What is Telangana? Telangana refers broadly to the parts of the state that formed the erstwhile state. Telangana is a region in the present state of , and formerly was part of which was ruled by Nizam. It is bordered with the states of Maharashtra on the north and north-west, Karnataka on the west, Chattisgarh on the north-east and Orissa to the east. Andhra Pradesh State has three main cultural regions of which Telengana is one part and others include Coastal Andhra region on the east and Rayalaseema region on the south. The Telangana region has an area of 114,840 square kilometres (44,340 sq mi), and a population of 35,286,757 (2011 census) which is 41.6% of Andhra Pradesh state population. The Telangana region comprise of 10 districts: Adilabad, Hyderabad, Khammam, Karimnagar, Mahbubnagar, Medak, , Nizamabad, Rangareddy, and Warangal. The , Krishna and Godavari rivers flow through the region from west to east. Historical Perspective The ruler of India’s largest , Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh , was not willing to acede either to India or Pakistan in 1947. Then the Telangana Rebellion started, which was a peasant revolt which was later supported by the Communists. It took place in the former princely state of Hyderabad between 1946 and 1951. This was led by the . The revolt began in the and quickly spread to the Warangal and districts. Peasant farmers and labourers revolted against the local feudal landlords (jagirdars and ) and later against the Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII. The initial aims were to do away with illegal and excessive exploitation meted out by these feudal lords in the name of bonded labour (Vetti Chakiri). The most strident demand was for all debts of the peasants to be written off. [7] [8] When India became independent from the British Empire in 1947, the Nizam of Hyderabad did not want to merge with Indian Union and wanted to remain independent under the special provisions given to princely states. He even asked for a corridor, a passage from India. Rebellion had started throughout the state against the Nizam's rule and his army, known as the . The Government of India annexed Hyderabad State on 17 September 1948, in an operation by the Indian Army called Operation Polo. When India became independent, Telugu-speaking people were distributed in about 22 districts, 9 of them in the former Nizam's dominions of the princely state of Hyderabad, 12 in the Madras Presidency (Northern Circars), and one in French-controlled Yanam. The Central Government appointed a civil servant, M. K. Vellodi, as First Chief Minister of Hyderabad State on 26 January 1950. He administered the state with the help of bureaucrats from Madras State and Bombay State. In 1952, Dr. was elected Chief minister of Hyderabad State in the first democratic election. During this time there were violent agitations by some Telanganites to send back bureaucrats from Madras state, and to strictly implement rule by natives of Hyderabad. Meanwhile, Telugu-speaking areas in the Northern Circars and Rayalaseema regions were carved out of the erstwhile Madras state on the fast unto death by Potti Sri Ramulu to create in 1953, with Kurnool as its capital. Nehru chose to ignore Sriramulu’s fast. On the 56th day of his fast unto death, Sriramulu died and violence erupted.In December 1953, the States Reorganization Commission was appointed to study the creation of states on linguistic basis.[16] The States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) was not in favour of an immediate merger of Telangana region with Andhra state, despite their common language.Paragraph 382 of the States Reorganisation Commission Report (SRC) said "opinion in Andhra is overwhelmingly in favour of the larger unit; public opinion in Telangana has still to crystallize itself. Important leaders of public opinion in Andhra themselves seem to appreciate that the unification of Telangana with Andhra, though desirable, should be based on a voluntary and willing association of the people and that it is primarily for the people of Telangana to take a decision about their future".The people of Telangana had several concerns. The region had a less-developed economy than Andhra, but with a larger revenue base (mostly because it taxed rather than prohibited alcoholic beverages), which people of Telangana feared might be diverted for use in Andhra. They feared that planned irrigation projects on the Krishna and Godavari rivers would not benefit Telangana proportionately, even though people of Telangana controlled the headwaters of the rivers. It was feared that the people of Andhra, who had access to higher standards of education under the British rule, would have an unfair advantage in seeking government and educational jobs.The commission proposed that the Telangana region be constituted as a separate state with a provision for unification with Andhra state, after the 1961 general elections, if a resolution could be passed in the Telangana state assembly with a two-thirds majority. The Chief Minister of Hyderabad State, Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, expressed his view that a majority of Telangana people were against the merger. He supported the Congress party's central