districts from Hyderabad state got mixed with Maharashtra, Karnataka and only the Ten districts of Telangana was left out in Hyderabad state. In 1952, elections were held for the first time in Hyderabad state and Burgula Ramakrishna Rao became the first chief minister of the state. 1956 according to the Linguistic basis, Andhra Pradesh formed with merging of Telangana with Andhra state which got separated from Madras state. Telangana people weren't happy with the decision ever since then. However the issue was always over looked by the Prime Ministers of India. In 1969, Telangana agitations reached peak level. The moment turned violent also, around 300 students were shot in the police firing. Marri Chenna Reddy a prominent leader of Hyderabad took up the agitations and again the moment gained importance in the year 1972. He established Telangana Praja Samithi and won 11 Parliament seats. However Chenna Reddy preferred Chief Minister post and Governor post offered by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and cooled the Telangana agitations.
Bharatiya Janata Party again took up the issue in the year 1997. They went into 1999 General Elections with one vote and two states slogan. Nevertheless, this time Telangana statehood was rested as BJP had an alliance with Telugu Desam Party which is dead opposite against it. In the year 2001 K Chandrasekhar Rao from walked out of Telugu Desam Party as he was denied ministry post. He established Telangana Rashtra samithi [TRS ] party. TRS party again brought hope for the Telangana region and Indian National Congress shortly known as Congress party under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi agreed for the separate state of Telangana. In 2004 general elections, TRS and Congress together went for elections and won established government in both Andhra Pradesh as well as at the national capital. In 2006, TRS Chief K Chandrasekhar Rao claimed Sonia Gandhi was in favor of announcing separate state but due to unknown reasons it got stalled.
In 2009 elections though Congress was in favor of Telangana, it was the Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy who stood against the bifurcation and luckily he won the elections. YS was completely against the bifurcation and Congress too did not give much importance to the issue as it won elections again. Then a huge turn took with YS death, the political situation in state was completely down. KCR went for a hunger strike and on December 9, 2009 P Chidambaram announced that creation of Telangana was initiated. But the Seemandhra region [rest of AP] leaders did not accept this and resigned in huge numbers. From then on agitations became part and parcel of Andhra Pradesh with pro and anti Telangana issue.
In 2013 Congress Working Committe gave green signal to creation of Telangana. On October 3rd same year the Union Cabinet cleared the Telangana note. On December 12th President of India has sent the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Bill to the AP Assembly to say its opinion on the T-Bill. But as the Chief Minister of AP hails from Seemandhra region, Kiran Kumar Reddy tried all his efforts to stall the process. The Assembly even rejected the Reorganization Bill sent by President of India. However the Central government went ahead with bifurcation process. Finally today on February 18th, the 15th Lok Sabha cleared the Telangana Bill.
(AW: Vamshi)
