Andhra State was born out of Violence and Terror

When Telangana people stopped a few Andhra buses on NH-9 yesterday, the Seemandhra leaders were livid. So, we wanted to remind them a piece of their history. We wanted to remind them about the orgy of violence that fetched them the Andhra state in 1953. The following newslips showcase the ugly side of the Andhra statehood movement. The death of one person – Potti Sriramulu triggered these violent incidents.These newsclips also prove how peaceful the Telangana statehood movement is even after the death of over 600 Telanganites in the ongoing agitation.

A wave of hysterical emotion swept the Andhra, Rayalaseema regions after Potti Sriramulu’s death in December, 1952. Here are some glimpses of what happened.

In the words of historian KV Narayana Rao

“the disturbances reached a climax on 16 December. Mobs raided the Vijayawada railway station. Wagons were looted. Seven pople were killed in police firings in different places. The damage to railway properties was estimated by the government at Rs. 50 Lakhs.”

A.N Rai, Deputy Inspector General of Police, of that time wrote this in his report:

“The local terrorists took advantage of the unsettled conditions and started vehement campaign against the Congress and Praja Socialists. The agitation on 16-12-52 started with hartals and processions in Nellore town and by the evening the attention of the agitators was diverted to the railway station yard where railway properties were damaged and vehicles burnt. They also tried to over-power the police force that attempted to stop the further damage by the mob”

The Hindu Newspaper dated Dec 17, 1952 reports thus:

“Vijayawada railway sation and surrounding were occupied by a mob, and the railway officials and worked were hoved out of the station precincts at noon today”

“the Southern Railway head-quarters have received information that a huge mob raided the Vijayawada railway station. looted the entire building and cut off all communications.”

“At Vijayawada Railway Station, a big crowd of labourers, including men and women, broke open about 300 loaded wagons stabled in the yards with rice, paddy or wheat and carried away on their heads”

The Hindu Newspaper dated Dec 17, 1952 reported that locals looted rice bags at a Railway Station near Navabpalem in West Godavari district.Wide spread destruction railway properties was reported from all districts of Andhra and Rayalaseema. Some notable incidents of arson were reported from Guntur, where some unruly elements damaged the railway station and burnt some records in the Parcel Office.

Railway stations at Rajahmundry, Duggirala, Tenali, Ongole bore the brunt of the agitators ire.

While scores of agitators were gunned down by security forces, the Seemandhra leaders did not record their deaths in the history books. No memorial was set up anywhere in the Seemandhra region.

This contrasts to the level of false propaganda that surrounds Potti Sriramulu’s fast unto death to claim Madras city.The reason is not difficult to understand.

The Seemandhra leadership never wanted the world to know about the orgy of violence that was unleashed preceding the Andhra state formation.

But, can they hide this bitter truth for ever?

[Inputs from Lisa Mitchell's book 'Language, Emotion, and Politics in South India',

Special Thanks to Mission Telangana ]