leadership decision to merge Telangana and Andhra despite opposition in Telangana. Andhra state assembly passed a resolution on 25 November 1955 to provide safeguards to Telangana. The resolution said, "Assembly would further like to assure the people in Telangana that the development of that area would be deemed to be special charge, and that certain priorities and special protection will be given for the improvement of that area, such as reservation in services and educational institutions on the basis of population and irrigational development." Telangana leaders did not believe the safeguards would work. With lobbying from Andhra Congress leaders and with pressure from the Central leadership of Congress party, an agreement was reached between Telangana leaders and Andhra leaders on 20 February 1956 to merge Telangana and Andhra with promises to safeguard Telangana's interests. Prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru initially was skeptical of merging Telangana with Andhra State, fearing a "tint of expansionist imperialism" in it. He compared the merger to a matrimonial alliance having "provisions for divorce" if the partners in the alliance cannot get on well. Following the Gentlemen's agreement, the central government established a unified Andhra Pradesh on November 1, 1956. The agreement provided reassurances to Telangana in terms of power-sharing as well as administrative domicile rules and distribution of expenses of various regions. Anti-Nehru politics emerged with the repression of the Telengana movement; many within the Congress Party extended their hands to leftists. But within a few years, Andhra Pradesh was rocked by political turmoil. Between 1969 and 1972, the state witnessed two separate movements- ‘ Jai Telangana’ and ‘Jai Andhra’. The Telangana leaders accused Andhra leaders of flouting the gentlemen’s agreement. Andhra leaders retaliated by saying the ‘Mulkis’ policy was discrimination against them. In 1919’ the Nizam had issued a decree stating that only ‘Mulkis’, that is people born in the state or those who had lived there for atleast 15 years, were eligible for public appointment in the state. Domiciled ‘Mulkis’ were also required to have an affidavit that they would never return to their native places. After the merger, the people of Hyderabad wanted this rule to be observed, while the people of coastal Andhra and other parts of the state were against it. The movement which started with the demands of safeguarding the interests of the people of the erstwhile Hyderabad state soon started demanding a separate state. On January 10, 1973, president’s rule was imposed, but soon the matter was resolved for the time being. What are the grievances of the people of Telangana and why they want it to be a separate state? 1.The government has discriminated against the region by providing a huge chunk of aid to private colleges (Junior as well as Degree) in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema with very little to the private colleges in Telangana. A clarification was sought by the Committee about the basis for deciding grants to private colleges. The response from the Higher Education Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh is given in Appendix 3.16. It confirms that the aid to the private colleges in Telangana is much less than that in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. 2.Another issue brought up here is regarding the distribution of the location of the state universities/institution facilities region-wise. While state level institutions are spread out in many districts of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, in Telangana region they are located only in the capital city Hyderabad. It is pointed out that JNTU originally proposed to be located in Warangal was shifted to Hyderabad and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Open University located in Nalgonda district was also shifted within two months to Hyderabad. The reason given was that state level universities should be located in the state capital; however, this principle was not followed in the case of many state level universities/institutions that were started in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. The new IIT was proposed to be setup in the temple town of Basar in Adilabad district but later shifted to Medak district near Hyderabad. It is asserted that indirect benefits in terms of employment and development of the area around a state level institute/university are denied to the 9 districts of Telangana while 4 state level institutions have been located in one town (Tirupati) of district Chittoor in Rayalaseema region. 3.Many groups pointed out in their submissions that seats available to the students in Telangana region in professional colleges, particularly medicine and dentistry are less than in proportion to their population. It is stated that there are four government medical colleges for the four districts in Rayalseema,whereas there are only two medical colleges for the 9 districts in Telangana(excluding Hyderabad) and as a result, even students with a high rank cannot get a seat. In nursing also, there are several colleges in Rayalaseema whereas Telangana has only one college which was established during the Nizam period. 