Images: Kakatiya students chase political leaders.
IT minister Ponnala Laxmaiah, TDP MP Gundu Sudharani, MLA Dhanasari Anasuya and Congress MLa Gandra Venkataramana Reddy had to taste the fury of Kakatiya University students yesterday.
The people’s representatives, who came to KU to garland the statue of Mahatma Jyothi Ba Phule had to beat a hasty retreat as students attacked them with eggs and tomatoes.
Many people within and outside Telangana assume that the movement for a separate state has cooled down. But we need to understand that the Telangana movement has long back transformed into a grass roots people’s movement and it will not ‘cool down’ until the statehood is achieved.
The union government, which thought that the movement would die by passage of time and appointed Srikrishna Committee, was in for a big surprise when Telangana people stood strong even after 14 long months.
The obstructions to state government’s Racchabanda program, especially the CM’s prestigious program at Rayanigudem was a testimony to the undying spirit of Telangana people.
When student’s gave a call for Chalo Assembly in February, scores of students pierced through several layers of Police barricades to reach the state Assembly. The Chalo Raj Bhavan call given on the same day by lawyers was also hugely successful.
The 48 Hr Telangana Bandh in February also showed the strength of Telangana movement. The city of Hyderabad was completely shutdown for two days.
Telangana Million March was another occasion that showed the commitment of Telangana people. Defying prohibitory orders, about one lakh people reached Tank Bund, the heart of Hyderabad.
What do all these incidents prove?
That no force on earth can stop a genuine people’s movement like Telangana.
That you can buy leaders of a movement, but not the people.