Struggle for statehood: 1/4
V. Chowdary Jampala
(Note: This is part-1 of a 4-part posting on the events leading to the
formation of Andhra Pradesh. Parts 1 and 2, dealing with the separation
of Andhra State from Madras, were published together in the November
1993 issue of TANA Patrika. Parts 3 and 4 dealing with the 'Andhra Maha
Sabha's in Telangana and the formation of Andhra Pradesh were published
together in the November 1994 issue of TANA Patrika.)
The beginning
The struggle for an independent statehood for
Telugu speaking people began almost simultaneously
with the struggle for independence of India. The
main aims of this struggle were to preserve the
uniqueness of the Telugu culture as well as create
a climate for the overall social and economic
development of the Andhras.
When British began ruling India, they divided the
country into three main organizational units
(presidencies) based at Bombay, Calcutta, and
Madras. Each of the presidencies contained people
of diverse groups, cultures, religions, and
languages. Andhras, Tamils, Kannadigas, and
Malayalees were part of the Madras presidency.
Andhras were the first to recognize that an
independent state, based on linguistic principles,
would be the essential first step for development
and prosperity.
Guntur and Krishna districts were the birthplace
of this movement for a separate state. The Guntur
Youth Literary League, established in 1903-04, was
an active forum for debate on social, economic,
and political issues as well. The participants
came to the realization that the establishment of
English language schools and the development of
infrastructure (railways etc.) in the Tamil
speaking areas of the Combined Madras state let
the Tamil speaking people gain dominance, and that
continuing in a combined state will only
perpetuate that dominance. In 1907-08, Telugus
from coastal districts met in Bandar with Telugus
from Nizam to discuss the need for the two groups
to work together to safeguard the common interests
of Telugu speaking people. A 1911 map of
Teluguland drawn by Unnava Lakshminarayana and
Jonnavittula Gurunadham included Telugu speaking
areas from the states of Hyderabad, Mysore, Birar,
Central Districts, and Orissa in addition to the
Telugu speaking areas from Madras state.
In his book "Andhrodyamamu", `Desabhakta' Konda
Venkatappayya Pantulu eloquently argued the case
for linguistic basis for statehood, citing the
Bengali agitation against division and Governor
General Harding's 1911 order forming Bihar as a
new state (removing it from Calcutta presidency as
the Biharis spoke Hindi and not Bengali). In 1912,
the congress party units of Godavari, Krishna, and
Guntur districts met in Nidadavolu where a
resolution for a separate state was introduced
from the floor. The backers of the resolution,
prevented from debating it for procedural reasons,
decided to convene a focussed meeting to advance
their cause.
Andhra Maha Sabhas
The first Andhra Mahasabha (Convention of Andhras)
took place in Bapatla in 1913 with Bayya
Venkateswara Sarma as president, and Konda
Venkatappayya Pantulu as the convener. Vemavarapu
Ramadasu Pantulu introduced the motion for
separate statehood. The convention decided to
canvass the Telugu people for a year before acting
on the motion. A committee consisting of Konda
Venkatappayya Pantulu, Bhogaraaju Pattabhi
Seetharamayya, Mutnuri Krishna Rao, and Valluru
Suryanarayana Rao toured the state discussing the
need for an independent state. Bhogaraju Pattabhi
Seetharamayya and Kopalle Hanumantha Rao wrote a
book "Andhra Rashtramu".
The second Andhra Mahasabha met in Bezawaada in
1914 with Nyaapathi Subba Rao presiding. After
much discussion, the convention approved
resolutions arguing the case for linguistic
states, and suggesting that all Telugu speaking
districts from Madras state should be formed into
a new state. At the third Andhra Mahasabha
presided by Panuganti Raja Ramarayanam in
Visakhapatnam, a resolution was passed demanding a
separate Andhra State. Since then, that resolution
was repeated at every Andhra Mahasabha.
The British government was not against the
principle of linguistic based states. When
Montague and Chelmsford visited India in 1917 to
investigate political reforms, representatives of
Andhra Mahasabha pleaded for the formation of
Andhra state. As a result, a provision was
introduced in the 1919 constitution permitting the
Governor General to form a new state, with the
approval of the affected legislatures and the
India Secretary. Resolutions authorizing the
formation of Andhra state were approved three
times in Madras state legislature, but,
unfortunately, the Governor General did not act on
any of them.