4.The students/groups in Telangana do not go to the other regions for education while many students from the other two regions take admission in the regional institutions located in Telangana, particularly, those located in the capital city by virtue of shorter residency requirement (4 years of schooling under the Presidential order as against 15 years under the earlier „Mulki‟ rules) forqualifying as a local. It has been alleged that many admission seekers from other regions simply acquire fake certificates. 5.Telangana students have complained that pass marks for English are 35 while it is only 18 for in the school leaving exam. Also, the marks obtained in English are included in calculating the overall percentage, but the Hindi marks are not included. As a result, Telangana students who are more proficient in Hindi suffer while Andhra students are at an advantage. The state government should look into the reasons for the skewed requirements and arrive at a more rational and just set of rules. Equally, efforts must be made to improve English language learning in those areas of the state where students are deficient in the language as it is increasingly tied to future employment prospects. 6.Health infrastructure in the state has grown at a slow pace and therefore the per capita availability of many facilities has stagnated or increased marginally. The government health facilities (Hospital Beds and Doctors) per lac population are the highest in Rayalaseema region followed by coastal Andhra region. Although Telangana region, particularly excluding Hyderabad, is behind in these respects. 7.One of the major grievances of the people of Telangana is regarding allocation and utilization of river waters. The discrimination has ben done against Telangana in the distribution of river waters, inadequate mechanisms to address inter regional disputes over river water sharing and water use and part diversion of river Godavari to coastal Andhra and river Krishna to Rayalaseema to the detriment of the Telangana region. 8.It has been alleged that injustice has been done to Telangana in the implementation of various projects. Another allegation is that unviable projects were formulated for Telangana like Ichampalli Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme etc. which were unlikely to succeed. The Polavaram project has been planned to benefit coastal Andhra at the cost of Telangana and the projects inherited from the erstwhile Hyderabad state have been abandoned. 9.Issues have also been raised about neglect of tanks, pointing out that the area irrigated by tanks in Telangana has gone down from 12 lakh acres to 5 lakh acres compelling the farmers to depend on ground water for their survival. Telangana groups have argued that while canal irrigation is with public investment, ground water development is with the farmers‟own resources which are impoverishing the farmers of Telangana, even leading to suicides in some cases. Some groups have pointed out that despite the largest catchment area amongst the three regions of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana has less irrigated land than coastal Andhra and that, if a separate Telangana is created the waters of Krishna and Godavari will be better utilized for agricultural production and creation of employment opportunities. 10. In the current movement for Telangana, language has again become a contentious issue. Telangana people, on the other hand, have argued that their dialect, if not language, differs substantially from that of Andhra region, connoting a separate cultural identity. Further they say that people from Coastal Andhra ridicule the Telangana Telugu as inferior and pass derogatory comments. The language spoken in Coastal Andhra is considered as “Standard Language” while Telangana language is condemned as an “Ordinary Dialect”. 11.It is claimed that cultural domination by coastal Andhra has affected the development of distinctive Telangana culture with lack of respect for Telangana writers, poets, artists and other literary figures. The following grievances have been voiced:“Funds are refused to Telangana literary organizations. Telangana writers never became a part of mainstream Telugu literature. The recent compilation of poetry in Telangana reflects the growing unease of Telangana poets with the discriminatory and humiliating approach of the literary partisans from coastal Andhra. Coastal Andhra elites and the ruling classes show a negative attitude towards the folk art of Telangana. 12.Again, it is claimed that festivals like Bathukamma, Bonalu, Dashera, Deepavali, Holi, Peera Panduga(Muslim festival), Jataras (festival of tribals and ) are celebrated in Telangana but not in coastal Andhra and not given recognition in the state. Rituals followed in marriages are also not the same between the regions. It is argued that “the style of clothing and colours favoured in the two regions is different and coastal Andhra people look down upon Telangana peoples ‟clothing style and eating habits and compare them in public with tribal people. People in Telangana villages worship Gods like Pochamma, Yellamma, Maaremma,Mallamma, Mysamma, Uradamma, Andalamma, Beerappa etc. The coastal Andhra people laugh at these names as they are “local” names unlike the Gods in Coastal Andhra who have Sanskrit names. 