Telangana (Telugu: తెలం�గాణ) is a region of the Andhra Pradesh state in India. It has area of 114,840 km2, and its population is 30,696,520 per the 2001 census. The name means "land of Telugu people". The region lies on the Deccan plateau to the west of the Eastern Ghats range, and includes the northwestern interior districts of Andhra Pradesh state. Telangana region has 10 districts: Warangal, Adilabad, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Rangareddy, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Medak, and the state capital of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad. The Krishna and Godavari rivers flow through the region from west to east.

On December 9, 2009, the Government of India announced that the process for the formation of Telangana state would be initiated upon introduction and passage of a separation statement by the state assembly of AP.[1] The Government of India has since constituted a five member committee headed by Justice B. N. Srikrishna to study feasibility for a separate Telangana.[2]

Contents

[hide]

1 History o 1.1 Post-independence history

1.1.1 Merger of Telangana and Andhra 2 Separate Telangana state movement

o 2.1 1969 Movement o 2.2 Movement in 1990-2004 o 2.3 Grievances of Telangana proponents o 2.4 2004 and later o 2.5 2009 and later o 2.6 Proposed Telangana State Formation Process

3 Geography 4 Natural Resources (Rivers, Coal, Limestones, Forests) 5 Demography 6 Culture and Identity 7 Places of interest 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

[edit] History

The Telangana region was the heart of numerous dynasties. Chowmahalla Palace was home to the Nizams of Hyderabad state

The Telangana region is believed by some scholars to have been mentioned in the Mahabharata as the Telinga Kingdom[citation needed], inhabited by the tribe known as Telavana,who fought on the Pandava side in the great war of Mahabharata. There is also Pandavula Guhalu in Warangal district (where the Pandavas spent their life in exile (Lakkha Gruham).[citation needed]

In Treta yuga, it is believed that Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, spent their life in exile at Parnashala on the banks of Godavari river which is about 25 km from Bhadrachalam in Khammam District which falls in the Telangana region.

Telangana has been the homeland Sathavahanas and Kakatiyas. Kotilingala in Karimnagar was the first capital of the Sathavahanas before Dharanikota. Excavations at Kotilingala revealed coinage of Simukha, a Satavahana emperor.

The region experienced its golden age during the reign of the Kakatiyas, a Telugu dynasty that ruled most parts of what is now Andhra Pradesh, India from 1083 CE to 1323. Ganapatideva was known as the greatest of the Kakatiyas and the first after the Satavahanas to bring the entire Telugu area under one rule. He put an end to the rule of the Cholas in the year 1210 who accepted his suzerainty. He established order in his vast dominion that stretched from the Godavari delta and Anakapalle in the east to Raichur (in modern day Karnataka) in the west and from Karimnagar & Bastar (in modern day Chattisgarh) in the north to Srisailam & Tripurantakam, near Ongole in the south. It was also during his reign that the Golkonda fort was first constructed by the Kakatiyas. Rani Rudramadevi and Prataparudra were prominent kings from the Kakatiya dynasty.

Telangana, then came under Muslim rule in 14th century for the first time by Delhi Sultanate followed by Bahmanis, Qutb Shahis and Mughals. As the Mughal Empire began to disintegrate

in the early 18th century, the Muslim Asafjahi dynasty established a separate state known as Hyderabad. Later, Hyderabad entered into a treaty of subsidiary alliance with the British Empire, and was the largest and most populous princely state in India. Telangana was never under direct British rule, unlike Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh, which were part of British India's Madras Presidency.

[edit] Post-independence history

When India became independent from the British Empire, the Nizam of Hyderabad wanted to retain his independence, but the Government of India amalgamated his state by force on September 17, 1948; after executing Operation Polo by the Indian Army. When India became independent, the Telugu-speaking people were distributed in about 22 districts; 9 of them in the Telangana region of Nizam's Dominions (Hyderabad State), 12 in the Madras Presidency (Andhra region) and one in French-controlled Yanam. A Communist led peasant revolt started in 1946, lasted until 1951.

