Secrets of Andhra Pradesh

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How the regional favour took off? Dhar Commission J V P Committee Indefinite fasting of Swamy Seetha Ram Potti Sri Ramulu’s fast unto death Formation of Andhra Pradesh The Big People Agreement

Renowned freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak during the independence struggle said, “Freedom is a birth right.” Identity of freedom is expressed more finely when an oceanic ovation emerges from persons collectively for an identity, independence. The whole world remembers Indian Independence struggle.

The struggle and sacrifices of leaders and cadres for separate Andhra Pradesh State bears a parallel and similar parlance in the history of free India. A new movement was kicked off after the country broke the shackles of slavery from the heinous British colonial rule. People with Telugu as mother tongue raised their voices together demanding for bifurcation of the then Madras Presidency titling one as Andhra Pradesh. The repulse kindled off the fire resenting the treatment given to Telugu speaking people as second grade citizens in the Presidency. Several strong personalities gave a call to the Telugu speaking people to unite and fight for the separate identity of Andhras and not be known as Madrasis.

How the regional favour took off?

It is understood, according to the records and history manuals available, that the original terminology to launch the canon demanding independent identity and state to Telugu speaking people known as Andhras sparked off long before the independence.

The then renowned leaders like Jonnavithula Gurunadham, Challa Seshagiri Rao, Gollapudi Seetha Rama Sastry and Unnava Lakshmi Narayana formed a ‘Young Men Literary Association’ way back in 1903-1904. The confidence of persons strengthened when the bifurcation of Bengal was dropped in 1911. Later, in 1912 Konda Venkatappaiah was elected as secretary of the Association.

In conformity to the proposals, the first Andhra Maha Sabha convention was held from May 20, 1913. The meeting resolved for taking people’s opinion about separate state for Andhras. Second Andhra Maha Sabha convention was held at Vijayawada in 1914. In fact, the movement took strong movement from here.

Third Andhra Maha Sabha was organised at Visakhapatnam in 1915 and the corresponding one, fourth Andhra Maha Sabha, at Kakinada. The fifth convention was presided over by Konda Venkatappaiah from June 1, 1917 at Nellore. A detailed discussion was taken up at this meeting in relation to the difference of opinions between Circar and Rayalaseema districts. A delegation headed by Nyapathi Subba Rao met Montek on December 17, 1917 and explained him about the necessity of forming a separate state for Telugu speaking people.

Majority members opposed a resolution proposed by B N Sarma at the Central Legislative Council about the restructuring the states on language criteria on February 6, 1918. Later on in January 22, 1918 the Telugu speaking people in the Madras region formed a special Andhra Congress Circle. Nyapathi Subba Rao and Konda Venkatappaiah were elected as first president and secretary respectively.

There were many instances where in, delegations from the Circle represented the matter of separate state for Andhras with the British rulers since 1918 that went in vain. The movement took a backseat when the Second World War broke in 1939, temporarily. The war ended in 1945 and the country was liberated from slavery in 1947 with Jawaharlal Nehru as the first Prime Minister.

The Andhra movement leaders and members wished that their long cherished goal for Andhra Pradesh would be fulfilled. Meanwhile, a delightful declaration came from the then Prime Minister Nehru on November 27, 1947 that the government was considering formation of states on linguistic basis. Later, Nehru during his visit to Visakhapatnam stated that a Commission was in the offering to examine the possibilities of linguistic states.

Dhar Commission

A Commission headed by the President of Constitutional Council S K Dhar was formed by the national government on June 17, 1948. The government handed the responsibility to it to examine the relevancy of language in the formation of states, how many states are to be formed, in which regions of the country, the socio-economic problems besides administrative difficulties and the ease that might crop up after formation of such states. The Dhar Commission submitted its recommendations on December 10, 1948 furnishing its findings to be in favour of no new state formations, keeping the country’s integrity and general long-term development.

J V P Committee

The recommendations of Dhar Commission against the formation of linguistic states created heavy tremors in the country including in the Telugu speaking regions. The Congress party’s national committee received all the feed back from the regional units and felt that there was an emergency need to institute another Committee on the issue. The national Congress committee immediately formed a new committee with Jawaharlal Nehru, VallaBhai Patel and Pattabhi Seetha Ramaiah. This committee was called J V P Committee with the first letters of the members.

In April 1949, the tri-member committee submitted its recommendations to the national committee of the Congress party. The committee expressed a view that depending on the socio-economic and political reasons, the thought of formation of linguistic states should be put off for some years. However, the committee in its report said that if the Telugu speaking people forgone the Madras city, there can be a possibility to form Andhra Pradesh.