11.Telanganites have pointed out that the media, which is dominated by the other regions unfailingly represents them in a poor light lowering their self esteem and making them feel like second class citizens in their own state. Hence, the demand for Telangana in the current phase of the agitation is being presented as a demand for self-rule to protect its cultural identity, self-respect, and to escape the“yoke”of Andhra-Seema regions. 13.Telangana groups have alleged discrimination in access to political power in the state. They argue that several agreements and promises made and beginning with those in the Gentlemen’s Agreement have not been adhered to. As a consequence, Telangana leaders‟ voice has not been adequately represented in political decision-making and this has resulted in a lack of decisions in favour of the region. Lack of political voice has led to neglect and discrimination of the region by the more powerful Seema-Andhra side”. 14. Proponents of a separate Telangana state cite perceived injustices in the distribution of water, budget allocations, and jobs. 15.They also alleged that the state was represented by Telangana chief ministers for only 10.6 years out of over five decades of its existence, with no chief minister from the region being in power continuously for more than 2 1/2 years, while Seema-Andhra region held it for 42 years. So, the Proponents of a separate Telangana state feel that the agreements, plans, and assurances from the legislature and Lok Sabha over the last fifty years have not been honoured, and as a consequence Telangana has remained neglected, exploited, and backward. They allege that the experiment to remain as one state has proven to be a futile exercise and that separation is the best solution. Present scenario The movement restarted in the 1990’s. In the 90s, KCR, then a member of the Telugu Desam Party, was hopeful of a ministerial post in the state government but was made deputy speaker after the 1999 elections. He quit TDP in 2001 to champion the cause of a separate Telangana state and founded Telangana Rashtra Samithi. All this while, with faster development in the rest of Andhra, a strong feeling was gaining ground in Telangana that it was being exploited and that the region’s surplus was being transferred to finance development in the rest of the state. In 2004 election, Y S Rajasekhara joined hands with KCR, promising a separate Telangana. But YSR got cold feet and backtracked, triggering resignations of TRS MLAs. KCR quit his Union ministry post. It gained further momentum when in November 2009 TRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) started a fast-unto- death, demanding that the Congress party introduce a Telangana bill in Parliament. Student organizations, employee unions, and various organizations joined the movement. General strikes shut down Telangana on 6 and 7 December. In a all party meeting on December 7 , all major Opposition parties extended their support for a separate state for Telengana. The resultant massive protest in the region forced Union Minister of Home Affairs P. Chidambaram to announce that the Indian government would start the process of forming a separate Telangana state. KCR ended his 11-day fast, saying from his hospital bed that this was a "true victory of the people of Telangana." Pro-Telangana supporters celebrated the central government decision, while those from the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions (Andhra region) protested. Due to protests in the Seema-Andhra region, On 23 December, the Government of India announced that no action on Telangana would be taken until a consensus was reached by all parties. Rallies, hunger strikes, and suicides continued throughout Telangana to protest against the delay in bifurcating the State. The all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) started relay hunger strikes and threatened the resignations of all legislators on 28 January, demanding that the Centre spell out its intentions and create a timetable for change. On 3 February the government announced the five-member Srikrishna committee on Telangana that would look into the issue, with a deadline of 31 December 2010. The Srikrishna committee on Telangana submitted its report in two volumes to the Home Ministry of India on 30 December 2010. In an all-party meeting on 6 January 2011, the Home ministry made the 505-page Srikrishna committee report public. Section 9-3 (page 440) of the report discusses six solutions. The Committee announced that they were recommending keeping the State united(one of option- which they testified is not possible in present situation), and advised constitutional and statutory measures for socio- economic development and political empowerment of Telangana region through the creation of a statutorily empowered Telangana Regional Council. Telangana leaders say the best option from the Sri Krishna committee report is the formation of separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital. They plan to pressure the Central government to zero in on this option as the only workable one. On March 23, 2011, Justice L Narasimha Reddy of Andhra Pradesh high