Priors
Precedents

Telangana statehood agitation (2009 to 2011)

29 Nov 2009 – 24 Oct 2011, Andhra Pradesh

K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), president of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now BRS), was arrested on 29 November 2009 on his way to begin a fast-unto-death for a separate Telangana state, and began the fast in custody. Student protests at Osmania University and a region-wide agitation followed. The Centre announced on 9 December 2009 that it would initiate the process of forming Telangana, then on 23 December 2009 called for wider consultations after resignations by legislators from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. The agitation continued through the Srikrishna Committee (2010), the Million March at Tank Bund (10 March 2011) and the 42-day Sakala Janula Samme general strike (13 September to 24 October 2011).

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In power
INC: Andhra Pradesh, Centre

What the government did

  1. 29 Nov 2009

    Preventive arrestPolice, Andhra PradeshShare

    Police arrested KCR near Karimnagar on 29 November, before he reached Siddipet to begin his fast, together with other TRS leaders.

    MoreLess · 3 sources

    The Indian Express reported the charges as spreading disaffection, criminal conspiracy and inciting people to violence. A magistrate in Khammam remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody, and he began the fast in custody. On 30 November he accepted fruit juice at the government hospital in Khammam, as shown in footage released by the authorities; the TRS called this a government conspiracy, and on 1 December KCR said he was continuing the fast. The Srikrishna Committee report says he 'reportedly broke his fast but resumed it soon thereafter'.

    Legal basis: Charges of spreading disaffection, criminal conspiracy and inciting people to violence, as reported by The Indian Express (sections not named)

    Sources [1][19][27]

  2. 9 Dec 2009

    Preventive arrestPolice, Andhra PradeshShare

    Ahead of a 'march to Hyderabad' to the Assembly called by the students' JAC and the TRS for 10 December, additional police forces were deployed in the capital, and police and paramilitary forces took hundreds of students and activists into preventive custody.

    MoreLess · 3 sources

    The Srikrishna Committee report states that during the agitation that began on 29 November 'reportedly over five thousand persons were taken into preventive custody'.

    • over 5,000 persons taken into preventive custody during the agitation from 29 November 2009, said Srikrishna Committee report ('reportedly') [27]

    Sources [3][18][27]

  3. 9 Dec 2009

    ConcessionCentreShare

    Home Minister P.

    MoreLess · 5 sources

    Chidambaram announced in New Delhi at about 11.30 pm that 'the process of forming the state of Telangana will be initiated' and that an appropriate resolution would be moved in the state Assembly. The statement asked KCR to end his fast and students to withdraw their agitation, and the Centre asked Chief Minister Rosaiah to withdraw cases filed against students, leaders and others on or after 29 November. KCR broke his fast at NIMS shortly after midnight. The Srikrishna Committee later reported that over 1,600 cases involving more than 8,000 agitators were registered in the state between 29 November 2009 and April 2010, and that the state government withdrew 565 'simple' cases, 440 of them in Telangana.

    • over 1,600 cases registered against agitators in all regions, 29 November 2009 to April 2010, said Srikrishna Committee report [27]
    • more than 8,000 agitators involved in those cases, said Srikrishna Committee report [27]
    • 565 'simple' cases withdrawn by the state government (all regions), said Srikrishna Committee report [27]
    • 440 'simple' cases withdrawn in Telangana, said Srikrishna Committee report [27]

    Sources [3][18][30][27][28]

  4. 23 Dec 2009

    OtherCentreShare

    After the 9 December statement, legislators from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema submitted resignations in protest (counts differ, see figures).

    MoreLess · 9 sources

    On 23 December Chidambaram issued a second statement saying that the situation in Andhra Pradesh had altered since 9 December and that the Centre would hold wide-ranging consultations with all political parties and groups in the state and take steps to involve all concerned. Chidambaram later denied a flip-flop and said the two statements had to be read together.

