Hyderabad: Having firmly declared Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu laid to rest five years of confusion. But a debate now stands reignited over whether the state’s formation day should be observed on 1 October, 1 November or 2 June.
For 58 years until the bifurcation in 2014, Andhra Pradesh had been observing 1 November as its formation day—a practice continued by the previous Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government. But this year, the day went largely unnoticed as the Telugu Desam Party-led government chose not to accord any importance to it. No flag hoistings were held or events organised. Naidu too did not make any mention of it.
The chief minister was at Ichapuram, a town bordering Odisha, launching the ‘Deepam-2’ scheme to provide three gas cylinders free of cost to BPL families, as promised in the TDP-Jana Sena Party’s election manifesto. Though part of the ruling alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had maintained a distance from the manifesto which only carried pictures of Naidu and JSP chief Pawan Kalyan.
While Deputy CM Kalyan, who was in Eluru Friday for the launch of ‘Deepam-2’ scheme, spoke about his commitment to preserve Sanatana Dharma, TDP and Jana Sena’s NDA ally BJP acknowledged 1 November as the Andhra Pradesh formation day.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to extend “best wishes to our sisters and brothers in Andhra Pradesh on their statehood day”.
Best wishes to our sisters and brothers in Andhra Pradesh on their statehood day. With its vibrant culture and rich literary traditions, Andhra Pradesh has made Bharat proud by its immense contribution to nation-building. May the state touch new heights of development.
ఆంధ్ర… pic.twitter.com/8s9GaJBcmC
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 1, 2024
BJP national president J.P. Nadda also extended “warm greetings and best wishes to the vibrant people of Andhra Pradesh on their Statehood Day”.
Warm greetings and best wishes to the vibrant people of Andhra Pradesh on their Statehood Day.
Celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and deep-rooted traditions, Andhra Pradesh stands as a testament to resilience and progress. May this beautiful state continue to flourish and…
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) November 1, 2024
“With its rich cultural heritage and glorious literary traditions, Andhra Pradesh is a proud part of India, playing a leading role in nation building,” state BJP chief D. Purandeswari wrote in a post on ‘X’.
ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్ రాష్ట్ర అవతరణ దినోత్సవం
ఘనమైన సంస్కృతీ వారసత్వం మరియు వైభవోపేతమైన సాహిత్య సాంప్రదాయాలతో దేశ నిర్మాణంలో ప్రముఖ పాత్ర పోషిస్తున్న ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్ భారత్ కు గర్వకారణం.
ఈ రాష్ట్రం శరవేగంగా అభివృద్ధి చెందాలని కోరుకుంటూ సోదర సోదరీమణులకు రాష్ట్ర అవతరణ శుభాకాంక్షలు
— Daggubati Purandeswari 🇮🇳 (@PurandeswariBJP) November 1, 2024
ThePrint reached Andhra Pradesh chief secretary Neerabh Prasad via calls for comment on why 1 November was not officially commemorated but had not received a response by the time of publication. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
A TDP leader declined to comment, stating he was “unsure” of what to say, while a JSP leader said he needed to consult Kalyan before making any remarks in this regard. Both, however, admitted the day went largely unnoticed until the Opposition raised the issue. They also acknowledged that 1 November is a historically significant day for the state.
BJP state vice-president Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, meanwhile, told ThePrint, “BJP recognizes the immense historical significance of 1 November and we will continue to observe 1 November as AP formation day so as to serve a reminder of the many sacrifices (made by the founding figures of Andhra Pradesh) for future generations.”
Asked about the BJP’s allies refusing to acknowledge 1 November, he added, “We are unaware of Naidu and Kalyan thoughts on the matter so cannot comment on their stand.”
‘Nava Nirmana Deeksha’ protest week
The Opposition YSRCP termed TDP and JSP’s decision not “to observe the state’s formation day” on 1 November as disrespect for Potti Sriramulu, whose 58-day fast unto death in 1952 ignited a movement that led to the formation of the state of Andhra for Telugu-speaking Indians.
YSRCP leader and former minister Vellampalli Srinivas paid floral tribute to Sriramulu at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli and questioned “TDP’s handling of Andhra Pradesh’s formation legacy”.
Failure to acknowledge the historical significance of the day is an insult to the sacrifices of Andhra Pradesh’s founding figures, he said, adding that “instead of celebrating 1 November, Naidu, during his previous term 2014-19, chose to observe June 2 incurring unnecessary expenses”.
During his time in office from 2014 to 2019, Naidu had refused to observe 1 November—the date in 1956 on which Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were merged to form one state. The state government at the time submitted that the date was no longer relevant since it marked the union of Andhra and Telangana regions, which in turn, were separated again by the bifurcation.
Naidu instead organised a ‘Nava Nirmana Deeksha’ protest week each year from 2 June (date of the bifurcation) to 8 June (date he took oath as CM).
The Naidu government made it a grand affair with nearly Rs 15 crore spent annually on various activities to highlight the “injustice” meted out to Andhra Pradesh. The week used to end with Naidu administering a pledge Mahasankalpam (great initiation oath) to public servants, students, etc. This year, Naidu assumed office only in mid-June.
Jagan, on the other hand, scrapped the week-long annual protest in June and instead reinstated 1 November as the ‘State Formation Day’ after coming to power in 2019. On this date each year, he hoisted the national flag and paid floral tribute to the Sriramulu statue.
1 October vs 1 November
Not just political parties, academicians and intellectuals too differ on whether 1 November should be observed as the ‘State Formation Day’.
Having been carved out from Madras Presidency on 1 October 1953, Andhra was the first Indian state to be formed on a linguistic basis.
Three years later, on 1 November 1956, Andhra state and Telugu-speaking areas of the erstwhile Nizam’s Hyderabad state were merged to form a united Andhra Pradesh. The move was seen as the culmination of a “gentlemen’s agreement” between the leaders of both regions to safeguard the interests of Telugu-speaking people. Then came the bifurcation in 2014.
Andhra Intellectuals Forum president Chalasani Srinivas told ThePrint, “1 November is the day of the wedding of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and 2 June is the day of their divorce after about six decades of marriage. But the actual birth of present Andhra state was on 1 October.”
He added, “Naidu was organising the divorce day; Jagan was rejoicing the marriage day when in fact there is no point in celebrating statehood on 1 November or 2 June. Both have been advised wrongly. They both represent intellectual bankruptcy in this matter.”
However, Prof D.A.R. Subrahmanyam, founder-president of Navyandhra Intellectual Forum, was of the opinion that 1 November is the apt date. “1 October (1953) was the day of formation of Andhra state, which then included parts of Bellary (in present-day Karnataka). But when AP was formed on 1 November (1956) these parts of Bellary were not part of it as Karnataka too was formed as a separate linguistic state. Bellary with a tad less Telugu speakers went to Karnataka. Thus, Andhra state merged into history,” he said.
Adding, “Present day AP is the expanse formed in 1956, and Telugu-speaking Hyderabad state was merged with it. In 2014, AP was reorganised and Telangana carved out while the 1956 expanse remained. Hence, 1 November 1 should continue to be recognised as AP formation day.”
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