The central government appointed a civil servant, Keralite, Vellodi Narayana Menon K as 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, Telangana had tasted democracy for the first time when it participated in general elections and elected Dr.Burgula Ramakrishna Rao as the Chief minister of Hyderabad State. The Telugu speaking people in Madras state, enjoyed some form of democracy since 1920. During this time there was violent Mulki agitation by some Telanganites to send back bureaucrats from Madras state and to implement Mulki rules strictly.[3]

Meanwhile, Telugu speaking areas (Andhra region), were carved out of an erstwhile Madras state by popular agitation by legendary leaders like Potti Sri Ramulu to create the separate Andhra State in 1953.[1] [4] [5]

[edit] Merger of Telangana and Andhra

In December 1953, the States Reorganization Commission was appointed to prepare for the creation of states on linguistic lines. The States Reorganization Commission (SRC) was not in favour of an immediate merger of Telangana region with Andhra state, despite the common language between the two.

Paragraph 382 of States Reorganization 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". Telanganas 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 Telanganas feared might be diverted for use in Andhra. They also feared that planned dam projects on the Krishna and Godavari rivers would not benefit Telangana proportionately even though Telanganas controlled the headwaters of the rivers.

Telanganas feared too that the people of Andhra who had access to higher education, would have the advantage in 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-third majority.

Chief Minister of Hyderabad State, Burgula Ramakrishna Rao expressed his view view that a majority of Telangana people were against the merger.[6]

Prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru initially was skeptical of merging Telangana with the Andhra State, fearing a “tint of expansionist imperialism” in it. Later, he compared the merger to a matrimonial alliance having “provisions for divorce” if the partners in the alliance cannot get on well.[7]

However, following the "Gentlemen's agreement, the central government, established a unified Andhra Pradesh on November 1, 1956 [2] [8] [9] . The agreement provided reassurances to both parties in terms of power sharing as well as administrative domicile rules and distribution of expenses of various regions.

[edit] Separate Telangana state movement

File:Telangana state map.jpg

[edit] 1969 Movement

In the years after the formation of Andhra Pradesh state, however, some Telangana people expressed dissatisfaction about how the agreements and guarantees were implemented. Discontent with the 1956 Gentleman's agreement intensified in January 1969 when the guarantees that had been agreed on were supposed to lapse. Student agitation for the continuation of the agreement began at Osmania University in Hyderabad and spread to other parts of the region. Government employees and opposition members of the state legislative assembly swiftly threatened "direct action" in support of the students. This movement, also known as Telangana movement, led to widespread violence and deaths of hundreds of people including 369 students.[10]

Although the Congress faced some dissension within its ranks, its leadership stood against additional linguistic states, which were regarded as "anti-national." As a result, defectors from the Congress, led by M. Chenna Reddy, founded the Telangana People's Association (Telangana Praja Samithi). Despite electoral successes, however, some of the new party leaders gave up their agitation in September 1971 and, much to the chagrin of separatists, rejoined the safer political haven of the Congress ranks.[3]

During the movement, the Government promised to correct what critics saw as violation to Gentleman's agreement in jobs, budget allocations, educational facilities [4]. Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi was strongly against the division of the state but on her recommendation, P. V.

Narasimha Rao became first Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh from Telangana on September 30, 1971.[5] [6] [7]

In the year 1972, all candidates belonging to STPS under the leadership of M Sridhar Reddy contested the assembly elections, however, only Mr Thakkalapalli Purushotham Rao got elected from Wardhannapet constituency of Warangal District and rest were defeated. In 1969, Mr Purushotham Rao unveiled Telangana map in the state assembly.[11]