Indefinite fasting of Swamy Seetha Ram

Doubts stormed through the minds of the people in the Telugu speaking region whether the state would take shape or not, as the infighting of Congress members soared high. Swamy Seetha Ram (Gollapudi Seetha Rama Swamy) felt that Gandhian policy was the right policy to achieve the state and resorted to indefinite fasting from August 15, 1951.

The outcome was overwhelming. People went violent demanding the formation of the state immediately. Acharya Vinoba Bhave took initiative and convinced Swamy Seetha Ram to observe restraint and withdraw from fasting. Taking to the advice of Bhave, Swamy stalled his 35-day long fasting on September 20, 1951.

Potti Sri Ramulu’s fast unto death

Potti Sri Ramulu, one of the strong leaders of the separate Andhra movement, took to indefinite fasting from October 19, 1952, as the delay and negligent tactics of the national government were disgusting and instigating the Telugu speaking people of the region at Madras. People resorted to arson immediately after Sri Ramulu went on indefinite fasting. Every Telugu speaking person came to know of Sri Ramulu and his fasting strike for favour of separate state. His name and the impact of his fasting reached the national capital within very short time. Foundation of the Congress party all over the country was rocked with this person’s fasting camp.

After consulting all the political fronts of the country, the then Prime Minister Nehru declared that there would be no objection to the government if the Telugu speaking region forgoes Madras from its state. Sri Ramulu did not take the declaration as the one that would come true and continued his fasting.

On December 15, 1952, Potti Sri Ramulu went to no return spheres in the fasting camp transforming the camp from indefinite fasting to fasting unto death. Violence marred all over the southern parts of the country, as the death news broke and spread like fire. On December 19, 1952, the Prime Minister presented the proposal to form Andhra Pradesh minus Madras and including some Telugu speaking districts in the Parliament.

Formation of Andhra Pradesh

The central government acceded to form an Andhra Pradesh State as a result of the sacrifice by Potti Sri Ramulu. A Commission, with Justice Kailas Nath Wanchu as special officer, was formed by the government to report on the administrative, economic and other issues that might arise while forming the state. On February 7, 1953, Justice Wanchu submitted its report to the government. Examining and considering the recommendations of the commission Nehru declared that the government decided to form Andhra Pradesh, on March 25, 1953. After the government expressed its readiness, people demanded the government that capital of the state should be in Rayalaseema region according to Sri Bagh agreement. Also accepting this demand, the state was formed by the government with Kurnool as its capital.

Congress party formed ministry with Tanguturi Prakasam as Chief Minister and Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy as Deputy Chief Minister. CM Trivedi was the first appointee Governor of the state. Nehru inaugurated the state on October 1, 1953.

After the formation of Andhra Pradesh State based on language, there were many demands from various other regions for separate states. A separate council was formed for reviewing the restructure of states in the country by the then Prime Minister Nehru on December 22, 1953.

Syed Fazal Ali with two other members H N Kunjru and K M Phanikar, headed the council. During June – July 1954 the council visited Hyderabad and received memorandums from people, organisations, and parties about the state. People opted for trifurcation of the Hyderabad State. At that time, Telangana movement was in the air and a separate Telangana state was being demanded. Communists demanded for a united Andhra Pradesh. Several arguments and discussions took place regarding united Andhra Pradesh. The inclination of the council towards forming Telangana State had become a hot topic during those days in the region.

The Big People Agreement

The Congress high command, Hyderabad people, and Communists were stressing towards a united Andhra Pradesh, while the separatists never mended their ways. Congress reviewed the situation and felt that the differences of Andhra and Telangana should be eliminated. The high command sitting at New Delhi convened a meeting of the leaders from Andhra and Telangana regions to discuss on the subject on February 20, 1956. Bezawada Gopala Reddy, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, Gouthu Lachanna and A Satyanarayana Raju represented the Andhra region for the meeting while, Burgula Rama Krishna Rao, K V Ranga Reddy, Marri Chenna Reddy and J V Narsinga Rao represented the Telangana region.

As a result of the detailed and in-depth discussion at the meet, a consensus was reached upon by the leaders of the two regions to shape the state as united Andhra Pradesh. All the eight Big Persons of the state signed on the pact to preserve the united Andhra Pradesh. This is popular as the Big People Agreement. This agreement was included into the states reorganisation bill for giving legal sanctity to it. A model bill titled Andhra – Telangana State was prepared for the cause, which was objected by the Andhra big people that the name might give way to conflicts at a later date. Then, the Joint Select Committee changed the name of the state as Andhra Pradesh.

Therefore, on November 1, 1956 the then Prime Minister inaugurated the Andhra Pradesh State officially (again). Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy became the first chief minister and CM Trivedi first governor of the state with Hyderabad as state capital.