Maoist sympathiser Gaddar takes up Telangana cause

HYDERABAD - Maoist sympathiser and revolutionary balladeer Gaddar Saturday formally launched his new outfit Telangana Praja Front (TPF) to advocate a separate state of Telangana.

Stating that mass struggle is the only way to achieve the goal, he said the TPF was not a mere political party but would develop into a strong political force.

Addressing the first meeting of the TPF, Gaddar, born and known a Gummadi Vithal Rao, announced that the immediate goal of the TPF would be to put pressure on the central government to table a bill in the winter session of parliament for granting statehood to Telangana.

“The ball is in the centre’s court,” said Gaddar, who is likely to wrest the leadership of the Telangana movement from Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao.

Gaddar vowed not to rest till the goal is achieved, and said the movement to be launched by the TFP would bring the state and central governments to a standstill.

The day-long meeting, attended by representatives of over 60 organisations from various parts of the region, will finalise the aims and objectives of the TPF.

“We want our Telangana, self-rule and self-respect. We don’t want anything else,” said Gaddar, who also sang songs in his inimmitable style.

Without naming the TRS or its leader, Gaddar said electoral politics alone cannot achieve separate Telangana. “Delhi, which was unmoved by the electoral wins (of TRS), was rattled by the mass movement,” he said, referring to the protests by students and other groups late last year.

He pointed out that for 60 years the parties fighting for Telangana could not achieve anything because their struggle was not mass-based.

Gaddar, who had actively participated in Telangana movement of 1969, declared that the TPF would try to bring all forces working for a separate Telangana and who are above selfish politics on a common platform.

Gaddar accused the Congress of betraying the cause of Telangana.

Gaddar said the TPF had not born overnight and pointed out that the consultations with various mass organisations were going on for over a year.

Telangana comprises 10 districts of Andhra Pradesh, including Hyderabad. It was after a nine-day fast by TRS chief in December last year that the central government decided to initiate the process for formation of a Telangana state.

The government later constituted the Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee to look into the issue after angry public reaction in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.

The committee is scheduled to submit its report to the government by Dec 31.