At the end of 1972, when the Supreme Court upheld the Mulki rules, Jai Andhra movement started in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions protesting the protections mentioned in the Gentleman's agreement.[8] P. V. Narasimha Rao had to resign as Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh on January 10, 1973. President's rule was declared in the state. Finally, a political settlement was arrived at under the aegis of the Central Government. A Six-Point Formula was agreed upon by the leaders of the two regions to prevent any recurrence of such agitations in future. The `Six-Point Formula' included (1) the abolition of Mulki rules and the Telangana Regional Committee (protections mentioned in the Gentleman's agreement) and (2) the establishment of a Central University at Hyderabad to augment educational facilities. (3) In regards to jobs, state divided into six zones, within the framework of three regions, namely, Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema, and Telangana (Zone V, and Zone VI) with Hyderabad under Zone VI. Each zone should prefer local candidates for state government jobs. However according to GOM, the regions were rezoned with Zone I,II,III Coastal Andhra, Zone IV Rayalaseema, Zone V,IV Telangana. [9] [10] [11]

[edit] Movement in 1990-2004

The emotions and forces generated by the movement, in 1969, were not strong enough, however, for a continuing drive for a separate state until 1990s when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), promised a separate Telangana state if they came to power.[12] BJP created Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarkhand states in year 2000 as promised. But the BJP could not create a separate Telangana state because of the opposition from its coalition partner, Telugu Desam Party.[13] These developments brought new life into the separatist Telangana movement by year 2000. Congress party MLAs from the Telangana region, supported a separate Telangana state and formed the Telangana Congress Legislators Forum.[12][13][14][15][16] In another development, a new party called Telangana Rashtra Samithi (or TRS) was formed with the single point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state, with Hyderabad as its capital lead by Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Rao, known as KCR.[17][18][19]

[edit] Grievances of Telangana proponents

Telangana is the largest single region of the three regions of Andhra Pradesh state covering 41.47% of its total area, is inhabited by 40.54% of the state’s population, contributes about 76% to the state’s revenues (excluding central government contribution). From Central govt: 19.86%, From Telangana: 61.47% (including 37.17% from Hyderabad), From Andhra: 14.71, From Rayalaseema: 3.90%. [14].

Among others, alleged injustices in water, budget allocations, jobs are the grievances cited by Telangana proponents. Telangana supporters cite that the majority of water supply is from the

Telangana region, yet canal irrigation disproportionately benefits the Coastal Andhra region with relative underdevelopment of Telangana. In addition, the share of education funding for Telangana ranges from from 9.86% in government aided primary schools to government degree colleges which has a share of 37.85%. Above numbers includes the expenditure in Capital Hyderabad. In addition, budget allocations to Telangana are generally less than 1/3 of total Andhra Pradesh budget. In addition, there are allegations that the Telangana budget is being misappropriated. Telangana proponents cite that only 20% of total Government employees, less than 10% employees in secretariat, less than 5% of head of the departments in Andhra Pradesh are from Telangana, while those from other regions make up the bulk of employment.[15] [16] [17] Andhra Pradesh was represented by Telangana chief ministers for only 6-1/2 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.[20] [18]

Proponents of a separate Telangana state feel all the agreements, accords, formulas, plans and assurances on the floor of legislature and Lok Sabha, in last 50+ years, could not be honoured and Telangana was forced to remain neglected, exploited and backward. They allege that the experiment to remain as one state proved to be a futile exercise and therefore, separation is found to be the best solution.[21][22][23] [19]

[edit] 2004 and later

In 2004, for Assembly and Parliament elections, the Congress party and the TRS had an electoral alliance in the Telangana region with the promise of a separate Telangana State.[24] Congress came to power in the state and formed a coalition government at the centre. TRS joined the coalition government in 2004 and was successful in making a separate Telangana state a part of the common minimum program (CMP) of the coalition government.[25] In September 2006, TRS withdrew support from the Congress led coalition government at the centre on the grounds of alleged indecision by the government over the delivery of its electoral promise to create Telangana.[26][27][28]

In December 2006, the TRS won the by-election to the Karimnagar parliamentary constituency with a record margin.[29] The TRS continued to pressure for the creation of aTelangana state in 2008.[30][31][32]

All TRS legislators in Parliament and in the State (4 MPs, 16 MLAs, 3 MLCs) resigned in the 1st week of March 2008 and forced by-elections to increase the pressure on Congress party to take action.[33][34]

