Part of a series on the |
Telangana movement |
---|
Telangana region marked in white within the state of Andhra Pradesh (prior to the 2014 split) |
Background |
History |
Srikrishna Committee and aftermath Formation of Telangana |
Srikrishna Committee on Telangana or the Committee for Consultations on the Situation in Andhra Pradesh (CCSAP) is a committee headed by Justice B. N. Srikrishna (Former Judge of Supreme Court of India and Chief justice of the Kerala High Court) to look into the demand for separate statehood for Telangana or keep the State united in the present form, Andhra Pradesh. [1] The committee was constituted by the Government of India on 3 February 2010 and submitted its report on 30 December 2010 to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Srikrishna Committee solicited suggestions and views from political parties, social organisations, and other stakeholders. The committee received over 60,000 petitions by the deadline of 10 April. The committee began personal interactions with the various stakeholders, including the political parties on 16 April. [2] [3] [4] The committee met with the leaders of TRS, [5] PRP, CPI, [6] MIM, [7] TDP, [8] [9] [10] and various organisations from throughout Andhra Pradesh. [11] On 6 July, Telangana congress legislators and ministers met with the Srikrishna committee and made arguments in favour of the formation of Telangana state. [12]
It toured all the regions of state extensively and invited people from all sections of the society to give their opinion on the statehood. It received over one lakh petitions and representations from political parties, organisations, NGOs and individuals. It also held consultations with political parties and general public while also factoring in the impact of recent developments on different sections of people such as women, children, students, minorities, Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. [13]
The report was released to the public on the internet on 6 January 2011. [14]
There are seven terms of reference for the committee.
The Sri Krishna Committee submitted a comprehensive 461-page report after their detailed across the state which included consultations with various political as well as social groups.
The committee's report suggested 6 options of which options 1 through 4 were advised to be not feasible. The Fifth option is to bifurcate the State into Telangana with Hyderabad as its capital and Seemandhra which is to have a new capital city. The Committee noted that "Separation is recommended only in case it is unavoidable and if this decision can be reached amicably amongst all the three regions." (Page 454) The Sixth and the option that the Committee recommended as the "way forward" is to keep the state and "establishment of a statutory and empowered Telangana Regional Council with adequate transfer of funds, functions and functionaries in keeping with the spirit of Gentlemen's Agreement of 1956" (Page 454)
The six options presented in the report were as follows: [18]
Telangana leaders rejected the recommendations of the Sri Krishna committee report and insisted on the formation of a different Telangana State with Hyderabad as its capital. [19] [20] [21] [22]
Pro-Telangana student protesters set an APSRTC bus and a police vehicle on fire, and broke windowpanes of at least eight buses. They hurled stones, forcing police to use teargas to disperse the mobs. [23] The stone throwing resulted in injuries to many policemen, including an Additional DCP (District Commissioner of Police). [24] Some activists also damaged the statue of Potti Sriramulu at Vanasthalipuram junction in Hyderabad after alleged remarks by Ongole MP on KCR. [25] [26]
Criticism of the Sri Krishna Committee report includes that it compared regions (Seema-Andhra vs Telangana), not people (Seema-Andhrites vs Telanganites). The State government did not or could not provide all the data the committee asked for; they had only 10 years worth of data. [27] [28]
The Telangana JAC steering committee, comprising experts from different fields, [29] [30] studied the Sri Krishana Committee report and came to the conclusion that the report was a " bunch of lies", [31] while proponents of the United State Movement, including Samaikhya Andhra JAC and the Praja Rajyam party, welcomed the recommendations of the committee. [32] [33] [34]
Economist and former Planning Commission member C. H. Hanumantha Rao said that the Srikrishna Committee's recommendations are at variance with its own analysis. He said the committee did not study the reasons for the failures of earlier protections, and how future protections will do justice to Telangana. He said that even while the committee's own analysis and data supports the formation of an independent Telangana, it only recommended this as the second-best option. [35]
Protests in Telangana continue in the form of strikes, hunger strikes, suicides, giving petitions and roses to public officials, and the boycotting of public events. [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] The state government's RacchaBanda program (which promises social benefits for everyone) in Telangana has been obstructed by protesters and had to be conducted by using the police, who used preventative arrests and other measures. In some areas, the programme had to be cancelled due to uncontrollable protests. Telangana proponents boycotted this program, saying it was intended to dilute the pro-Telangana agitation. [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] KCR, in a meeting in Hyderabad, said "Sherwani, qubani (a sweet made of dates) and biryani are what we in Hyderabad have known for ages. People from Andhra who came here without even footwear are claiming that they have taught us how to make biryani" and allegedly remarked that Andhra Biryani tasted like cow dung. This triggered protests across the state. [51] [52]
