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This article was first published 14 years ago

Activists keep the Telangana fire burning

Last updated on: February 4, 2010 19:14 IST

Image: Food being served on a highway
Photographs: Snaps India

The strike for Telangana is getting inventive day by day.

A day after human chains were formed, some activists on Thursday set up mock kitchens in an apparent effort to send a message of cultural moorings.

The state highways between Hyderabad and Mancherial and Hyderabad and Warangal were turned into a big kitchen. After serving food, then the protestors begin singing and dancing.

Activists keep the Telangana fire burning

Image: Another view

Political leaders and workers, farmers, employees, students and youth and people from all walks of life gathered all along the 400-km-long route in the two directions, cooked food and served it to the long rows of people.

They also organized "Aata Patalu" (cultural and sports programme" as the teams of men played traditional games, including kabaddi. Women performed folk dance and were seen singing tunes demanding Telangana state.

Activists keep the Telangana fire burning

Image: Schoolchildren partake in mid-road feast

All party Telangana Joint Action Committee had given the call for this novel support a day after lakhs of people of the region had organized longest human chain for a distance of 500 km from Adilabad to Alampur.

"This is part of our peaceful protest to mount pressure on the Centre. We know with out struggle and building pressure we are not going to achieve the goal," said TJAC convenor Prof Kodandaram, who participated in the community kitchen and lunch programme  at Shamirpet on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

Activists keep the Telangana fire burning

Image: Another view.

"We will continue our protest. Our effort now is to make the Centre announce the terms of reference of Srikrishna committee at the earliest without a clear deadline," he said.

Several other leaders, including KT Rama Rao of TRS and T Devender Goud of TDP also participated in the programme.

"This is our response to the Gobbles propaganda of Andhra and Rayala Seema leaders that the agitation for Telangana state was being run by Maoists and anti-social elements and that it a violent agitation. Our people are organizing these novel programs in a very peaceful manner," he said.

Activists keep the Telangana fire burning

Image: Women organised Aata Patalu in many places.

"I am eating whatever has been prepared and served by the poor people of Telangana. This is rice, dal and curry of brinjal. I hope this is not Bt brinjal," he said.

Activists keep the Telangana fire burning

Image: Agitated protestors speak to the media

Similar programs were organized at many places in the districts of Medak, Karinagar, Adilabad, Nalgonda and Warangal. On Friday, National Highway No. 7 from Hyderabad to Kodad on the borders of coastal Andhra region, will witness a similar program.

Activists keep the Telangana fire burning

Image: A view of the human chain.

On Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu's remark that Andhra and Telangana were like two eyes for him, Prof Kodandaram said, "It appears that he is heading towards a position where he will support both Andhra and Telangana states".