By-elections for the 16 MLA seats, 4 MP seats were held May 29, 2008. During the election campaign, the TRS party said it is a referendum on a Telangana state but both Congress and TDP parties said it is not a referendum on Telangana and also said that they are not opposed to the formation of Telangana state.[35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44] To the disappointment of Telangana proponents, the TRS retained only 7 out of 16 MLA seats and 2 out of 4 MP seats after the by-elections.[45]

In June 2008, Devender Goud, who is considered number two in the TDP, a politbureau member and Deputy Leader of the Telugu Desam Legislature Party, resigned from the party saying he

would devote his time and energy to the formation of a separate Teelangana state.[46] In July 2008, Mr Goud along with some other leaders like Mr. E Peddi Reddy formed a new party called Nava Telangana Praja Party.[47]

On 9 October 2008, in a historical turnaround from its 26-year history TDP announced its support for the creation of Telangana.[48]

Konda Laxman Bapuji of the Nava Telangana Party announced that "We solemnly declare statehood for Telangana on November 2, 2008." [49]

[edit] 2009 and later

founder of Telangana Rashtra Samithi, K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR)

In February 2009 the state government declared that it had no objection, in principle, to the formation of separate Telangana and that the time had come to move forward decisively on this issue. To resolve issues related to it the government constituted a joint house committee.[50]

Ahead of the 2009 General Elections in India, all the major parties in Andhra Pradesh supported the formation of Telangana.[51] The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) again announced their policy of having smaller states and would create two states, Telangana and Gorkhaland, if they won the election.[52]. The Congress Party still says it is committed to Telangana statehood,[53] but claims Muslim minorities are opposed to creation of separate state along with majority of people. Some analysts, however, feel that the "Muslim reluctance card" has been deftly played by then Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who is staunchly opposed to the formation of the new state.[54]

[55]

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had promised to work for Telangana statehood. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) joined a Mahakutami (or grand alliance) with TDP and left parties to defeat the Congress party for denying statehood for Telangana.[56][57][58]

The Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), newly founded by film star Chiranjeevi, supported Telangana statehood prior to elections,but later changed its stance.[59] Nava Telangana Party merged with PRP after it realized that there is not enough political space for two sub-regional Telangana parties with Telananga statehood as main agenda.[60][61]

Several political parties, including some Telangana congress leaders, criticized Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), when he changed his stand from pro-Telangana separation and gave anti-separation statements after the polls.[62][63]

Congress returned to power both at center and state.

In September 2009, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) died in a helicopter crash while flying in bad weather.[64]

On November 29,2009, the TRS president, K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) started a fast-unto-death demanding that the Congress party introduce a Telangana bill in the Parliament. He was arrested by the government of Andhra Pradesh. [65][66][67][68][69] Student organizations, employee unions and various organizations joined the movement.[70][71] [72] Telangana strikes shut down Telangana on Dec 6th and 7th.[73] Student organizations planned a massive rally at the state Assembly on Dec 10th. Government warned that the rally did not have permission and deployed police troops through out Telangana. [74] The apparent decline in KCR's health led to a sense of urgency to take a decision on the issue of Telangana statehood. [75] [76]

[edit] Proposed Telangana State Formation Process

On December 9, 2009, Mr. P. Chidambaram, the Union Minister of Home Affairs announced that the Indian government would start the process of forming a separate Telangana state, pending the introduction and passage of a separation resolution in the Andhra Pradesh assembly.[77] KCR thus 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.[78][79]. In fact, within a short time of the Home Minister's declaration, sensing the public mood, MLAs from the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions (Andhra region) submitted their resignations in protest of the process of creation of a new state within Andhra Pradesh.[80] By the 16th of December, at least 147 legislators (including Praja Rajyam Founder Chiranjeevi [81] ) and many Members of Parliament had resigned in protest of the Government's decision to begin discussions on forming a new state of Telangana. 22 Ministers from the State Cabinet, all from Andhra (Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema) regions submitted their resignations.[82].[83] [84]

On December 16, media reports confirmed that there was a split in the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) over the Telangana issue, with its leader Chiranjeevi as well as 16 out of 18 party MLAs(the remaining 2 hailed from Telangana) opposing the division of Andhra Pradesh while Telangana leaders in the party were unhappy with the shift in the party's views.[85][86][87]

On December 23, the Government of India announced that no action on Telangana will be taken until a consensus is reached by all parties. The TRS reacted by calling for another general strike on 24th Dec '09, an action aimed at stalling the regional economy.

