‘Deeksha Diwas’ to commemorate the indefinite hunger strike taken up by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao demanding Statehood for Telangana on this day in 2009 was held by TRS cadre all over the State on Wednesday.
Mr. Rao had launched the fast at Karimnagar, but police arrested him and shifted him to Khammam sub-jail where he continued the agitation on November 29 and 30. As thousands of Telangana supporters swarmed the hospital and posed security concerns, the police shifted him to NIMS here on November 30 night. It was during his hospitalisation at NIMS that the then Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram announced Centre’s resolve to form Telangana State.
Recalling the sacrifice of Mr. Rao, the TRS has been organising Deeksha Diwas on November 29 for the past eight years. Ministers and MLAs participated in the programmes across the State on Wednesday. The biggest congregation was at Nizamabad Collectorate ground where the local MP and Mr. Rao’s daughter K. Kavitha took part. Hundreds of party cadre observed fast on the occasion. Rajya Sabha member D. Srinivas and other leaders expressed solidarity with the participants.
