THE forum of Telangana Mass and Social Organisations (T Mas) has given a call for holding meetings in every district of the state and forming committees at district, mandal and village levels.

The T Mas forum was launched on July 4 with 271 social and mass organisations. The forum was an outcome of the ‘Mahajana Padayatra’ undertaken on the slogan of ‘Social Justice and Comprehensive Development’. It started at Ibrahimpatnam on October 17, 2016 and culminated on March 19, 2017, covering the entire state of Telangana. The enthusiasm and the aspirations raised by the Padayatra led to the formation of T Mas for sustained struggle for social justice.

At its inaugural meeting on July 4, Prof. Y Tirumali of Delhi University, people’s artistes Gaddar and Vimalakka, and leaders of various mass organisations extended their support to T Mas. A steering committee with 25 members, working committee with 75 members and a counsel with more than 400 members were unanimously elected.   

In 11 districts -- Janagam, Rangareddy, Wanaparthy, Sangareddy, Nagarkurnool, Mahabubnagar, Kareemnagar, Khammam, Nalgonda, Kothagudem and Hyderabad South, meetings for forming district-level T Mas forums have been successfully held. District level leaders of social and mass organisations participated in the meeting and registered their support. Professors Kancha Ilaiah, PL Visweswar Rao, Tirumali, people’s artistes Gaddar and Vimalakka, T Mass forum leaders Thammineni Veerabhadram, Wesley and others participated in these meetings. Social issues, problems of the displaced and land-related issues came up for discussion. At the T Mas forum meetings, people are being made aware about irregularities in land acquisition, employment notifications and hollowness of various government projects under the KCR regime.

INTERVENTIONS BY T MAS

The T Mas forum has intervened in several issues. A Naresh of Pallerla village under Atmakur mandal in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, belonging to washerman community, fell in love with a woman from a nearby village. They got their marriage registered. The woman’s father objected to the inter-caste marriage. Later, Naresh was burnt to death. Subsequently the news came that the woman had also committed suicide. On this issue of honour killing, the T Mas forum took up sustained activities. A team visited the village. They demanded action against the murderers of Naresh and the woman. A public meeting was held in Bhuvanagiri. T Mass forum leaders attended it. Later a ‘rasta roko’ was held demanding the arrest of the culprits.

Illegal sand mining was rampant in Nerella in Karimnagar district. This also led to attack on Dalits. On this issue, the T Mas forum organised a bus jatha. A team visited Nerella and Jillela villages and procured details by talking to the victims’ families. Another team met victims at Karimnagar jail and collected the details of the incidents. The T Mass forum in Nizamabad district took up the issue of dalits being ostracised by the village people.

Rankey company purchased 1,200 acres of land in Eliminedu and two other surrounding villages of Chityala mandal in Nalgonda district. There were many irregularities in these transactions. The forum took up the issue and held a rally. T Mass forum leader Thammineni Veerabhadram wrote a letter to the chief minister on August 20, seeking action in the matter.

FORUM OF INTELLECTUALS

A meeting of 160 intellectuals was held at the Sundarayya Vignana Kendram, Hyderabad. Some of them gave suggestions and advice on the T Mas forum manifesto. A 25-member forum of intellectuals was formed with Prof. I Tirumali as chairman and Prof. P L Visweswar Rao as convener. Committees of the Intellectual Forum have been formed in Mahabubnagar, Wanaparthy, Nagarkurnool, Rangareddy, Bhuvanagiri, Khammam and Sangareddy districts.