Understanding reasons behind Telangana agitation
Here’s the sequence of events post declaration of Eight-Point Formula
This is in continuation to the last article focusing on the events post declaration of the Eight-Point Formula.
July 24, 1969 – Osmania University Vice-Chancellor Ravada SatyaNarayana announced on the radio that colleges would open from August 8. On the same day, the then Education Minister PV Narasimha Rao announced that all schools will open in a week’s time.
July 25, 1969 – Nizamabad MP Narayana Reddy introduced a private member Bill in the Parliament in which he proposed a referendum to know the Telangana people’s opinion on a separate State. The Bill was introduced on July 25 and it was supported by
1. Hanumanthayya – Senior Congress leader and member of 1st Administrative Reforms Commission
2. Prakash Veer – Independent MP and Arya Samaj leader
3. Bakar Ali Mirza- Congress MP from Telangana region
The Bill was opposed by Laxmikanthamma.
August 5, 1969 – A felicitation ceremony was organised for Jalagam Vengala Rao on his appointment as the State Home Minister, in Kothagudem. The agitators protested at the venue, resulted in police firing and death of agitators Ram Chander and Dastagiri.
August 6, 1969 – In the agitation that took place in Secunderabad market area, near Rajeshwar talkies, a student named Rabindranath was killed following which the TPS called for a bandh on August 7 in Secunderabad area.
August 8, 1969 – Former State Minister VB Raju proposed a three-point formula to resolve the Telangana issue
1. Change the leadership in the State
2. Release political prisoners
3. Arrange for a round table conference with Telangana leaders to resolve the issue.
August 9, 1969 – The State government issued a statement in which it stated that the entire loss caused by the agitation was Rs 50 crore.
August 14, 1969 – A joint sitting of both houses of State Legislature was arranged for the Governor’s address. While the Governor’s address was under way, Congress MLAs Rajamallu and Ramachandra Reddy raised slogans demanding separate Telangana State and read out a statement on behalf of TPCC and explained the reasons for the agitation due to illegal measures adopted by the government to suppress the agitation. The statement also mentioned about the arrest of Legislators Palvai Govardhan Reddy, GV Sudhakar Rao and Eshwari Bai. The Governor could not complete his address because of this.
August 15, 1969 – About 6,000 people attended the Telangana meeting organised in Vivek Vardhini College in Hyderabad defying prohibitory orders imposed by the police on public meetings and gatherings. At the meeting, the Telangana flag was hoisted along with the National Flag. The meeting ended with lathi charge in which MLA Sumitra Devi was injured.
August 16, 1969 – A resolution offering condolences to the people who died in the agitation was passed by the AP assembly. JV Narsing Rao accepted the position of Deputy Chief Minister by ignoring the warnings of the TPS and student unions. As a consequence of which, bombs were thrown on his house.
August 18, 1969 – A vote of thanks to the Governor’s address was introduced by MLA P Narsa Reddy, who also proposed a round table conference with the leaders of Telangana to discuss and resolve the Telangana issue.
Legislator Chappidi Vengaiah from the Andhra region stated in the Assembly that bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh was the only solution to the agitation.
August 19, 1969 – In a discussion on Telangana issue in Lok Sabha
• NG Ranga supported the demand for Telangana State.
• Dr. GS Melkote supported the demand for separate Telangana State.
• Congress MP NPS Naidu proposed the sub-State of Telangana.
• SN Dwivedi, a Socialist party leader, compared the violence in Telangana with the Jallianwala Bagh incident.
August 20, 1969 – A discussion in the State Assembly on the demand for separate Telangana State took place in which PDF MLA from Warangal Dr. TS Murthy supported the demand for a separate State.
To be continued…
By Deepika Reddy
Director, Shikara Academy
Mobile No. 7702026769
