The Warangal Meeting (1996) was a significant event in the Telangana movement, organized by the Telangana Praja Samithi on November 1, 1996, at Moghilaiah Hall, Warangal. The date was symbolically chosen as it marked the formation of Andhra Pradesh, which Telangana supporters observed as a “Black Day” and “Betrayal Day.” Though the organizers expected around 200 attendees, the meeting saw an overwhelming response with over 2000 supporters from across Telangana. Prominent speakers included Kaloji Narayana Rao, Prof. Jayashankar, Keshav Rao Jadhav, and Prof. Janardhan Rao, with the event being led by Bhupathi Krishna Murthy. The speeches powerfully highlighted the grievances of Telangana and reinforced the demand for separate statehood. The following day, the meeting received wide media coverage, drawing the attention of the then Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. Reacting to the growing momentum of the Telangana movement, Naidu issued a strong response, warning that separatism would not be tolerated. While he promised to address any injustices faced by Telangana, he also made it clear that the government would suppress separatist movements with a heavy hand.