Even though the movement did not result in
immediate statehood, several important small gains
were immediately realized. In 1917, Congress party
approved a separate unit for Andhra state and at
the national level, Andhras began to be recognized
as a separate group and not part of the
"Madrasis". Another important achievement was the
1926 establishment of Andhra University at
Waltair.
(To be continued)
-----V. Chowdary Jampala
(Source: Telugu Sanskriti, vol 1. Desamu, Charitra; Telugu Bhasha
Samiti, Hyderabad, 1983)
Courtesy: http://www.kanneganti.com/
viplavreddy@y
> Part-1: Movement for a separate state for Telugus
>A 1911 map of
> Teluguland drawn by Unnava Lakshminarayana and
> Jonnavittula Gurunadham included Telugu speaking
> areas from the states of Hyderabad, Mysore, Birar,
> Central Districts, and Orissa in addition to the
> Telugu speaking areas from Madras state.
>
> -----V. Chowdary Jampala
>
> (Source: Telugu Sanskriti, vol 1. Desamu, Charitra; Telugu Bhasha
> Samiti, Hyderabad, 1983)
Jampala garu - thats a lot of good information - thanks for posting
all 4 parts; Because of my interest in old/historic maps, I am
wondering if there are any original maps that survived the time
today? Thanks.
University (OU, AU & SVU)libraries and Hyderabad Central Library have
some old books with maps drawn in them but preservation seems to be
the last on their list. None I saw were originals.
Viplav
From cjampala@d... Mon Nov 05 07:25:54 2001
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Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2001 10:10:55 -0500 (EST)
To: racch...@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [racchabanda] Telugu-Andhramu
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On Sat, 3 Nov 2001, Prabhakar Vissavajjhala wrote:
> >From =91Andhrula saMkshipta caritra=92 by Sree Etukoori
> balarAmamoorti (Visalandhra Publishing House) First
> Eidition June 1953; 12th Edition August 1995 (No idea
> whether revised in between or not).
I am familiar with this book and its contents.
Interestingly, it is the only one among the many references I
cited in my previous posts that says that aandhrulu had a language called
dESi. Unfortunately, it does not give any references to support
that. Also, while Sri Etukoori spends some time supporting that Andhrulu
initially lived in the North, he does not address other evidence that
suggests that they may be based in South (for example, bhaaratamu notes
that at the time of raajasooya, sahadEva went South and conquered, kEraLa,
paaMDya, aandhra, ouDhra, and kaLinga dESas).
Also, Etukoori seems to be saying that dESi was based neither on
praakRta or sanskRta.
Regards -- V. Chowdary Jampala
=09
Courtesy: http://www.kanneganti.com/
vijay burgula
I was out of town and just now read Chowdary garu's posting of the
4-part article from TANA Patrika, 1994. It was interesting to see how
the article "Struggle for Statehood" sees the history of AP, as a
narrative of HOW it was formed through a description of dates, events,
people and places. It does not tell us why it was formed, by who, and
in whose interests, etc.
In short, it does not tell us anythig about the power equation in the
politics of the formation of AP. And, isn't politics supposed to be
about power??
Princely Kingdoms in Colonial India experienced their own brand of
political struggles. They had to deal with the dilemmas of struggle
against two powers - Princely rule and through them, British
paramountcy. The impact of this system of colonial rule was that, the
politics of freedom struggle in the Princely states often followed a
double-layered strategy; at one level, against the feudal structure of
the Princely kingdom, and then against British paramountcy. The
politics of freedom struggle in the erstwhile Hyderabad state and the
Telangana Armed Struggle from 1946-1951 bear eloquent testimony. The
local struggle in Telangana was anti-feudal and revolutionary in
character, while the nationalist struggle by and large, adhered to the
parameters of Indian nationalism set by the Indian National Congress.
There is a basic difference in the nature of the freedom struggles in
the Telugu-speaking areas of Madras Presidency and Nizam's Hyderabad.
