After a lull, ‘Telengana’ brews again

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 29, 2013: Amid reports that the Centre might carve out a separate state of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh, students in Seemadhara have decided to oppose any such possible move tooth and nail.

At a meeting held at Seetammadhara on Friday, they decided to create an awareness campaign against the “disastrous consequences” of dividing the state from Saturday onwards. Student leaders from as many as 14 universities in Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra Pradesh participated in the meeting.

On Saturday, students will burn effigies of the public representatives from Telangana who plan to hold a meeting in Hyderabad on Sunday, in which they would press for a separate state of Telangaga.  

Besides, students under the banner of Samaikyandhra will launch an awareness campaign in favour of their demand beginning July.

They will launch this campaign mounted on a vehicle “Samaikyandhra Ratham.” The Ratham would criss-cross all the 13 districts in Seemadhara to create awareness among the masses about the necessity to keep the state united. An undivided state, according to  student activists, would be good for development of the backward regions. 

On July 1, they would begin signature campaign in favour of their demand for a united Andhra Pradesh. As per that move, a demand charter consisting of 10 lakh signatures by the people would be presented to the President of India. Besides, students would also meet the state party affairs in-charge of the ruling Congress, Digvijay Singh during his proposed visit to Vizag on June 30.

In that meeting they would appeal to him to mount pressure on the Centre not to create separate Telangana state. On July 3, there will also be a meeting at Vijayawada with the students drawn from all the universities in Seemandhara and Telangana regions.

On July 10, there will be a Samaikyandhra students’ plenary in Vizag followed by a “huge public meeting to send out a strong message across the state in favour of a united Andhra Pradesh.” 

“We have also passed resolutions demanding that Hyderabad be made the country’s second capital”, said Samaikyandhra student JAC, state chairman, Areti Mahesh. 

“Besides, a demand for special economic packages for the backward regions is also on “our” agenda”, he added. Students’ other demands include a Central University at Vizag, IIT at Srikakulam apart from an IIM at Vizianagaram.