Khammam: As people in nine other districts of Telangana prepare themselves for grand celebrations on June 2, a pall of gloom has descended on people, especially the hapless Adivasis, living in Khammam district, following the Centre’s ordinance that separates them from their own land.
Khammam is where the “separate Telangana” agitation began. Khammam has witnessed several important events, including TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s fast-unto-death in 2009, which is termed as the “turning point” in the history of Telangana agitation.
The anguish of being betrayed by their own leaders was apparent among people. They said Mr Rao had demanded Telangana the way it was in 1956, without taking into account that then the Bhadrachalam region was in West Godavari district. Moreover, he didn’t utter a word when the division process was being carried out, despite leaks that Bhadrachalam was being considered for merger with residuary AP.
“Mr Rao also kept quiet when senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu lobbied for the merger of seven mandals – Bhadrachalam, VR Puram, Kunavaram, Chintoor, Burgampadu, Velairpadu and Kukunoor with AP,” they said.