    • 100 MLAs who submitted resignations by 10 December 2009, said The Tribune (Suresh Dharur) [4]
    • 117 (76 Congress, 29 TDP, 12 PRP) MLAs who submitted resignations by late night of 10 December 2009, said The Indian Express (Sreenivas Janyala) [20]
    • 9 MPs, 143 MLAs and 41 MLCs resignations submitted against the 9 December announcement, said Srikrishna Committee report ('reportedly') [27]

    Sources [4][20][5][34][27][28][7][26][15]

  5. 5 Jan 2010

    NegotiationCentreShare

    Chidambaram convened a meeting in New Delhi of the eight recognised political parties of Andhra Pradesh as 'the first step in the consultations' to devise a mechanism and roadmap; Chief Minister Rosaiah was invited in his official capacity.

    MoreLess · 4 sources

    The Srikrishna Committee report states that the TRS, BJP and CPI said no further consultations were needed, that the Congress, CPI(M), AIMIM and PRP favoured wide-ranging consultations, that the TDP's two representatives took divergent positions, and that all the parties appealed to the people to keep the peace.

    Sources [7][26][27][28]

  6. 3 Feb 2010

    Commission of inquiryCentreShare

    The Centre constituted a five-member Committee for Consultations on the Situation in Andhra Pradesh headed by Justice B.N.

    MoreLess · 6 sources

    Srikrishna, with Ranbir Singh, Abusaleh Shariff, Ravinder Kaur and Vinod K. Duggal. It submitted its report on 30 December 2010. The Home Ministry released it on 6 January 2011 with six options; the committee held that simply maintaining the status quo was not a practical approach and treated a united state with a statutory Telangana Regional Council as the first choice and bifurcation as the 'second best option'. TRS, TDP and BJP boycotted the 6 January meeting at which the report was handed to the parties.

    Sources [27][28][29][8][9][10]

  7. 10 Mar 2011

    Permission deniedPolice, Andhra PradeshShare

    Hyderabad Police Commissioner A.K.

    MoreLess · 3 sources

    Khan refused permission for the Telangana JAC's 'Million March' at Tank Bund. The Indian Express reported his reason as the march throwing traffic out of gear; PTI reported that police cited disruption to normal life and possible law and order problems.

    Sources [11][22][23]

  8. 24 Oct 2011

    NegotiationState government, Andhra PradeshShare

    After talks led by Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, the government accepted nine demands, including withdrawal of cases against striking employees, treating the strike period as special leave, and seeking High Court permission to relax GO 177.

    MoreLess · 3 sources

    Employees called off the strike on 24 October 2011 after 42 days; teachers, APSRTC and Singareni workers had withdrawn earlier. A Coal Ministry reply in the Lok Sabha records the Singareni strike in support of the Telangana bandh call as running from 13 September to the third shift of 17 October 2011.

    Sources [14][25][31]

  9. 1 Mar 2014

    ConcessionCentreShare

    After the agitation period, the Union Cabinet cleared a separate Telangana on 3 October 2013; the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill passed the Lok Sabha on 18 February 2014 and the Rajya Sabha on 20 February 2014, received presidential assent on 1 March 2014, and Telangana was formed on 2 June 2014.

    MoreLess · 2 sources

    Sources [32][16]

Outcome

The 2011 strike ended on 24 October 2011 with the state accepting nine employee demands; the statehood demand itself stayed open. The UPA coordination committee decided in favour of Telangana on 30 July 2013, the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill passed Parliament in February 2014 and received assent on 1 March 2014, and Telangana was formed on 2 June 2014.

Background

Who governed at the start of the protest. Each action above counts for the party in power where and when it happened.

Centre government
INCUPA, Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister
State government
INC in Andhra Pradesh, K. Rosaiah, Chief Minister
Places
Hyderabad, Osmania University, Khammam, Siddipet, Tank Bund, Karimnagar, Warangal, Nizamabad, Adilabad
Cause
Creation of a separate Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh
Organisers
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS, now BRS), Telangana Joint Action Committee (M. Kodandaram), Osmania University Students JAC, government employees' unions
Scale
Region-wide agitation across the 10 Telangana districts; about 400,000 government employees, teachers and workers and over 100,000 Singareni coal workers joined the 2011 general strike

What they said

Words in quote marks were matched in the source. Everything else is a summary; open the source for the exact words. Each statement says whether the speaker's party was in power or in opposition at the time.