A Joint Action Committee (JAC) was formed with the pro-separation members of the major political parties. There were reports that members of the JAC had widely divergent approaches on the issue of a separate Telangana.[88][89][90] Subsequently, Andhra (Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema) region MLAs started withdrawing their resignations while MLAs and ministers from Telangana started submitting their resignations, demanding the Centre to take immediate steps to initiate the process of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.[91] [92]. The Home minister had an all party meeting on the 5th of January to elicit views of all parties in the State. Further, on the advice of Congress party's central leadership, all of the Ministers from Telangana withdrew their resignations.[93] Rallies, hunger strikes, suicides continue, sometimes turning violent, through out Telangana to protest against the delay in bifurcating the State.[94] The all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) started relay hunger strikes and threatened resignations of all legislators on Jan 28, demanding the Centre to spell out its stand on separate Telangana and start the process of creating the State within a timeframe. [95] The Union minister for Home Affairs P Chidambaram announced on January 28 that a Committee to examine the demand for a separate Telangana would be announced after a week. [20] [21] On the 3rd February the government announced the 5 member committee that wwould look into the issue of Bifurcation of state. [22]

The Telangana Joint Action Committee said the agitations would continue until a Bill was passed in Parliament for the formation of a Telangana State. Agitation involved human chains, community kitchens on roads, amongst others[96] On Feb 3rd JAC organized a longest human chain in India, a distance of 500 km, from north to South in Telangana.[97]

The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has supported a separate Telangana state by giving the slogan, "Justice for Telangana and Telangana for Justice"[98][99][100] The Jamaat with its student wing Students Islamic Organisation of India organized a large rally at Nizam college grounds on February 7th, 2010.

On February 12, Central government announced Terms of Reference to B.N.Srikrishna Committee with a deadline of December 31, 2010. Telangana-JAC rejected the terms of reference saying that it "undid" Union home minister's statement in New Delhi on December 9, 2009.[101]

On February 16th, Congress legislators from the Telangana region resigned from the Joint Action Committee due to "unilateral actions by KCR."[102]

As of February 22nd 2010, more than 250 Telangana people committed suicides over the delay in the formation of Telangana state.[103][104][105]

[edit] Geography

Telangana region marked in white within the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Of the three regions of the state,[106] Telangana has the largest area, with 8,14,800  km2.The Telangana plateau is drained by two major rivers, the Godavari and the Krishna. The entire region is divided into two main regions namely ghats and peneplains. The surface is dotted with low depressions. The region has very valuable coal mines in Kotthagoodem.

[edit] Natural Resources (Rivers, Coal, Limestones, Forests)

This section does not cite any references or sources.Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009)

Telangana region Andhra Pradesh is situated in the central stretch of the eastern seaboard of the Indian Peninsula. The river Godavari is flowing on the North and the river Krishna is flowing on the South. 69% of Krishna River and 79% of Godavari River catchment area is in Telangana. Apart from the major rivers, there are other small rivers such as Manair, Bhima, Dindi, Kinnerasani, Manjeera, Munneru, Moosi, Penganga, Praanahita, and Peddavagu and Taliperu.

Forests: 45% of the forest area in the state is in Telangana region spread across five districts.

Coal: 20% of the coal deposits in the country is in Telangana region. Singareni Collaries excavate Coal and used it for industrial purposes and for thermal power stations. The coal supplied from this region, and the power produced is supplied to entire south india.

