By Omer Farooq
BBC News, Hyderabad
Mr Rao has been on a fast for the past 10 days
A protest fast by the leader of a regional party in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has entered its 10th day.
K Chandrasekara Rao of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) is demanding separate state status for the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh.
His supporters have also attacked government and private property.
The demand for a separate state for the underdeveloped and drought-prone region dates back 50 years.
But the deal has been rejected by several federal governments.
The Telangana region is spread over nine of the 23 districts of Andhra Pradesh.
The separatists say that economic development in their region has been neglected in favour of the richer and more powerful Andhra region.
Mr Rao quit the Congress-led government in 2006, saying the government had not fulfilled its "assurance" for a separate Telangana state.
He also launched a hunger strike in the capital, Delhi, during the same year to press the demand for a Telangana state.
'Worsened'
Mr Rao began his "indefinite fast" on 29 November at his home town in Medak district, 100km (62 miles) from the Andhra Pradesh capital, Hyderabad.
"Either a victory procession will come out or my funeral procession will come out. The decision will have to be taken by the government," he said.
Fearing a law and order problem, the police arrested him and sent him to a prison in Khammam district.
But as Mr Rao's health deteriorated, he was moved to a hospital in Hyderabad.
Doctors said Mr Rao was refusing to take food and they were giving him saline water and medicine.
The separatists say that their region has been neglected
TRS workers have attacked public transport, government offices and private property in the capital city and nine other districts of the region over the last 10 days.
Separately, students of two major universities - Osmania University in Hyderabad and Kakatiya University in Warangal - have also launched a movement for a Telangana state.
The state government has shut schools and universities in the state for a fortnight to try to prevent students from protesting.
More than 400 people died in violence over the demand for a Telangana state in 1969.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
India's 'Tiger of Telangana' feted
By Omer Farooq
BBC News, Hyderabad
The campaign for a separate state has been long-running and at times violent
From tension and fear to excitement and celebration and then to confusion and uncertainty, the people of Telangana region have seen many shades of emotions during the last few hours.
Ever since the Indian government made its dramatic announcement to accept their 50-year-old demand to make Telangana a state, the people of Hyderabad and the other nine districts of the region have endured a roller-coaster ride.
Thousands of supporters of Telangana came out on the streets late on Wednesday night to see history being made as the word spread like wildfire that the government had met their long-standing demands.
Men, women and the young and old came out of their homes in the dead of the night and gathered at the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences where the leader of the regional Telangana Rashtra Samiti party, K Chandrasekara Rao was under observation by doctors.
Emotional
After 11 days of a "fast unto death" to press the demand for Telangana state, Mr Rao had emerged as a hero for the local masses.
The 55-year-old MP lost almost half of his original weight and has been suffering from many ailments and complications.
The news that his demands had finally been accepted came just as doctors were pressurising him to break the fast because his life was in grave danger. But gritty Mr Rao steadfastly refused.
It was to see this man that people had thronged around the hospital where he was being treated. Emotional youngsters armed with drums, crackers and banners descended on the building shouting slogans in honour of "KCR" - the man now known as the "Tiger of Telangana".
"No other leader endangered his life for the poor people of Telangana like KCR has done and achieved his goal," said an emotional youngster, Tayyab, who is unemployed.
"I am sure after Telangana is formed, nobody will be unemployed."
Lawyer Vivekananda Reddy, who travelled from another city to be present for the historic occasion said that the "formation of a new state will mark the end of 50 years of injustice".
"Our farmers will get their due share in water and our boys will get decent education and good jobs," he said.
Celebrations
Such sentiments seemed to be widespread, including in the intensive care unit where Mr Rao was lying in the bed. A young woman became emotional and started crying on seeing him in such a bad condition.
K Chandrasekara Rao has become a hero (Photo: Snaps India)
Many others made a beeline to fall at his feet barely a few minutes after he had broken his fast to sip a few drops of lime juice offered by his guru and ideologue Prof Jaishankar.
Outside, the crowds were swelling, and dancing and singing youths boarded passing vehicles to display the pink banners of the Telangana regional party.
"I am an IT software professional and I am sure he will get me a job soon," said another youngster as I struggled to find a way through the throng.
Everywhere people deprived of employment, housing and other facilities gathered in celebration and in the expectation that they will witness an economic miracle in their lives. But will their new hero be able to help them?
"That will be the biggest challenge," said Prof Kodanda Ram of Osmania University.
A few hours later I found myself in the same university, where activists of the right wing Hindu students' organisation, the ABVP, were holding a programme to celebrate what they called a victory.
"Hyderabad Hamara!" (This Hyderabad is ours!) they sang amid bursting crackers.
A short while later a bigger rally of students belonging to the leftist organisations entered the same campus chanting revolutionary songs and slogans. But they were not celebrating the victory. "We are remembering the martyrs who laid down their lives for this day," one said.