In power

“The process of forming the state of Telangana will be initiated. An appropriate resolution will be moved in the Assembly.”

At Paragraph beginning 'Said Home Minister P Chidambaram late in the night'

In power

Said the 9 December announcement had rested on the consensus among Andhra Pradesh parties at the 7 December all-party meeting, but that the situation in the state had since altered and parties were divided. The Centre would hold wide-ranging consultations with all political parties and groups and involve all concerned. Appealed to parties and students to withdraw their agitations.

Summary, not a quote

In power

“But shortly after that statement was made on December 9, the situation at the ground altered. That is an undeniable fact.”

At Lok Sabha debates, 5 August 2011, calling attention, reply of the Home Minister (PDF p. 8)

INCP. Chidambaram, Union Home Minister5 Aug 2011[29]

In power

Said the Telangana resolution would be moved in the Assembly only after consulting everyone and would pass only with majority support, and advised legislators not to resign in the heat of emotion.

Summary, not a quote

INCK. Rosaiah, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh10 Dec 2009[4][20]

In opposition

Naidu, who had earlier challenged the Congress to table the resolution and pledged TDP support, called the Centre's decision hasty, unilateral and arbitrary, said no one had been consulted, and held the Congress responsible for the crisis. He said the TDP would support a separate Telangana provided there was consensus.

Summary, not a quote

TDPN. Chandrababu Naidu, TDP president; Leader of the Opposition, Andhra Pradesh Assembly10 Dec 2009[4][20]

In opposition

“A policy statement should not be made outside.”

At Rajya Sabha debates, 10 December 2009, 'Re: Telangana issue', p. 2

BJPM. Venkaiah Naidu, BJP leader; Rajya Sabha MP, opposition10 Dec 2009[30][4]

