Formation of various associations in 2nd Phase of Telangana movement.

 

Q: Formation of various associations in 2^nd Phase of Telangana movement.

The second phase of the Telangana movement, spanning from 2009 to 2014, was characterized by a remarkable proliferation of associations that played instrumental roles in sustaining and amplifying the demand for a separate state. This period, ignited by K. Chandrashekar Rao's (KCR) indefinite hunger strike on November 29, 2009, saw the formation of various organizations across political, academic, professional, cultural, and social sectors. These associations emerged as a response to the central government's initial promise of statehood on December 9, 2009, followed by frustrating delays, including the Srikrishna Committee's report on December 30, 2010. They bridged gaps between fragmented groups, coordinated mass protests, and maintained momentum against repressive measures like police crackdowns and curfews, ultimately contributing to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act on March 1, 2014, and Telangana's creation on June 2, 2014.

One of the most pivotal associations was the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC), formed on December 24, 2009, at Kalinga Bhavan in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. Conceived amid the euphoria and subsequent betrayal following KCR's fast, TJAC served as an umbrella body uniting over 14 political parties, including the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and initially the Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP), though the latter two withdrew due to internal conflicts. Professor M. Kodandaram, a political science academic from Osmania University, was appointed convenor, leveraging his non-partisan image to attract diverse allies. TJAC's structure included sub-committees for students, employees, and cultural activities, enabling decentralized coordination across Telangana's 10 districts. It orchestrated key events like the non-cooperation movement starting February 17, 2011, the Million March on March 10, 2011, and the 42-day Sakala Janula Samme (all-people's strike) from September 13, 2011, which involved 300,000 government employees and caused massive economic disruptions, estimated at 50 billion rupees in losses.

Student-led associations were equally vital, with the Osmania University Joint Action Committee (OUJAC) forming in November 2009 amid campus unrest at Osmania University, a historic hotbed of activism. Comprising unions like the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), National Students' Union of India (NSUI), and TRS Vidyarthi Vibhagam, OUJAC mobilized youth through rallies, hunger strikes, and symbolic acts like self-immolations, drawing inspiration from the 1969 agitation. Leaders such as George Lavu and B. Suresh coordinated the Vidyarthi Maha Garjana rally on January 5, 2010, attracting over 200,000 participants. Similarly, the Kakatiya University Joint Action Committee (KUJAC) was established on November 17, 2009, at Kakatiya University in Warangal, influenced by Professor K. Jayashankar's legacy. It organized the Kakatiya Vidyarthi Garjana on December 5, 2009, and padayatras like the Praja Chaitanya Yatra in June 2010, linking rural grievances such as water scarcity to the statehood demand.

Employee associations provided the economic backbone, with the Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee (TEJAC) forming in early 2010 to represent gazetted and non-gazetted officers frustrated by violations of Government Order 610 (1985), which promised job equity but was ignored. Led by figures like Devi Prasad and K. Swamy Goud, TEJAC aligned with TJAC for strikes, including the 16-day non-cooperation in February 2011 and Sakala Janula Samme, where 60,000 Singareni coal miners halted production, causing power outages. Caste-based groups, such as the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) under Manda Krishna Madiga, activated in 2010, addressing intersectional issues like reservation shortfalls for Scheduled Castes, organizing rallies that intersected with TJAC events.

Cultural and intellectual associations added depth, with the Telangana Writers' Forum founded in 2010 by poets and litterateurs like Andesri and Gaddar. It preserved regional identity through literature, folk songs, and dramas performed at protests, countering Andhra cultural dominance. The Telangana Development Forum (TDF), originally formed in 1999 but revitalized in 2009, mobilized diaspora support from the USA, funding scholarships for striking students and lobbying internationally.

These associations' formations were not isolated; they evolved through interplay, with TJAC as the nexus. For instance, OUJAC and KUJAC supplied youthful energy to TEJAC's strikes, while the Writers' Forum infused protests with cultural symbolism. Key personalities like Jayashankar (died June 21, 2011) provided ideological guidance, emphasizing "Neellu, Nidhulu, Niyamakalu" (water, funds, jobs). Challenges included government repression—arrests during the Million March exceeded 1,000—and internal rifts, but unity prevailed, sustaining the movement until victory.