But on one thing both the right and the left are unanimous. They agree that if anything can change the lives of people of this region, it will be the creation of Telangana state - giving people a distinct cultural, geographic and economic region.
But as I reach home, bad news awaits. As many as 93 Andhra Pradesh lawmakers have tendered their resignations to prevent the formation of Telangana state - they say that they don't want it to secede.
The fight may not have ended for Telangana and its people.
BBC News, Hyderabad
The campaign for a separate state has been long-running and at times violent
From tension and fear to excitement and celebration and then to confusion and uncertainty, the people of Telangana region have seen many shades of emotions during the last few hours.
Ever since the Indian government made its dramatic announcement to accept their 50-year-old demand to make Telangana a state, the people of Hyderabad and the other nine districts of the region have endured a roller-coaster ride.
Thousands of supporters of Telangana came out on the streets late on Wednesday night to see history being made as the word spread like wildfire that the government had met their long-standing demands.
Men, women and the young and old came out of their homes in the dead of the night and gathered at the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences where the leader of the regional Telangana Rashtra Samiti party, K Chandrasekara Rao was under observation by doctors.
Emotional
After 11 days of a "fast unto death" to press the demand for Telangana state, Mr Rao had emerged as a hero for the local masses.
The 55-year-old MP lost almost half of his original weight and has been suffering from many ailments and complications.
The news that his demands had finally been accepted came just as doctors were pressurising him to break the fast because his life was in grave danger. But gritty Mr Rao steadfastly refused.
It was to see this man that people had thronged around the hospital where he was being treated. Emotional youngsters armed with drums, crackers and banners descended on the building shouting slogans in honour of "KCR" - the man now known as the "Tiger of Telangana".
"No other leader endangered his life for the poor people of Telangana like KCR has done and achieved his goal," said an emotional youngster, Tayyab, who is unemployed.
"I am sure after Telangana is formed, nobody will be unemployed."
Lawyer Vivekananda Reddy, who travelled from another city to be present for the historic occasion said that the "formation of a new state will mark the end of 50 years of injustice".
"Our farmers will get their due share in water and our boys will get decent education and good jobs," he said.
Celebrations
Such sentiments seemed to be widespread, including in the intensive care unit where Mr Rao was lying in the bed. A young woman became emotional and started crying on seeing him in such a bad condition.
K Chandrasekara Rao has become a hero (Photo: Snaps India)
Many others made a beeline to fall at his feet barely a few minutes after he had broken his fast to sip a few drops of lime juice offered by his guru and ideologue Prof Jaishankar.
Outside, the crowds were swelling, and dancing and singing youths boarded passing vehicles to display the pink banners of the Telangana regional party.
"I am an IT software professional and I am sure he will get me a job soon," said another youngster as I struggled to find a way through the throng.
Everywhere people deprived of employment, housing and other facilities gathered in celebration and in the expectation that they will witness an economic miracle in their lives. But will their new hero be able to help them?
"That will be the biggest challenge," said Prof Kodanda Ram of Osmania University.
A few hours later I found myself in the same university, where activists of the right wing Hindu students' organisation, the ABVP, were holding a programme to celebrate what they called a victory.
"Hyderabad Hamara!" (This Hyderabad is ours!) they sang amid bursting crackers.
A short while later a bigger rally of students belonging to the leftist organisations entered the same campus chanting revolutionary songs and slogans. But they were not celebrating the victory. "We are remembering the martyrs who laid down their lives for this day," one said.
But on one thing both the right and the left are unanimous. They agree that if anything can change the lives of people of this region, it will be the creation of Telangana state - giving people a distinct cultural, geographic and economic region.
But as I reach home, bad news awaits. As many as 93 Andhra Pradesh lawmakers have tendered their resignations to prevent the formation of Telangana state - they say that they don't want it to secede.
The fight may not have ended for Telangana and its people.
From BBC...
Monday, July 6, 1998 Published at 15:24 GMT 16:24 UK
World: South Asia
Separatist movement in Andhra Pradesh
Fifty organisations in Andhra Pradesh have launched a new movement to campaign for the creation of a separate state of Telangana.
The Telangana region is spead over nine of the twenty-three districts of Andhra Pradesh and the separatists say economic development in their region has been neglected in favour of the richer and more powerful Andhra region.
The movement was launched at a two-day conference in Hyderabad presided over by a leading civil rights activist, M T Khan, who said they were prepared for a long struggle.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
World: South Asia
Separatist movement in Andhra Pradesh
Fifty organisations in Andhra Pradesh have launched a new movement to campaign for the creation of a separate state of Telangana.
The Telangana region is spead over nine of the twenty-three districts of Andhra Pradesh and the separatists say economic development in their region has been neglected in favour of the richer and more powerful Andhra region.
The movement was launched at a two-day conference in Hyderabad presided over by a leading civil rights activist, M T Khan, who said they were prepared for a long struggle.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
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