Limestones: There are limestone deposits in the region, which cater to cement factories in the region. Telangana also has got other resources like bauxite, and mica.

[edit] Demography

9 out of 10 districts(except Hyderabad district) in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh are recognized by the Government of India as backward [107]. According to the Backword Regions

Grant Fund 2009-10, 13 districts are located in Andhra Pradesh, 9 are from Telangana and the rest are from other regions[108].

Population Total

Hindu 86%

Muslim 12.4%

Christian 1.2%

Other religions 0.04%

Total 100%

Note: Hyderabad city have 41% of Muslim population. Telangana districts(outside Hyderabad district) have 8.4% of Muslim population.[23]

More than 80% of Telangana people speak Telugu. Almost all the population in Telangana districts outside Hyderabad city speak Telugu. About 11% of Telangana people speak Urdu. Urdu speakers are mostly comprised of Muslims in Hyderabad city and in other major towns. [24] [25]

[edit] Culture and Identity

Hyderabadi biryani

Telangana has its own distinctive culture and identity. Most prominent is the Hyderabadi Culture also called Deccan Culture.[109][110] Telugu language spoken here has evolved into a new dialect with a liberal mixture of words from Urdu. Telugu language is the major language spoken while Hindi is spoken by people from other states of North India and Central India like Gujarat and Maharashtra. Telugu language and English language are official languages of the region.

Festivals: Diwali, Dassera, Eid-ul-Fitr and Ugadi are prominent festivals in Telangana. The region celebrates distinctive festivals like Bathukamma, and Bonalu. The other festivals of Hindu and Muslims such as Holi, Rakhi and Moharram are also celebrated with equal enthusiasm as in northern India. The national festival Sankranti is also celebrated in the beginning of harvest season on 14 January every year.

[edit] Places of interest

The lists in this article may contain items that are not notable, encyclopedic, or helpful. Please help out by removing such elements and incorporating appropriate items into the main body of the article. (January 2010)

Golkonda fort overlooking CityHyderabad

Osman Sagar, Gandipet Lake

Hyderabad , the capital of Andhra Pradesh Charminar - the iconic 400 year-old landmark of Hyderabad, featuring four graceful

minarets. Falaknuma Palace - Built by Nawab Viqar al-Umra', a beautiful and stunning piece of

architecture. Golconda Fort - located on the outskirts of the city, Golconda Fort is one of the most

magnificent fortress complexes in India. Salar Jung Museum - houses the largest one-man collection of antiques in the world. Birla Mandir - An elaborate white marble temple with majestic views of the city and the

Husain Sagar (lake). Birla Planetarium - located in the heart of the city on the panoramic hillock of Nawbat

Pahad. Husain Sagar - man-made lake that separates the twin cities of Hyderabad and

Secunderabad. Durgam Cheruvu - A beautiful lake near HI-TEC city and Jubilee Hills Chilkur Balaji Temple , also known as Visa Balaji Temple Osman Sagar , also known as Gandipet, is a lake near the city. NTR Gardens , a recreation park,located on the tankbund. Purani Haveli - The former official residence of the Nizam. Shilpakala Vedika - An outstanding venue for all types of events - local, national and

international. Sanghi Temple - A temple dedicated to Venkateshwara which graces a promontory

overlooking Sanghi Nagar.

Ashtalaxmi Temple - Ashtalakshmi Temple, dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, is in Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad

Madhapur - The IT Capital of Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad. Nagarjuna sagar on Krishna river in Nalgonda district TankBund -A water place constructed by NIZAM. Warangal , capital city of Kakatiyas Basara Saraswathi Temple , a temple of Saraswati, one of the two temples in India, which

is located in Adilabad Dist Temple Web site National forests and Wildlife Sanctuaries: Pakhala, Eturunagaram, Pranahitha,

Kinnerasani, kawal, Pocharam Anathagiri Forest - Famous for Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy located on Ananthagiri

