The state of Telangana
Will splitting Andhra Pradesh create further divisions across India?
University students celebrate after the announcement of the separate Indian state of Telangana in Hyderabad on July 30, 2013 (AFP/ NOAH SEELAM).
India is under the scalpel yet again. Last week the ruling Congress party approved the creation of the long-sought Telangana state, to be carved out of existing Andhra Pradesh. Activists have called for Telangana for over six decades saying they have been neglected by the current state government, and face high poverty and unemployment. Critics condemn the timing as a political maneuver to gain votes in the May general elections. The repercussions have rippled across India, with other regional separatist movements staging violent protests and indefinite strikes. What does the creation of the new state mean for the world’s second-most populous country? Join the coversation at 19:30 GMT.
On today’s episode of The Stream, we speak to:
Sadanand Dhume @dhume01
Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
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