A movie called Jai Bolo Telangana based on the Telangana movement received censor clearance only after protests by Telangana supporters. [53] [54] [55]
Journalist Kuldip Nayar said that if the state is divided, development will take a back seat. He remarked that Andhra Pradesh could achieve rapid economic growth only if it remains united. [56] Yoga guru Baba Ramdev supported the demand for a separate Telangana state and warned the centre that the movement may turn violent if there is a delay in the formation of the state. Another Hindu guru, Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, supported the Telangana demand when his stance was sought by some students. [57]
In January, a petition was filed pleading to declare the Committee Report as 'invalid' since it did not make public the contents of the eighth chapter of its report, which deals with the law and order situation. The Attorney General of India arguing the case said that the Report was only a committee submitting its advice and the Union government was not obliged to act on its recommendation. [58] [59] The central government submitted that the contents would not be made public since it was a privileged document under Sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act of 1872. [60] On 17 February, the justice hearing this case said "It is unfortunate that this report and its related exercise was presided over by a former judge of the Supreme Court... this committee has spent Rs 400 million of public money for preparing its report. Any person with a semblance of faith in the system of democracy would lose faith in it. The report prepared by the front office of an MP would have been more sensible than this report. Even the high command of a political party would have hesitated to prepare such a report" [61] [62] [63] [64]
On 23 March, Justice L Narasimha Reddy of Andhra Pradesh high court ordered central government to make public the contents of 8th chapter of Sri Krishna Committee, which was submitted in a sealed secret cover to the centre. [65] Justice in his 60 page judgement said "The Committee went beyond the terms of reference in its endeavour to persuade the Union of India not to accede to the demand for Telangana". SKC secret report as quoted in paras 68–72, argued against Telangana state while discussing communal violence, Maoist violence and social tensions. The supplementary note to secret report has three parts, ..
Justice said (in para 96) "If the committee has suggested use of arsenal of lesser degree, it is not because there is any pity or sympathy towards the agitators. Obviously, it is to avoid the wrath of the human rights agencies". The justice further said(in para 103) "The maneuver suggested by the Committee in its secret supplementary note poses an open challenge, if not threat, to the very system of democracy. If the source of inputs that gave rise to this is the Government, it (the Government) owes an explanation to the citizens. If, on the other hand, the origin of inputs is elsewhere, the Government must move in the right earnest to pluck and eradicate such foul source and thereby prove its respect for, and confidence in, the democracy." [66] [67] [68] Telangana JAC and Telangana leaders from all political parties demanded prosecution of Sri Krishna Committee members. [69] [70]
On 26 April, a division bench comprising the Chief Justice of the AP high court has stayed the order of Justice L Narasimha Reddy who had directed the centre to make public the secret Chapter. [71] [72]
Part of a series on the |
Telangana movement |
---|
Telangana region marked in white within the state of Andhra Pradesh (prior to the 2014 split) |
Background |
History |
Srikrishna Committee and aftermath Formation of Telangana |
Srikrishna Committee on Telangana or the Committee for Consultations on the Situation in Andhra Pradesh (CCSAP) is a committee headed by Justice B. N. Srikrishna (Former Judge of Supreme Court of India and Chief justice of the Kerala High Court) to look into the demand for separate statehood for Telangana or keep the State united in the present form, Andhra Pradesh. [1] The committee was constituted by the Government of India on 3 February 2010 and submitted its report on 30 December 2010 to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Srikrishna Committee solicited suggestions and views from political parties, social organisations, and other stakeholders. The committee received over 60,000 petitions by the deadline of 10 April. The committee began personal interactions with the various stakeholders, including the political parties on 16 April. [2] [3] [4] The committee met with the leaders of TRS, [5] PRP, CPI, [6] MIM, [7] TDP, [8] [9] [10] and various organisations from throughout Andhra Pradesh. [11] On 6 July, Telangana congress legislators and ministers met with the Srikrishna committee and made arguments in favour of the formation of Telangana state. [12]
It toured all the regions of state extensively and invited people from all sections of the society to give their opinion on the statehood. It received over one lakh petitions and representations from political parties, organisations, NGOs and individuals. It also held consultations with political parties and general public while also factoring in the impact of recent developments on different sections of people such as women, children, students, minorities, Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. [13]
The report was released to the public on the internet on 6 January 2011. [14]
There are seven terms of reference for the committee.
The Sri Krishna Committee submitted a comprehensive 461-page report after their detailed across the state which included consultations with various political as well as social groups.