Hills Temple website (Vikarabad - 70 km from Hyderabad) Medak : Famous for outstanding church & Medak khila Bhadrachalam : Famous for Lord Rama Temple, Was part of East Godavari Dist but

redistrcited to Khamman District Bhongir fort:Famous single stone hill with fort , 45 km from Hyderabad (Wgl-Hyd

highway) Yadagirigutta : Famous Laxmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, 50 km from Hyderabad (Wgl-

Hyd highway) Kaleshwaram  : 130 km from Karimnagar Dharmapuri  : On the banks of River Godavari, 78 km from Karimnagar, is the 15th

century temple town of Dharmapuri. Nagunur Fort  : The village of Nagunur is just about 8 km from Karimnagar Town. Dhulikatta  : 20 km from Karimnagar is Dhulikatta an important Buddhist spot visited by

monks from all over the world. Kondagattu  :About 35 km from Karimnagar is this breathtaking temple of Lord Anjaneya

Swamy. Apart from the temple, the fort of Kondalaraya & Bojjapotana caves are worth seeing at Kondagattu.

Molangoor Quilla  : 30 km from Karimnagar, strategically located on summit of a big isolated granite hill, this fort was built by the Kakathiyas.

Manthani  : is an ancient center for Vedic teachings. It is located on the banks of River Godavari, and at a distance of 70 kilometers from Karimnagar.

Vemulawada - Rajarajeshawara Temple: Located 38 km from Karimnagar

The demand for a separate Telangana state carved out of Andhra Pradesh is gathering momentum as pro-Telangana

protestors and the police continued to clash at Osmania University in Hyderabad, and the hunger-strike by K

Chandrashekhar Rao, president of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, entering the 10th day.

Meanwhile, K Chandrasekhar Rao’s health deteriorates.

With the students at Osmania University taking the lead in the demonstrations demanding a separate Telangana

state and the student-police encounters getting violent, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah has called an all-

party meet to discuss the issue.

Geeta Reddy, a leader of the Congress, said the state unit of the party has left it to the Congress high command to

take a decision.

A Congress party functionary said in New Delhi that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has decided to call an all-party

meeting on the pro-Telangana agitation.

CNN-IBN reported that Sonia Gandhi, Congress president, has already discussed the Telangana agitation with Law

Minister Veerappa Moily and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi is adamant that it will go ahead with the agitation till the Congress-led Unite

Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre promises the Telangana state.

Harish Rao, leader of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, told reporters that party president K Chandrashekhar Rao will

not call off his hunger-strike without getting a “clear-cut decision” from the Congress party or the Central Government.

At the all-party meeting convened by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah, all the parties will agree to pass a

resolution in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly favouring formation of a separate Telangana state, Harish Rao said.

The strong stand taken by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi has forced Congress MPs from the Telangana region in

Andhra Pradesh to take a hard stand.

Madhu Yaskhi Goud, Congress MP from Nizamabad, said that, for the first time, students, teachers, employees and

other people have taken up the cause for a Telangana state.

At the same time, the Congress is strongly opposed to making Chandrashekhar Rao the “hero” of the Telangana

cause.

Political observers say that the Central Government will now be compelled to take a solid decision on the demand for

a Telangana state as it can no longer afford to vacillate on the issue.

The pro-Telangana activists demand 10 districts in the erstwhile Hyderabad (Nizam’s state) which are now in Andhra

Pradesh, and also allege that “the people of Andhra Pradesh” are discriminating against the people living in the

Telangana region.

It may be noted that the Telangana region is a hotbed of Naxals, with the region sharing a border with the

Chhattisgarh state.

Also, the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad are in the Telangana region. Even while the people of the

Andhra region are not prepared to part with Hyderabad as the capital of Andhra Pradesh, leaders of the pro-

Telangana movement demand that the capital of Andhra Pradesh be moved to Vishakhapatnam.

Related Stories:

Telangana wants Hyderabad as capital, Andhra wants no bifurcation…

Telangana state on!