The freedom struggle in Hyderabad state was not just a fight against
British paramountcy as in Madras Presidency. It was also a struggle
against the feudal autocratic state of the Nizam. Embedded in the
Freedom Struggle in Hyderabad state, were ideas of political
self-determination and anti-feudalism/egalitarianism. In the Andhra
Maha Sabha, these ideas developed into two distinct ideological and
political constituencies, one based on the nationalism of the Congress
Party and the other, based on the revolutionary ideology of Communism.
The Communists in the NAMS called for an armed struggle against the
feudal and authoritarian system of the Nizam.
The TANA article begins with the history of Telugu-speaking areas of
Madras Presidency. It lays claim to the development of linguistic
identity in the Andhra area of Madras Presidency and the subsequent
demands for a separate Andhra state.
But what about the Telugu-speaking areas of Nizam's Hyderabad? When
did that happen? History as seen by TANA Patrika, acknowledges their
existence only when the "(Nizam) Andhra Maha Sabha" is formed. But
what led to the creation of Andhra Maha Sabha in Hyderabad state? Was
it as simple as slights to the Telugu language at the Social
Conference of Nizam's State or, was it the emergence of a Telugu urban
middle-class??? Was linguistic identity the core of the political
movements in Hyderabad state? What were the conditions in Hyderabad
state? Similar to that in the Madras Presidency??
The writing of the history of the formation of AP requires at least 3
important social trends in Hyderabad state at that time, be taken into
account:
a) Economic development under the Nizam
b) State-sponsored Migration into Hyderabad state
c) Social and Political movements in Hyderabad leading to the
emergence of a Telugu middle-class and formation of Andhra Maha Sabha
d) Acknowledgement of the different character of ,"(Nizam) Andhra Maha
Sabha", as opposed to the "(Andhra)Andhra Maha Sabha".
Were there then two separate Visaalandhra Movements ???? BUT OF
COURSE!!!!
But the official narrative of the Visaalandhra Movement looks only at
the Andhra side of it. No mention is made of the Nature of the
Visaalandhra Movement in Hyderabad state or how the anti-feudal
movement led by the Communists overtook it. Political awakening in
Hyderabad state also involved a struggle against Nizam's feudal
autocracy when the Hyderabadi Telugus joined the Indian Freedom
Struggle. There were many such movements in Hyderabad. But no mention
is made of the urban and rural movements in Nizam's Hyderabad, or how
they shaped the birth of Hyderabad state, and why it decided to merge
with Andhra. The Telangana Armed Struggle is in fact completely
ignored. How can anyone understand the formation of AP and its
politics, without acknowledging the legacy of the Telangana Armed
Struggle on subsequent movements for Separate Telangana state???
After Independence, revolutionary and transformative ideology and
politics in Hyderabad state was suppressed in the interest of state -
and nation building. Social transformation had to be mediated through
the state and not through revolutionary upheaval. The Telangana armed
struggle was violently suppressed and was withdrawn in October 1951.
On the other hand, the leadership of the Hyderabad Congress became the
first elected representatives of Independent Hyderabad state. It is
not surprising therefore, that in this context, the post-Independence
transformation of feudalism through land reforms was greater in
Telangana, than in other parts of India. Questions highlighting
paradoxes still arise with such a writing of history. Why is it that
Telangana is still backward even though it had a revolutionary
movement? Why is it that AP still has extremist politics, which seems
to be increasing even now??
Writing history is a serious task that should inform people not just
about dates, places, people and events, but about the larger moral
story of historical existence that dates, places, people and events
signify over time. The TANA article read more like the history
textbook of my schooldays.
Regards,
Vijay
From vineel@c... Mon Nov 05 14:31:05 2001
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There is a good poem by "shaajahaana" in todays edition of vaartha.
I really liked the concluding lines.
http://www.vaartha.com/kavi.html
Could somebody throw few words of intro. about the poet? are there
any published books? There is also a story by the same author in
indiainfo site too.
Thanks,
Vineel
PS: Iam not sure if its legal, but I took the liberty of copying the
image and uploading it to racchabanda's files for members who might
not see this today. I am planning to delete it with in a week.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/racchabanda/files/vaartha-poem.gif
Courtesy: http://www.kanneganti.com/