09/03/11

PRESS INVITATION

 

Dear Chief of Bureau,

 

The students of universities and colleges of different parts of the subcontinent are converging in the capital city on the10 March 2011 (Thursday) for a historic and unique Convention in solidarity with the demand for the separate Telangana state. This Convention –the first ever of its kind in support of Telangana– will be attended by the students of Telangana and Seemandhra under the banner of Telangana Students’ Joint Action Committee, along with students from all across the subcontinent.

The Convention will be addressed by academics, intellectuals, journalists, lawyers, students, activists, etc. Prof Thirumali, Shree Venkateshwara College, Delhi University, Prof. Krishna Deva Rao, Former Director, School of Law, IGNOU, Prof. Srikanth Kondapalli, Centre for East Asian Studies, JNU, Dr. G Srinivas, Assistant Professor, Centre for the Study of Social Systems, JNU, Dr. SAR Geelani, Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, Dr. N. Raghuram, Associate Professor, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, Dr. P C Tiwari, Uttarakhand Parivartan Party, M. Krishna Prasad of Forum for Promoting Inclusive Growth, & Convener, Friends of Telangana, Delhi, and many others.

The Convention will be followed by an impressive Students’ March on 11 March at 11 am from Mandi House to Parliament Street. In the march, apart from the academics, intellectuals, lawyers and activists, leaders from various political parties who have expressed their support for the Telangana state formation will also speak.

You are well aware of the prolonged struggle of the people of Telangana for separate statehood. The struggle for a separate Telangana state is one of the most longstanding democratic peoples’ movements in the Indian subcontinent, historically led by the students on most occasions.

We are sure that you appreciate the fact that the students of Telangana have been a driving force of this movement from its very inception, and particularly since the late1960s. Keeping aside their studies and sacrificing their careers, the entire student community of the region has time and again come out onto the streets to strengthen this struggle. They have been overwhelmingly in support of the movement because they have been historically denied the rightful educational and employment opportunities. The students can envisage a secure future for themselves only in a separate Telangana state. But the students of the schools, colleges and universities of Telangana have been forced to discontinue studies, abandon examinations and confront the might of the government forces for raising this just and democratic demand guaranteed by the Constitution.

Please send your correspondent/camera person to cover the proceedings of the two days .

 

In Solidarity,

Preparatory Committee,

Students’ Solidarity Committee for Separate Telangana