Telangana Mukthi Morcha (T.M.M) was established in 1993 by a group of activists including N. Kishan Rao (a former minister and the Morcha’s convenor), K. Purushotham Reddy, Ch. Laxmaiah (a former MLA), S. Nagasena Reddy (an advocate), along with Madan Mohan, Madhav Reddy, Srinivas, and Qadir. This organization was not only a proponent for the creation of a separate Telangana state but also advocated for the division of India into smaller states. They argued that smaller states like Haryana, Kerala, Goa, and Punjab had shown significant progress and thus, larger states like Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar should also be divided for better governance and development.
- Activities and Campaigns:M.M actively promoted the idea of small states to the people of Telangana and conducted a series of successful political training sessions from September 24 to September 28, 1993. These sessions concluded that only small states could provide stable government, address people’s problems effectively, and ensure adequate provision of employment, drinking water, irrigation resources, and medical facilities. The movement likened its call for small states to a clarion call, committing to a sustained struggle to achieve this goal.
Support and Resolutions: The resolutions passed by the Telangana Mukthi Morcha garnered support from various quarters, including Justice T.L.N. Reddy and others from the Andhra Region. The Morcha firmly believed that since the merger of Telangana into united Andhra Pradesh, there had been negligible development in the region. They posited that the creation of a separate Telangana state was essential for its comprehensive development, advocating this as their main demand.
From 1984 onwards various organisations and leaders had widely spread the Telangana sentiment. Give a brief account of some of those initial organisations that raised the issues of separate Telangana.
| Why was this question asked?
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Keywords in the syllabus: Public awakening and Intellectual reaction against discrimination- formation of Civil society organisation, Articulation of separate Telangana Identity; Initial organisations raised the issues of separate Telangana. |
| Approach:
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The examiner will expect your answer to include the following things:
· Initial organisations that sprung up before the agitational second phase of Telangana. |
| Introduction:
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After the formation of Telugu Desam Party in 1983, many non-local candidates contested elections. In Dichpally, Sanathnagar, Nizamabad, Himayathnagar, and many other MLA seats. Even the MPTC, ZPTC, MLC, Municipal Chairman seats were allotted to the non-locals by the TDP. There was dissatisfaction among Telangana supporters and many organisations sprung up initially to address this and spread the Telangana sentiment. |
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Initial organisations:
· Telangana Democratic Front (TDF): buoyed by the defeat of TDP number 2 Upendra in the bye-elections Telangana supporters held a conference in the YMCA Hall, Hyderabad. Publisher Satyanarayana, Padmanabham, Pratap Kishore, and other leaders formed the Telangana Democratic Front. Satyanarayana was elected as the Convenor. TDF inspired hopes to the many leaders and gave momentum to Telangana’s cause. · Telangana Party: Leader Devananda Swamy established the Telangana Party in 1984 at Warangal. Under the aegis of the Telangana Party, separate Telangana movement gained importance and attracted many supporters from Warangal and other districts. · OU Forum for Telangana: A group meeting for understanding the losses to the Telangana region took place under the aegis of Prof. G Laxman on 07 September 1987 at Arts College, Osmania University in room number 57. In this meeting this organisation was formed with Prof. G. Laxman as President. From the time of its formation, this Forum celebrated every year, the 17th of September as the Telangana Liberation Day at Osmania University. This Forum also observed the Telangana Betrayal Day on 01 November each year. When Telangana agitation was not powerful this Forum conducted different programs to spread the Telangana sentiment. · Telangana Praja Samithi (Again): On 06 June 1987 Pratap Kishore began Padayatra from Hyderabad to Delhi for Telangana State formation. The delegation was not provided proper assistance during the Padayatra. Hence, after returning from Delhi on the advice of the Telangana supporters, the old Telangana Praja Samithi was revived in the same year 1987. Bhupathi Krishnamurthy of Warangal was elected President of TPS. · Other organisations: M Kishan Rao, Amos, and other Telangana supporters, with the help of Telangana Porata Samithi, fought for a separate state. Telangana Liberation Student Organisation, Telangana Mukti Morcha, Telangana Information Trust, Telangana Jana Sabha, etc were some other organisations which spread the Telangana sentiment. |
| Conclusion:
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The separate Telangana agitation conducted by these different organisations had an influence on the Central and state governments. They feared that the agitation might get intensified. Hence, they allowed certain discussions to take place in the assembly, related to injustices in Telangana. |