court ordered central government to make contents of 8th chapter of Sri Krishna Committee, so called 'secret report'. Justice in his 60 page judgement said "The Committee travelled beyond the terms of reference in its endeavour to persuade the Union of India not to accede to the demand for Telangana". The judgement (in para 75, 80 94) also quoted the SKC report's 8th chapter which advised central govt on how to manage Telangana political parties, how to manage Telangana public opinion using local media virtually owned by Seema-Andhra industrialists and what kind of law and order methods to be used. The justice further said(in para 103) "The maneuver suggested by the Committee in its secret supplementary note poses an open challenge, if not threat, to the very system of democracy." Then after the SKC’s report on February 17, 2011 noncooperation movement was started and it last for 16days which was participated by 300,000 government employees and caused Rs 8 billion per day in revenue to government. In February and March, Assembly session was boycotted for weeks and Parliament session was disrupted for several days by Telangana representatives. Million March was organized by Telangana JAC in Hyderabad on March 10, 2010. In a move to disrupt the march, police shutdown arrested over hundred thousand activists through out the region and closed down entry to Hyderabad city, stopped transportation service, traffic was diverted and no one was allowed to areas close to the venue. 50 to 100 thousand people reached venue by hoodwinking police and organized the march. Some Telangana activists damaged 16 statues of personalties hailed form Seema-Andhra representing Telugu culture language on Tank Bund, the venue. They threw some of the remnants into the lake. Top leaders of all political parties in the state including KCR and various organizations condemned the vandalism. On July 4 and 5, 2011, 100 out of 118(1 vacant) Telangana MLAs in the state, 12 out of 15 Telangana ministers, 13 out of 17 Telangana MPs in Lok Sabha, 1 Rajyasabha MP(Congress), 20 MLCs resigned protesting delay in the formation of Telangana. Resigned included 44 out of 53 ruling Congress party's MLAs from Telangana, 9 out of 12 ruling Congress party MPs in Lok Sabha from Telangana. Except 18 MLAs; MIM(7), Congress(9) (including two ministers, Deputy speaker and Deputy CM) CPM(1), Lok Satta(1); the rest of the Telangana MLAs have resigned. On September 12, 2011, a day before Sakala Janula Samme(All people's strike), TRS organized a public meeting in Karimnagar which was attended by Telangana JAC leaders, BJP and New Democracy party leaders. Over million people attended the meeting. Government employees through out Telangana stayed out of work affecting government offices through out the region. Lawyers started boycotting courts. Strike by 60,000 coal miners of Singareni Collieries(SCCL Ltd.) threatened power supplies through out South India unless they end the strike soon. Employee unions said they will not stop the strike until the formation of Telangana state. Starting September 13, as part of 'strike by all section of people' supporting Telangana state formation, government employees, lawyers, coal miners, health workers started indefinite strike. Within days, they were joined by teachers, state transport corportion employees, electricity board employees, sanitation employees, temples employees etc. Due to the strike, administration collapsed in Telangana,court activity paralysed, public transport still stand due to RTC strike, due to the strike in Singareni coal caused power cuts through out South India.

What are we demanding “ ? We are ” asking you to respect the word you have given in the Parliament before the 120 crore people of this country. We are not asking any thing else. — K. Chandrashekar Rao on September 12, 2011[41]

On September 14 and 15, all the 450 movie Theaters in Telangana were closed at the call given by Telangana film chamber. Starting September 16, government teachers joined the strike. On September 19, state road transport corporation employees and state electricity board employees in Telangana joined the indefinite strike. On October 9, workers of the Telangana Youth Congress agitated at the Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad as soon as the meeting began. They demanded that the membership drive should be postponed until the Central Government of India made any official announcement on Telangana. They threw chairs at each other and Telangana members demanded that a separate Telangana Youth Congress be formed for the youth from Telangana. On October 11, a case was filed against KCR, under IPC section 153, for delivering instigating speeches and creating rift between people from different regions in the state. FIR said that he had tried to instigate people to attack Telangana representatives for not resigning for the cause of Telangana. As the All People's strike entered the 30th day on October 14, 2011, Medak's MP Vijayashanti criticized the Congress high command for the delay in making the decision on Telangana and said Congress wants the issue to prolong until 2014. She furthur said the strike should continue until the formation of Telanana state. On the 1st day of Rail blockade on Oct 15, 