The formal process for the creation of the Indian state of Telangana began with a declaration in Parliament and involved several key events and political decisions. Here's an overview of the major developments that led to the formation of Telangana:
Historical Background:
- The demand for a separate Telangana state can be traced back to the 1950s, shortly after the formation of Andhra Pradesh from the Telugu-speaking regions of the erstwhile Madras State and the princely state of Hyderabad.
- Telangana was part of Hyderabad State before being merged with Andhra to form Andhra Pradesh in 1956. However, regional inequalities, especially in terms of economic development, employment, and education, led to a resurgence of demands for a separate Telangana.
Initial Movements:
- The movement for Telangana gained momentum in the 1960s and early 1970s but was suppressed. It picked up again in the early 2000s with the formation of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) by K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) in 2001.
Declaration in Parliament:
- On February 20, 2014, the Telangana Bill (officially known as the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2014) was introduced in Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Parliament of India) by the UPA government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
- After heated debates and protests, the Lok Sabha passed the bill on February 18, 2014, and the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Parliament) passed it on February 20, 2014.
- The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, gave his assent to the bill on March 1, 2014.
Formation of Telangana:
- As per the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, the new state of Telangana was officially created on June 2, 2014.
- Hyderabad was designated as the shared capital of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for a period of 10 years.
The passage of the Telangana bill in Parliament was a historic event, marking the culmination of decades of political struggle, protests, and negotiations.
