Telangana Government Establishes Framework to Honour Movement Activists with Four-Tier Classification

A specially formed panel under the Telangana government has outlined a systematic method to categorize and honour those involved in the Telangana statehood movement, establishing four distinct classifications for recognition purposes.

The committee, chaired by government adviser on public relations and education K. Keshava Rao, convened for its inaugural session on Sunday. The gathering included Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, MLCs M. Kodandaram and Addanki Dayakar, former MLC Ramulu Naik, and Mothe Shobhan Reddy.

The four-tier framework prioritizes activists based on their level of sacrifice and participation. The highest tier encompasses those who made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives throughout the movement. The second tier recognizes individuals who sustained injuries as a result of their involvement in the agitation.

A third classification covers those who endured arrests, detention, or faced legal proceedings linked to their activism during the movement. The fourth and final category encompasses participants from various parts of the state who demonstrated active commitment at the community and grassroots level.

To verify activists falling under the fourth category, the committee recommended utilizing newspaper records and archival documentation. The panel also plans to solicit recommendations from civil society members who contributed meaningfully to the movement's success.

The committee intends to engage in discussions with veterans of the 1969, 1972, and 1996 Telangana agitations to gather additional perspectives and recommendations for the recognition framework.

The state government established this panel to develop comprehensive criteria for authenticating genuine Telangana movement activists, with the ultimate objective of creating a detailed registry to facilitate welfare initiatives and state honours.

Members emphasized that the verification and recognition process would maintain impartiality and remain free from political influence. They noted concerns that the previous government had restricted recognition benefits to a narrow segment of the activist community.

The committee expressed gratitude to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for formally establishing the panel. The group also determined that the committee's operational office would be situated at Amaraveerula Jyothi in Hyderabad.

The panel intends to organize an inclusive multi-party meeting in the near future to solicit recommendations regarding the recognition of movement martyrs. Additionally, the committee will reach out to various stakeholder groups including the Telangana Movement Activists' Joint Action Committee, labour unions, the Artists' JAC, the Lawyers' JAC, caste-based organizations, and district-level bodies with ties to the movement.

As part of its broader engagement strategy, the committee will undertake visits to districts throughout the state to facilitate public consultations and gather feedback from activists and movement-related organizations.