Freedom Fighters set July 1 deadline on T-state

The Telangana Freedom Fighters Forum on Friday issued an ultimatum to the Centre to either face an intensified separate statehood agitation or announce a concrete decision on Telangana before July 1.

At a meeting convened at Prakasham Hall in Gandhi Bhavan, Forum Chairman Konda Lakshman Bapuji said that the freedom fighters are ready to sacrifice their lives for the cause of Telangana statehood.

Mr Bapuji also said that the meeting was convened to work out the modalities for bringing together all the political parties, organisations, forums, institutions and prominent individuals to achieve their goal of separate Telangana state.

He made it clear that the “The tyagis are ready to observe indefinite hunger fast extending moral support to the Telangana agitation,” he said.

The freedom fighter also urged the leaders from Telangana to fight for the separate state putting aside their political affiliations and keeping only the objective of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh uppermost in their mind.

Stating the formation of separate state was delayed due to lack of unity among the champions of separate Telangana state cause, Mr Bapuji said the meeting took a decision to intensify the agitation for separate statehood if the Centre fails to honour its promise before July 1.

Reiterating that the freedom fighters are working for uniting all forces, Mr Bapuji said that it was decided at the meeting to personally contact all other like-minded unions and organisations from the state and urge upon them to unite on one platform.

The freedom fighter also appealed to all Telangana protagonists to demonstrate their sincerity by giving top priority to achieve the goal of separate state.

Various party leaders attended the meeting and expressed support.