110 trains were cancelled and 68 trains were diverted. The railways operated 12 trains and trails with full police protection. Telangana protestors tried to have sit in on rail platforms or on railway tracks at various places. Police arrested thousands of protesters including eight MPs and four MLAs. On same day, employee unions of road transport corporation called off the strike. On October 16, JAC gave a call for Telangana Bundh(general stike) for next day to protest the police's "reign of terror to suppress" the agitation during the rail blockade and said they are cancelling the 3rd day of rail blockade on Oct 17. On same day, Teachers union also said they will attend the schools in the interest of students but they will not sign the attendance registers and will not take the salaries. Normal life was again affected as the public transport facilities, especially busses which were properly resumed after the 28- day long strike were again off the roads. Schools, colleges and offices were again shut for October 17, as the agitation continued. With the agitation for statehood to Telangana intensifying, the congress has decided to speed up all the discussions and quickly solve the problem. On September 30, 2011 Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress party's AP state in-charge, submitted to Congress president an internal party report about Telangana issue after holding consultations with leaders from Telangana, Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions for over two months. On October 8, most of the key leaders of the Congress and the centre were busy discussing the issue with various representatives from Andhra Pradesh. Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Congress’s Andhra Pradesh in charge said that they have met nine leaders from Andhra Pradesh including the chief minister and are working on finding a solution to the issue as soon as possible. PM Manmohan Singh indicated that resolving the Telangana statehood issue might “take some time.” Maintaining that there has not been any “inaction” by the government over the crisis, the Prime Minister said that “given the complications involved in settlement, it will take some time.” Dr Singh said that the government "is engaged in widespread dialogue and discussions with all the stakeholders and hopes to reach a win-win situation for all concerned through the process." Prime minister’s statement on Telangana:- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said there was no question of any government inaction on the Telangana issue and while a solution was not impossible there were no quick answers either.

"There is no inaction. Efforts are being made to find a solution that will bring about a broad based consensus among all the various stakeholders," the Prime Minister told journalists onboard his special aircraft.

"There are difficulties in arriving at quick decisions. There is a long history of the . It is not a new movement. It has been there since the mid-1950s," he said.

"Given the complications involved in settlement, it will take some time. That's why we have been engaged in widespread dialogue and discussions with all the stakeholders," he added.

"It is our hope that out of that will emerge a solution which is a win-win situation for all concerned," he said, while returning from Pretoria after attending the 5th India-Brazil-South Africa Summit.

There have been widespread protests over demands for a separate Telangana state to be carved out of Andhra Pradesh, with opinion also split both ways.

To a different question, the prime minister said the establishment of a states' reorganization commission has been under discussion for several years but that his government had not taken a view on the matter.

What are the six recommendations given by Srikrishna Committee? Srikrishna Committee Reccommendations are as followed:- 1.Maintaining Status Quo - Keeping the Andhra Pradesh state as it is with no change in the Telangana, Seemandhra and coastal regions. 2.Bifurcating the state of Andhra Pradesh into Seemandhra and Telengana regions with both of them developing their own capitals in due course of time. Hyderabad to be converted to a Union Territory - This proposal was similar to the Punjab-Haryana-Chandigarh model. 3.Bifurcation of state into Rayala-Telangana and Coastal Andhra regions with Hyderabad being an integral part of Rayala-Telangana. 4.Bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into Seemaandhra and Telangana with enlarged Hyderabad metropolis as a separate Union Territory. This Union Territory will have Geographical linkage and contiguity via Nolgonda district in the South-East to districtand via Mahboobnagar district in the South to Kurnool district in Rayalaseema. 5.Bifurcation of the State into Telangana and Seemandhrâ as per existing boundaries with Hyderabad as the capital of Telangana and Seemandhra to have a new capital. This was the second most preferred option according to the report. 6.Keeping the State united by simultaneously providing certain definite Constitutional/Statutory measures for Socio-Economic development and Political empowerment of Telangana region-creation of a Statutorily empowered Telangana Regional Council. This was the most preferred option.