Statehood for Vidarbha demand by BJP post Telangana

Mayawati wants Uttar Pradesh trifurcated into Bundelkhand, Paschimanchal and Poorvanchal

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy still untraced after his copter went missing

The number of Congress MPs to resign to protest against the Centre's decision to carve out a separate

Telangana [ Images ] state from Andhra Pradesh has gone up to three, while 93 MLAs from Congress (53),

Telugu Desam Party (29) and Praja Rajyam (11) have also resigned. Two TDP MPs have also submitted

their resignation.

However, Chief Minister K Rosaiah urged the MLAs not to act in panic as there was no need for them to become

worried. He reminded the legislators that the assembly can pass a resolution on Telangana only if it has the support

of the majority of the people. He asked the people not to believe that something has gone wrong.

He was reacting to the reports that the student's organisations have called for a strike in Andhra and Rayalaseema

region on Friday.

Interestingly, Andhra Pradesh Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who received the resignations from dozens

of MLAs from Andhra and Rayalaseema region throughout the day, was himself toying with the idea of

submitting his resignation.

Reddy, who hails from Chittoor district in Rayalaseema region, was also not happy with the proposed bifurcation of

Andhra Pradesh to form separate Telangana state.

If he does so, it will further compound the political crisis in the state, as the state legislative assembly is currently in

session.

Telugu Desam chief N Chandrababu Naidu [ Images ] said that the Centre's nod for a separate Telangana

was a 'hasty decision,' and alleged that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi [ Images ] has pushed the state to a

bad condition.

Even as the United Progressive Alliance [ Images ] government sought to cool down the passions in the

Telangana region by announcing the initiation of the process to form Telangana state, the Congress

government in the state was facing the threat of plunging into a serious crisis, as a large number of angry

party Members of Legislative Assembly from coastal Andhra and Rayalseema region have started

submitting their resignations to the Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy in protest against the proposed

division of Andhra Pradesh.

On one hand, the Congress MLAs and MLCs from Telangana region lined up to thank the Chief Minister K Rosaiah

for bringing the good news regarding the formation of Telangana state, the state legislative assembly was agog with

the activities in the Andhra and Rayalseema camps of the Congress, with as many as 30 MLAs queuing up to submit

their resignations.

The Congress Member of Parliament from Vijaywada Lagdapati Rajagopal has also announced his resignation from

Lok Sabh and there were speculations of two more Congress MPs from the region quitting the Lok Sabha.

Some legislators of the Telugu Desam Party and the Praja Rajyam Party leaders from coastal Andhra have also

joined the Congress legislators in sending in their resignations, taking the total number of such resignations to 90.

The Congress MLAs submitting their resignations include former ministers J C Diwakar Reddy, DL Ravindra Reddy,

present minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and Anam Vivekananda Reddy, E Pratap Reddy, Venkatram Reddy,

Adi Narayana Reddy, Srikant Reddy, Gurunath Reddy, Shailajanath, Shahjehan, Jogi Ramesh, Veerasiva Reddy and

K Nani.

TDP legislators whose names figure in the list of the legislators quitting the house include Devineni Umamaheshwara

Rao, Amaranth Reddy, Pardhasarthy, P Keshav, K E Krishnamurthy, P Raghunatha Reddy.

Addressing a pres conference, TDP's Umamaheshwara Rao said that it was a conspiracy by the leaders of

Karnataka [ Images ] and Tamil Nadu to divide Andhra Pradesh to decrease the political importance of the state at the

national level.

He pointed out that two key Congress leaders in the decision M Veerappa Moily [ Images ] and P Chidambaram [

Images ] were from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu respectively.

"They have hatched a conspiracy to divide Andhra Pradesh as presently it has 42 Lok Sabha members, much more

than the two other southern states," Umamaheshwara Rao said.

When asked that it was the stand of the TDP that it would extend support if the Congress governments move a

resolution on Telangana in the state assembly, Umamaheshwara Rao said that the Central government couldn't

decide on moving such a resolution without consulting the concerned legislators. "Have they consulted us," he asked,

adding that it was not a peace of property to be divided on the occasion of the birth day of 'Amma.' (Sonia Gandhi)