Indian Andhra Pradesh:  Telangana may get statehood

 BY  Dr. Abdul Ruff

Andhra Pradesh in India might split to carve out a separate Telegana state incorporating major regions of the state. A long struggle spearheaded by Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has born fruits, although the cause for a spearate state is not  fully justifed. Meeting the five-decade long demand of the region that includes Hyderabad, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government said the process for formation of Telangana state would be initiated soon. Bowing to mass pressure and fearing for the deteriorating condition of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao, on a fast unto death, the central government pledged to form a separate Telangana state carved out of 10 districts of Andhra Pradesh.

The Telangana region has been on the boil as TRS chief's condition had turned critical, the 11th day of his fast unto death, and Hyderabad was turned into a fortress by police fearing large-scale violence during the march to assembly planned by TRS and students.

Talking to reporters in the intensive care unit of NIMS, KCR broke down while paying tributes to those who laid down their lives for the formation of Telangana. At least 25 people either committed suicide or died of shock since KCR's arrest.Students of Osmania University, the nerve centre of the agitation, Kakatiya University in Warangal and other groups fighting for separate state were jubilant. Hundreds of students at Osmania University were seen dancing and raising slogans of 'Jai Telangana' soon after Chidambaram announced in Delhi that a resolution would be moved in the state assembly.

The demand for a separate Telegnana state began in 1969 but the Congress then had stoutly opposed any move for additional linguistic states. A Telangana Praja Samithi (Telangan Popular Association) was formed by soem Congressmen in 1969. The first movement of a separate Telangana state started met with a gory end in 1971. As a counter, the "Jai Andhra" agitation was taken up in 1972-73. However, with oppositon fomr the NewDelhi big  leaders, the movmement died down.

The decision to carve out a separate state of Telangana, which will take the total number of states in the Union to 29, comes at the end of a 40-year- old struggle for a distinct identity. This comes after a gap of nine years when three new states were carved out. Jharkhand split from Bihar on November 15, 2000 to become the 28th state while Uttarakhand split from UP on November 9 and Chattisgarh was created on November one the same year. The announcement, which came at the end of a day of hectic developments both in Hyderabad and Delhi, was greeted with joyous scenes here and in nine other districts of Telangana. After several rounds of meetings of the top brass of the Congress in New Delhi, Home Minister P. Chidambaram announced that a resolution would be moved in the state assembly.

Andhra Pradesh has 23 districts, including the state capital Hyderabad, in three regions coastal Andhra (nine), Rayalaseema (four) and Telangana (ten). Since its inception in 2001, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has been fighting for creation of a separate Telangana state. Telangana region now accounts for 119 of the 294 seats in the Assembly and 17 of the 42 Lok Sabha members. Telangan region comprises Hyderabad, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Warangal, Rangareddy, Nalgonda, Khammam and Mahbubnagar.

This means Andhra Pradesh will continue exist with the remaining 13 districts, incldling the coastal, but nothing is clear aobut it now..