The 1969 Telangana Movement Founders Forum has expressed concern that the current Telangana movement is drifting away from its real purpose and becoming a political agenda for gaining power, and cautioned all those involved in the movement to set right the course before it is too late.
Addressing a media conference here on Tuesday, forum co-convener Chiranjeevi Kolluri said that from achievement of Telangana state the focus has shifted to achievement of more votes and seats. ‘’The very purpose is being side-tracked as the movement has become hijacked for political purposes by political parties. Unfortunately, even the TJAC, made up of different parties and organisations, has started acting on the directions of those political parties,’’ he said. Chiranjeevi said that Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhara Rao seemed to have failed to learn a lesson from the setbacks in 2009 and was treading the same path. ‘’It is not right for that party not to recognise the contribution of several others to the movement and say it will give ticket only to those who can mobilise masses and spend crores of rupees. Playing with the movement and insulting its true participants and supporters will only be counter-productive,’’ he said while condemning the recent attack on Chinta Swamy and his followers.
“It is rather unfortunate that from people committing suicide for Telangana cause, the situation has come to such a pass where people start committing suicide for being neglected and insulted by the very parties which claim to be icons of the movement.”
Emphasising the need for review of the 1969 Telangana Movement and the developments thereafter, he said they would hold a national-level review meeting by the end of June or in July in Hyderabad for two days. It will also be attended by those championing the cause of smaller states from other parts of the country.
Referring to the Chalo Assembly programme, the forum leaders described it as yet another political stunt. ‘’Every one knows that Chalo Assembly will not yield Telangana. Nor will a resolution in the state Assembly. Only the Centre can create Telangana. As such, nothing can be gained from such stunts except fooling people,’’ they said.
Leaders of Telangana BC Welfare Organisation, Telangana Action Front and Telangana Democratic and Secular Front were also present.