Commencement of agitation in 1969

April 22, 2022 / 07:11 PM IST

Understand in detail the sequence of events that took place in April when the Centre declared an eight-point forumula

This is in continuation to the last article on GO 36 focusing on the eight-point formula.

April 5, 1969
All important political leaders of Telangana region, including Marri Chenna Reddy, Achutha Reddy, ChokkaRao, Hayagreeva Chary, S Venkata Rama Reddy, S Venkatesham, LS Narayana and Govindh Singh participated in a meeting organised at Konda L Bapuji’s residence Jala Drushyam. The leaders in the meeting criticised the Secunderabad firing incident (CPI party meeting).
The AP government was keeping an eye on the movement of all the important leaders of Telangana region. This meeting was taken seriously by the government as it perceived that unity of the leaders and planned course of action can intensify the agitation.
Therefore, in order to weaken the agitation, all important leaders of the 1969 agitation were arrested under the PD Act. With the arrest of Madan Mohan, SB Giri was appointed as the president of TPS.

April 7, 1969
SSP leader Madhu Limaye proposed a breach of privilege motion against the AP CM Kasu Bramhananda Reddy for his statement, “appointment of a parliamentary committee to examine the situation in Telangana amounts to interference in the affairs of the State” made on April 2, 1969.

April 9, 1969
TPS President SB Giri called on the people of Telangana to organise mass Satyagraha demanding a separate Telangana State.
However, he was arrested on the same day along with Manik Rao (MLA), T Anjaiah (MLA), MM Hashim, Major Ranga Swamy and others. On this day Sada Laxmi was elected as the president of TPS.
April 10, 1969
The first all-party meeting on the agitation, after the commencement of the agitation, was organised by the Centre. After the meeting, the Centre declared the eight-point formula.

The eight points are
I. Appointment of a committee for formulating plans for the development of Telangana.
Composition
4CM of AP as chairman
4A member of Planning Commission
4Ministers in the AP Cabinet belonging to Telangana region
4Chairman of TRC

Purpose
4To identify within the framework of the FYP, the programmes that can be implemented in the Telangana region in order to achieve the physical and financial targets.
4To review from time-to-time the actual implementation and working of these programmes and schemes.
4To advise the State government on the appropriate decisions related to the development of Telangana.

The Appointment of the Committee was proposed by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
II. Plan implementation Committee
Composition
4An advisor of the Planning Commission as chairman.
4Representative of Union Finance and Home ministries.
4Representative of Union Finance and Home ministries of State government
4It will comprise senior bureaucrats.

Purpose
To conduct a detailed periodical review of the actual implementation of programmes planned by Telangana development committee and schemes related to the accelerated development of Telangana region.
This committee will meet every quarter and submit its report to the CM and PM.

III. High-powered committee on surplus revenues
Composition
4One retired or serving SC judge as chairman.
4Eminent economist with knowledge of state finances.
4Senior representative of CAG.

Purpose
The Committee will investigate the varying estimates and representation and determine the surplus revenue of Telangana region. The Committee will submit its report by the end of May 1969 (Vashisht Bhargava Committee).

IV. High-powered Central Advisory Committee on grievances of public servants.
Set up under the chairman of UPSC and composed of a retired High Court judge and retired law secretary of the Union government, the Committee will undertake a visit to Hyderabad in order to examine the grievances of the public servants and make appropriate recommendations to the Union Home Ministry.
The Union Home Ministry will devise a plan with a time frame to decide on any pending cases related to the integration of the services.
The CM has assured that the SG shall implement all the decisions of GOI, taken on the basis of the advice given by the central advisory committee. This measure was also suggested by the AP CM.

V. The representatives of the Union Finance and Home Ministries, the Planning Commission and the SG will immediately meet to decide on the allocation of funds, in order to compensate for the diversion of surplus revenue in Telangana region.
VI. The possibility of providing appropriate Constitutional safeguards in the matters of public employment, in favour of people belonging to the Telangana region, will be examined by the GOI, in consultation of a committee of jurists (Justice Wanchoo Committee)

VII. In order to ensure adequate coordination, as well as effective and speedy implementation of decisions, the CM will consider what further delegations of powers, if any, need to be made in favour of the authorities, specially encased with the task of dealing with the problems of Telangana region.

VIII. In order to ensure the continuous attention of the Central government towards the problems of Telangana region, the suggestion of the CM, it has been agreed that the Prime Minister will hold a review meeting after every six months with the CM and his colleagues in the Telangana development committee. The Deputy PM and Union Home and other Union Ministers whose presence is required, along with the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Committee, will attend these meetings.

The AP government was keeping an eye on the movement of all the important leaders of Telangana region. the government perceived that unity of the leaders can intensify the agitation