The current issue of contention is city of Hyderabad. Who should get it? Should Telangana get it? Should Andhras get it? Or should Hyderabad be converted into independent state or union territory? This is not the first time this happened in India where the ownership of capital city had come into question. Gujaratis launched a major protest to get Mumbai for themselves. There were many Gujaratis in Mumbai and it was a cosmopolitan city. The locals may even have been in minority in that city. However, the city was retained by Maharashtra. Right now, there are many cities in Andhra region, like Nellore, Rajamundry, Vijaywada, Vizag, or Kakinada. Nobody discusses the fate of these cities because it is easily concluded that these cities belong to Andhras. But they do discuss the state of Hyderabad, because rest of Andhra sees Hyderabad as their capital city first and city of Telangana second, while Telangana people see it as their city first and capital city second. It’s very clear now for everyone why there is so much opposition to formation of Telangana. Samaikhya-Andhra agitation can be easily called We- won’t-give-you-Hyderabad agitation. It is no longer a cloak and dagger affair. Everyone understands this now - Andhra doesn’t want to give up Hyderabad to Telangana. They are going to fight this tooth and nail. If they don’t get it, they don’t want anyone to get it – they would then want to convert Hyderabad into a Union Territory or a new State. So there are many claims made by Andhras to possess this city. The Andhra people say thet they paid for taxes that build this city. They say that they have invested so much in Hyderabad in terms of time, resources, instituition building, infrastructure development and and it has been their capital since the creation of the state. Therefore it cannot be given to Telangana if at all it comes into existence with a single stroke of pen. While on the other hand the delegation of Congress leaders from Telangana on Wednesday said that Hyderabad as a common capital was totally unacceptable. The delegation gave a power-point presentation before Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union health minister and AP Congress incharge in New Delhi on Wednesday. The presentation was aimed at showing that Hyderabad did not develop due to contributions from Seemandhra, as is claimed by protagonists of the united AP. The Peddapalli MP, Mr G. Vivekanand, who made the presentation, said that Hyderabad was a part of Telangana and used to be the capital of Telangana and it should remain that way. “While the Andhra border is 275 km from Hyderabad, it is 250 km in the case of Rayalaseema. Hyderabad is the heart of Telangana. The culture and traditions in Hyderabad and Telangana are totally different from Seemandhra regions. Even in terms of political, administration and judiciary, Hyderabad cannot be made a common capital,” Mr Vivek said. Hyderabad has long been the fifth largest city in the country, he said and pointed out that the city had the High Court, Secretariat, Legislative Assembly, , Osmania, Gandhi hospitals and medical colleges even before AP was formed. Hyderabad has its own electricity board in 1909.” It also had a host of industries including the sugar and textile mills, Ramagundam power station. About the IT sector, Mr Vivek said, “Of the 94 big IT firms, 74 belong to multi- national companies, just 20 firms belong to people from Seemandhra.” Perspective of the women and students of Telangana, Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema on the whole issue:- Telangana:- women and students from Telangana region favour a separate Telangana with a belief that a separate state would bring their children education and jobs. They feel that their children will no longer have to compete with Andhra students and youth. Girl students in Telangana, who have gained most from educational progress, were vociferous in their demand for a separate state, cutting across caste, class, tribe and religion. A sense of discrimination has arisen from differential pass marks required for Hindi and English which tend to place coastal Andhra students in an advantageous position. Students have been part of earlier movements for separate statehood and each time some have sacrificed their lives to agitate for the goal of Telangana. So now they are in favour of a separate state. Coastal Andhra:- Women and students of this region would prefer the state to remain united; they feel that instead of separation, the focus should be on development of all backward areas, even within regions. They feel that the region would lose out on Hyderabad and on development opportunities if the state is bifurcated. They also say that if the state is divided they would be deprived of the educational facilities present in and around Hyderabad. Hyderabad is the hub of all the good educational institutions. Rayalaseema:- Women and students representatives from Rayalseema demanded a united AP. They feel secure in a united state and consider the movement for separate statehood to be politically motivated. Separation of Telangana would also mean loss of jobs and other opportunities present in Telangana, particularly in Hyderabad. They feel that everyone from the state should have an equal opportunity to have access to better educational facilities that are present in Hyderabad. There is a fear that funding of universities in the region would be badly affected in case of separation. The key stumbling block is Hyderabad. Telangana would be incomplete without this city, while the rest of Andhra Pradesh is also loath to let go the region's most important city, which has drawn vast quantities of investment from outside Telangana, both financial and emotional. If Hyderabad is given off to Telangana, Andhra would need a new capital. The only viable course of action would be to convert Hyderabad into a Union territory, on the lines of Chandigarh, to serve as the shared capital for the two states.

NISHAT AKHTAR BATCH - 6 NDTVmi