Telangana: Bulls, Dhobis and More

Protests for separate statehood continued in the 10 districts of the Telangana region today, and while the traditional and evergreen forms had their following, more novels forms of agitation kept popping up.

In Basar of Adilabad district, 1,000 pairs of bulls were taken out in a rally, and since the animals are unfortunately indifferent, their owners rent the place with slogans of Jai Telangana. Other parts of the state saw Transco officials who went to collect electricity bills being imprisoned by villagers, clothes being washed on the roads by dhobis, a 10k Telangana run in or very own Hyderabad along the Secretariat flyover, vana bhojanalu in Warangal district etc.

The more traditional forms of protests, featuring the all-pervasive fasts, continued to attract followers. Kakatiya University students continued their relay fasts, MSOs and cable operators fasted in Ramagundam, MSOs fasted in Kothagudem, and fasts in general were pervasive all over the region. Plus, the rallies were omnipresent, too. A Madiga Dandora rally in Warangal drew 5,000 participants, and a large rally at Parakala saw TDP leaders Kadiyam Srihari and Erraballi in attendance.

Leaders accused of indifference continued to draw ire. Union Minister Pallamraju was greeted by protests in Rangareddy district when he went there to attend a function, and MP Balaram Naik was gheraoed by students in Warangal district.

Students of 8 universities of the region formed a Telangana University Students' JAC (Joint Action Committee), and said they will work with the JACs of the individual universities. They said that they would oppose the release of the NTR Junior movie Adurs in Telangana (the film is slated for a January 13 release).