HISTORY OF SOCIALIST MOVEMENT IN TELUGU STATES

Hyderabad has a unique place in the history of Socialist Movement in India  Without the mention of the contribution of Hyderabad the history of Socialist Movement is incomplete.

In the year 1955 the first Non Congress Government led by Sri. Pattom Thanu Pillay, in Kerala opened fire on unarmed and peaceful agitators.  Dr. Lohia revolted against the said act and demanded the resignation of the Pattam Thanu Pillay Government.  The Leadership of the Socialist Party, to save its government expelled Dr. Lohia from the party.  Hundreds of followers also left Socialist Party in support of Dr. Lohia.  In view of that Dr. Lohia started efforts to build up a new party.  Due to paucity of funds and lack of infrastructure he was unable to build a new party.  At that time Sri. Badri Vishal Pitti from Hyderabad came forward to support Dr. Lohia. Sri. Pitti belong to a rich Marwadi Family of Hyderabad which even lend money to Nizam’s of Hyderabad.  Sri. Badri Vishal Pitti organized a National Conference of Socialist Party supporting Dr. Lohia and Dr. Lohia buildup a new party.  The Central Office of the State Party also worked from Hyderabad for several years. Sri. Badri Vishal Pitti also helped in publishing two (2) Magazines “JAN” in Hindi and “MANKIND” in English edited by Dr. Lohia.  Sri. Badri Vishal Pitti also arrange for publishing other socialist literature and established a Printing Press by name Commercial Printing Press in Begum Bazar area of Hyderabad for this purpose.

Dr. Lohia got support not only from Hyderabad but got support of Sri. Pashupthi Vijay Gajapathi Raju a MP and erstwhile Maharaja of Vijayanagaram Kingdom.  His wife Maharani Kusum Madgaonkar Gajapathi also actively participated in the conference and accompanied  Dr. Lohia in a road show in Hyderabad in open jeep.

The other prominent socialist of that time included Sri. Pallapolu Sambaiah of Prakasam District, Sri. Thummala Chowdhary from Krishna District and Sri. Turlapati Satyanarayana from Guntur District. Sri. Thummala Chowdhary joined Telugu Desam Party formed by Sri. N.T. Rama Rao and played a pivotal role in drafting the Election Manifesto in the first election fought by Telugu Desam Party which help N.T. Ramaro to form Government in Andhra Pradesh.  After which Sri. N.T. Ramarao played a pivotal role in Indian Politics and was instrumental in making revolutionary changes in politics which are now become part of history.

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Sri. Turlapati Satyanarayana started a Telugu Magazine “PORATAM” which means Sangarsh.  This Magazine helped in spreading socialist ideals in Telugu States.

Another Socialist of that time Sri. G. Suramouli from Warangal District translated number of books of Dr. Lohia from Hindi to Telugu.  Once when Dr. Lohia was travelling from Madras to New Delhi in Train he sent a Telegram to Suramouli asking him to meet at Warangal Railway Station.  When Suramouli met Dr. Lohia, Dr. Lohia advised him to work for establishing a Casteless Society.  Keeping this advice of Dr. Lohia in view Sri. Suramouli organized a conference in Hyderabd in 1971 and formed the Andhra Pradesh Kula Nirmulana Sangam (Jati Thodo Samithi) of which I was also a member.  Due to the efforts of Sri. Suramouli and Kula Nirmulana Sangam hundreds of Inter Caste Marriages were conducted which brought  radical change in the society.  Sri. Ravela Somaih another prominent socialist of that time toured in the Coastal District of Andhra Pradesh along with Dr. Lohia for the formation of Socialist Party.  His wife Smt. Aruna Ravela, who was a lecturer translated the speeches of Dr. Lohia in Telugu in the Public Meetings.  Both of them who are now above 93 years age are still active in Social Media.

Socialist Movement was also very strong in Karimnagar, Adilabad, Nalgonda and Hyderabad City.  Sri. P. Janardhan Reddy was twice elected as MLA from Karimnagar District, Sri. C. Madhav Reddy was elected as MP from Adilabad District.  Sri. B. Satyanarayana Reddy, who was popularly called as Bhai Sab, belong to Mahaboobnagar District and he was elected to Rajya Sabha twice on Telugu Desam Party Banner and later appointed as Governor of Uttar Pradesh and Orissa.

Sri. Naini Narsimha Reddy, who belong to Nalgonda District was  a popular Trade Union Leader and elected to State Assembly from Musheerabad Constituency and later become the First Home Minister of Telangana State.

The History of Socialist Movement, not only in Telugu States, but in the entire country is incomplete without the mention of the contribution made by Sri. Badri Vishal Pitti.  He organized the Samyukth Socialist Party in both Telugu States and went to Jail in Dam Bandho and Angreji Hatao Andolan.  He was also  a front line leader of Separate Telangana Movement in 1969 and was detained under Preventive Detention Act

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and was lodged in Rajamundry Central Jail for about 3 months.   He was elected to State Assembly from Maharajgunj Constituency in Hyderabad City in 1967.  He was also  a Prominent Trade Union Leader and was President of about  of 40 Trade Unions.  In the Trade Unions field he was assisted by another socialist Sri. M. Madhav Reddy from Mahaboobnagar District.

The credit for publishing the entire Lohia Literature and distributing it to Socialist Workers in the remote villages in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar goes to Sri. Pitti Ji.  Due to this only Socialist Movement become very strong in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and Socialist Government were formed in the said states several times.  He took efforts to trace the Lok Sabh records and publish the debates in which Dr. Lohia participated in 23 Volumes Title “LOK SABHA ME  LOHIA”  The Lohia Literature available today is only republication of the books published by Sri. Badri Vishal Pitti under the banner of Ram Manohar Lohia Samata Nyas.  As Rishi Bhagiratha brought Ganga to common people Sri. Badri Vishal Pitti brought Lohia Literature within the reach of common people.  He also published Audio Cassettes of speeches delivered by Dr. Lohia under the title LOHIA VANI.

Another popular socialist from Hyderabad was Sri. Seethal Singh Laskari who was the President of Samyukth Socialist Party, Hyderabad City Unit for several years.  Sri. B.S. Mahadev Singh from Secunderabad was also a popular socialist in the 1950’s and 1960’s and was close to Sri. Jayaprakash Narayan.

Sri. Keshav Rao Jadhav, who belong to the old city of Hyderabad was also a popular socialist and was a Member of Editorial Board of Mankind  a English Magazine.  Sri. Keshav Rao Jadhav along with Sri. Kishan Pattnayak formed the Lohia Vichar Manch, which is active even now in several states.

Retired Judge of Supreme Court of India Justice Sri. B. Sudershan Reddy was a follower of Socialist Ideology since his college days and he is active even now.

As on today also there are number of splinter groups of socialists working under the banner of Lohia Vichar Manch, Karpoori Thakur Foundation, Jayaprakash Narayan Foundation etc. and keeping the torch of Socialism burning.

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Even today Hyderabad continue its tradition of spreading Socialist Ideology.  Sri. Sharad Badri Vishal Pitti, worthy son of a worthy father, who is now the Chairman of Ram Manohar Lohia Samata Nyas sponsor the publication of Socialist Literature and Events.

Dr. A. Raghu Kumar another Hyderabadi has published number of books on Dr. Lohia and Mahatma Gandhi.

The Lohia Vichar Manch under its President Sri. T. Gopal Singh also organizes number of seminars and support and sponsor the publication of Lohia Literature even in other parts of country.