The committee's report suggested 6 options of which options 1 through 4 were advised to be not feasible. The Fifth option is to bifurcate the State into Telangana with Hyderabad as its capital and Seemandhra which is to have a new capital city. The Committee noted that "Separation is recommended only in case it is unavoidable and if this decision can be reached amicably amongst all the three regions." (Page 454) The Sixth and the option that the Committee recommended as the "way forward" is to keep the state and "establishment of a statutory and empowered Telangana Regional Council with adequate transfer of funds, functions and functionaries in keeping with the spirit of Gentlemen's Agreement of 1956" (Page 454)
The six options presented in the report were as follows: [18]
Telangana leaders rejected the recommendations of the Sri Krishna committee report and insisted on the formation of a different Telangana State with Hyderabad as its capital. [19] [20] [21] [22]
Pro-Telangana student protesters set an APSRTC bus and a police vehicle on fire, and broke windowpanes of at least eight buses. They hurled stones, forcing police to use teargas to disperse the mobs. [23] The stone throwing resulted in injuries to many policemen, including an Additional DCP (District Commissioner of Police). [24] Some activists also damaged the statue of Potti Sriramulu at Vanasthalipuram junction in Hyderabad after alleged remarks by Ongole MP on KCR. [25] [26]
Criticism of the Sri Krishna Committee report includes that it compared regions (Seema-Andhra vs Telangana), not people (Seema-Andhrites vs Telanganites). The State government did not or could not provide all the data the committee asked for; they had only 10 years worth of data. [27] [28]
The Telangana JAC steering committee, comprising experts from different fields, [29] [30] studied the Sri Krishana Committee report and came to the conclusion that the report was a " bunch of lies", [31] while proponents of the United State Movement, including Samaikhya Andhra JAC and the Praja Rajyam party, welcomed the recommendations of the committee. [32] [33] [34]
Economist and former Planning Commission member C. H. Hanumantha Rao said that the Srikrishna Committee's recommendations are at variance with its own analysis. He said the committee did not study the reasons for the failures of earlier protections, and how future protections will do justice to Telangana. He said that even while the committee's own analysis and data supports the formation of an independent Telangana, it only recommended this as the second-best option. [35]
Protests in Telangana continue in the form of strikes, hunger strikes, suicides, giving petitions and roses to public officials, and the boycotting of public events. [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] The state government's RacchaBanda program (which promises social benefits for everyone) in Telangana has been obstructed by protesters and had to be conducted by using the police, who used preventative arrests and other measures. In some areas, the programme had to be cancelled due to uncontrollable protests. Telangana proponents boycotted this program, saying it was intended to dilute the pro-Telangana agitation. [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] KCR, in a meeting in Hyderabad, said "Sherwani, qubani (a sweet made of dates) and biryani are what we in Hyderabad have known for ages. People from Andhra who came here without even footwear are claiming that they have taught us how to make biryani" and allegedly remarked that Andhra Biryani tasted like cow dung. This triggered protests across the state. [51] [52]
A movie called Jai Bolo Telangana based on the Telangana movement received censor clearance only after protests by Telangana supporters. [53] [54] [55]
Journalist Kuldip Nayar said that if the state is divided, development will take a back seat. He remarked that Andhra Pradesh could achieve rapid economic growth only if it remains united. [56] Yoga guru Baba Ramdev supported the demand for a separate Telangana state and warned the centre that the movement may turn violent if there is a delay in the formation of the state. Another Hindu guru, Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, supported the Telangana demand when his stance was sought by some students. [57]
In January, a petition was filed pleading to declare the Committee Report as 'invalid' since it did not make public the contents of the eighth chapter of its report, which deals with the law and order situation. The Attorney General of India arguing the case said that the Report was only a committee submitting its advice and the Union government was not obliged to act on its recommendation. [58] [59] The central government submitted that the contents would not be made public since it was a privileged document under Sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act of 1872. [60] On 17 February, the justice hearing this case said "It is unfortunate that this report and its related exercise was presided over by a former judge of the Supreme Court... this committee has spent Rs 400 million of public money for preparing its report. Any person with a semblance of faith in the system of democracy would lose faith in it. The report prepared by the front office of an MP would have been more sensible than this report. Even the high command of a political party would have hesitated to prepare such a report" [61] [62] [63] [64]
On 23 March, Justice L Narasimha Reddy of Andhra Pradesh high court ordered central government to make public the contents of 8th chapter of Sri Krishna Committee, which was submitted in a sealed secret cover to the centre. [65] Justice in his 60 page judgement said "The Committee went beyond the terms of reference in its endeavour to persuade the Union of India not to accede to the demand for Telangana". SKC secret report as quoted in paras 68–72, argued against Telangana state while discussing communal violence, Maoist violence and social tensions. The supplementary note to secret report has three parts, ..
Justice said (in para 96) "If the committee has suggested use of arsenal of lesser degree, it is not because there is any pity or sympathy towards the agitators. Obviously, it is to avoid the wrath of the human rights agencies". The justice further said(in para 103) "The maneuver suggested by the Committee in its secret supplementary note poses an open challenge, if not threat, to the very system of democracy. If the source of inputs that gave rise to this is the Government, it (the Government) owes an explanation to the citizens. If, on the other hand, the origin of inputs is elsewhere, the Government must move in the right earnest to pluck and eradicate such foul source and thereby prove its respect for, and confidence in, the democracy." [66] [67] [68] Telangana JAC and Telangana leaders from all political parties demanded prosecution of Sri Krishna Committee members. [69] [70]
On 26 April, a division bench comprising the Chief Justice of the AP high court has stayed the order of Justice L Narasimha Reddy who had directed the centre to make public the secret Chapter. [71] [72]