Sources

  1. 1Rao's flip-flop on fast triggers confusionThe Tribune, Suresh Dharur, 2 Dec 2009T4 ReportArchived 5 Jan 2010
  2. 2TRS chief shifted to HyderabadPTI via The Tribune, 4 Dec 2009T5 SecondaryArchived 6 Dec 2009
  3. 3Centre buckles: Resolution likely today; Rao ends fastPTI via The Tribune, 10 Dec 2009T5 SecondaryArchived 13 Dec 2009
  4. 4Political crisis rocks AP: 100 MLAs quit over statehood to TelanganaThe Tribune, Suresh Dharur, 11 Dec 2009T4 ReportArchived 13 Dec 2009
  5. 5Centre dithers on Telangana: Situation in AP has altered, says ChidambaramThe Tribune, Vibha Sharma, 24 Dec 2009T4 ReportArchived 18 Jan 2010
  6. 6Crisis deepens in Andhra: 65 MLAs quit; protesters damage 57 busesThe Tribune, Suresh Dharur, 25 Dec 2009T4 ReportArchived 18 Jan 2010
  7. 7Govt working to devise mechanism and roadmap on Telangana: ChidambaramPTI via Ummid.com, 31 Dec 2009T5 SecondaryArchived 7 Jan 2010
  8. 8Justice Srikrishna heads Telangana panelGovernance Now, 3 Feb 2010T5 SecondaryArchived 6 Feb 2010
  9. 9Six options on Telangana, status quo least favourablePTI via Governance Now, 6 Jan 2011T5 SecondaryArchived 8 Jan 2011
  10. 10Srikrishna panel for united AP: Telangana Regional Council to address core concernsThe Tribune, Suresh Dharur, 7 Jan 2011T4 ReportArchived 9 Jan 2011
  11. 11Million March: Telangana leaders taken into custodyPTI via Governance Now, 10 Mar 2011T5 Secondary
  12. 12Govt fails to foil Telangana Million March in HyderabadPTI via Oneindia, Nairita Das, 10 Mar 2011T5 Secondary
  13. 13'People's strike' brings Telangana to a haltIANS via Ummid.com, 13 Sep 2011T5 SecondaryArchived 10 Oct 2011
  14. 14Pro-Telangana stir in AP called offPTI via Governance Now, 25 Oct 2011T5 SecondaryArchived 27 Oct 2011
  15. 15Centre yet to take final view on Telangana: PCMorung Express, 4 Jul 2011T5 Secondary
  16. 1610 turning points in Telangana statehood agitationDeccan Chronicle, 24 May 2023T5 SecondaryArchived 25 May 2023
  17. 17OU students lead Telangana movement, realise dreamDeccan Chronicle, M. Khalid Ahmed, 1 Jun 2023T5 SecondaryArchived 1 Jun 2023
  18. 18Centre says a guarded yes to TelanganaThe Indian Express, D K Singh, 9 Dec 2009T4 ReportArchived 31 Mar 2016
  19. 19Protests as KCR held before fastThe Indian Express, Sreenivas Janyala, 30 Nov 2009T4 ReportArchived 18 Oct 2014
  20. 20Telangana is easier said than doneThe Indian Express, Sreenivas Janyala, 10 Dec 2009T4 ReportArchived 9 Jul 2023
  21. 21Students hijack Telangana stir, police fear Naxal influenceThe Indian Express, Sreenivas Janyala, 8 Dec 2009T4 Report
  22. 22Telangana march in Hyderabad today, police brace for violenceThe Indian Express, Sreenivas Janyala, 10 Mar 2011T4 ReportArchived 19 May 2022
  23. 23Telangana 'Million March' turns violentThe Tribune, Suresh Dharur, 11 Mar 2011T4 ReportArchived 13 Mar 2011
  24. 24Indefinite stir by pro-Telangana activistsThe Tribune, Suresh Dharur, 14 Sep 2011T4 ReportArchived 25 Sep 2011
  25. 25Cong, TRS have struck deal to dilute stir: TDPThe Tribune, Suresh Dharur, 25 Oct 2011T4 ReportArchived 25 Oct 2011
  26. 26No flip-flop on Telangana: ChidambaramThe Tribune, Faraz Ahmad and Vibha Sharma, 1 Jan 2010T4 ReportArchived 22 Jan 2010
  27. 27Committee for Consultations on the Situation in Andhra Pradesh: Report, Volume I (Srikrishna Committee)Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, 30 Dec 2010T2 CourtArchived 15 May 2023
  28. 28Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 707, 'Creation of New States', answered 2 March 2010 (Ministry of Home Affairs)Lok Sabha Secretariat, 2 Mar 2010T1 Record
  29. 29Lok Sabha debates, 5 August 2011: calling attention by Sushma Swaraj on the delay in creation of Telangana StateLok Sabha Secretariat, 5 Aug 2011T1 Record
  30. 30Rajya Sabha official debates, 10 December 2009 (Re: Telangana issue; Home Minister's reply)Rajya Sabha Secretariat, 10 Dec 2009T1 RecordArchived 11 Jun 2024
  31. 31Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1563, 'Strike in CIL', answered 30 November 2011 (Ministry of Coal)Lok Sabha Secretariat, 30 Nov 2011T1 Record
  32. 32The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (No. 6 of 2014), Gazette of India ExtraordinaryMinistry of Law and Justice (Legislative Department), 1 Mar 2014T1 Record
  33. 33Hyderabad tense as students clash with policeIANS via Deccan Herald, 24 Dec 2009T5 Secondary
  34. 34Cong U-turn on TelanganaDeccan Herald, 23 Dec 2009T5 SecondaryArchived 7 Dec 2025
  35. 35Telangana March Turns ViolentPTI via India TV News, 11 Mar 2011T5 Secondary
  36. 36Telangana stir: Talks with Joint Action Committee hit impasseThe Indian Express, 12 Oct 2011T5 Secondary
  37. 37AP loses property worth over Rs 250 cr over Telangana issueThe Indian Express, 27 Dec 2009T5 SecondaryArchived 26 Feb 2021

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Entry last updated 15 Oct 2026. Something wrong or missing? Edit content/precedents/telangana-agitation-2009-2011.yaml