Deeksha Divas watershed moment in Telangana history

Leaders recall the day when KCR launched fast unto death which paved the way for separate State

Hyderabad: TRS leaders and people of Telangana on Sunday celebrated the 11th anniversary of ‘Deeksha Divas’ remembering the fast-unto-death launched by Chief Minister and TRS President K Chandrashekhar Rao on November 29, 2009, which eventually paved the way for the formation of Telangana State. They termed it as an unprecedented event which turned the course of Telangana Statehood movement forever.

November 29 will be remembered as a watershed moment in the history of Telangana statehood movement. It was on this day in 2009 that TRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao had embarked on fast-unto-death that forced the then UPA government to announce the initiation of the process for formation of separate Telangana State. He sat on the hunger strike at Rangadhampally crossroads in Alganoor village near Siddipet at around 11 am, demanding for a separate Telangana State. However, he was shifted to Khammam prison triggering huge public uproar across the region in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.

As people came onto the streets on a large scale, the then Andhra Pradesh government shifted Chandrashekhar Rao to NIMS in Hyderabad where he continued his fast even as people brought the city to a halt. With the tension spreading to Hyderabad city, the Congress high command asked the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to make a statement in Delhi on December 9 night assuring the people that the Centre will initiate the process to create a separate Telangana state.

Recalling the eventful day, TRS working president and Minister KT Rama Rao termed that the fast taken up by Chandrashekar Rao in 2009 as an ‘unprecedented event’ which turned around the Telangana Statehood movement. He said the day had united the people of entire Telangana cutting across different sections of society. He extended greetings to people of entire State on the occasion.

Finance Minister T Harish Rao said the day marked the separate Telangana movement leader Chandrashekhar Rao’s commitment for the cause and his steely resolve as he took up fast unto death without even caring for his life. Several Ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs also recalled the day that was a milestone in separate Telangana movement.

MLC K Kavitha tweeted that Deeksha Divas will be remembered for the commitment of Chief Minister Chandrashekhar Rao’s resolve and his slogan ‘KCR Sachchudo, Telangana Vachudo’ which shook the political leadership in Delhi. She appealed to the people of Telangana to come together again, for the progress of Telangana.

 

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