Hyderabad: This article is in continuation of the last article on the origin of the Mulki issue https://telanganatoday.com/when-students-took-part-in-rallies. The 1952 Mulki agitation which started with the transfer of teachers in Warangal, spread to Hyderabad where it intensified and finally resulted in the most important event of the agitation – the City College incident. The details […]
Hyderabad: This article is in continuation of the last article on the origin of the Mulki issue https://telanganatoday.com/when-students-took-part-in-rallies.
The 1952 Mulki agitation which started with the transfer of teachers in Warangal, spread to Hyderabad where it intensified and finally resulted in the most important event of the agitation – the City College incident. The details of the agitation in Hyderabad and its consequences are given below:
On August 29, 1952, in protest of the lathi charge in the Hanamkonda High School, students in Hyderabad organised a rally from Saifabad College. The number of rallies and protests in Hyderabad increased over the next 2 to 3 days.
On September 1, 1952, the then Police Commissioner of Hyderabad, Shiva Kumar Lal of Hyderabad Civil Services requested the parents and teachers to stop the students from getting involved in any violence through a public announcement. He also issued a warning that any violence would be dealt with serious police action.
September 2, 1952, massive rallies were organised across the state in which the students raised the following slogans:
1. Non –Mulkis Go Back
2. Idli – Sambar Ghar Ko Jao
3. Students union Zindabad
In certain places, the rallies resulted in the lathi charge. On September 3, 1952, the Police Commissioner issued orders prohibiting rallies, meetings, and so on.
CITY COLLEGE INCIDENT
About the college: The Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI of Hyderabad established the first city school in the name ‘Madarsa Dar-ul-uloom’ as early as 1865, later Nizam Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII, converted it into a City High School. The school moved into the present grand building in 1921. Intermediate sections (F.A) of Osmania University with 30 students were introduced in 1921 under the supervision of the high school with Urdu as the medium of instruction. In 1929, the school was upgraded to a college and was named as ‘City College’. It became a constituent college of Osmania University.
Date of Incident – September 3, 1952
Students initially gathered to protest against the Warangal incident and later took out a rally which was joined by many commoners. Many politicians including Venkata Swamy, Mulchand Laxminaraya and Konda Laxman Bapuji tried to dissuade the students from taking out a rally; but the students were resolvent.
Gradually, the rally became uncontrollable, there was an exchange of stones, and the police lathi-charged the agitators. This resulted in firing in which two people were killed on the spot and two others died later in the hospital. It also resulted in injuries to many police personnel and the general public.
Names of the people who were killed:
1. Mohammad Kasim (Died on spot)
2. ShaikhMahabub (Died on spot)
3. Jamaluddin (Died in the hospital)
4. Ramulu(Died in the hospital)
After the incident, on September 4, 1952, students agitated near the Osmania General Hospital for the dead bodies. Padmaja Naidu, Jayasurya Naidu, and Dr Vaghdev tried to control the agitation of the students. However, delays in handing over the bodies resulted in massive agitations.
While the students were protesting against the dead bodies, the police secretly buried the dead bodies near the Mir Alam Tank. On knowing this, the Chief Minister immediately ordered the excavation of these bodies and handed them over to their families. The entire situation resulted in many protests. Most important of which was the CM’s official car was burnt by the agitators. All these incidents led to police firing in which four more people were killed.
Measures were taken by the government after City College incident:-
1. A Cabinet sub-committee was formally announced on September 7, 1952. Members were KV Ranga Reddy, Dr Melkote Phulchand Gandhi and Nawaz Jung Bahadur. Purpose of the committee: To study the Mulki rules and suggest changes and means of effective implementation of the Mulki rules in consultation with the students and the other stakeholders.
2. Justice Pingali Jagan Mohan Reddy committee was appointed to investigate police firing on September 3 and 4.
PINGALI JAGANMOHAN REDDY COMMITTEE:
Date of Appointment – Sept 5, 1952
Sept 10, 1952 – The government issued a formal letter mentioning the criteria for investigation.
(i) Situations led to the firing.
(ii) If needed an investigation into the cause of the agitation by the students.
December 28, 1952 – Date of submission of the report
Nearly a hundred witnesses were cross-examined including the following:
1. Chief Minister – Burgula Ramakrishna Rao
2. Monappa (Inspector General of Police)
3. Shiva Kumar Lal (Commissioner of Police)
4. SundaramPillai (DCP)
5. Subbaiah (Brigadier)
6. ParthaSaradi (Hyderabad collector)
7. Sri Ram Lal (City College Principal)
The Committee concluded that the City College incident could have been avoided if both the police and students exercised some restraint. It however did not hold the police guilty of the action as it felt that the situation demanded stern action by the police. The appointment of the above two committees marked the end of the 1952 agitation.
To be continued…
By Deepika Reddy
Director, Shikara Academy
Mobile No. 7702026769
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