Question

Describe the main features of the Gentlemen’s Agreement. How did this become a point of distrust between the regions?

Answer 1

Instructions:

• Start with the meeting between the leaders of Hyderabad and Andhra, and the signing of the agreement.
• Follow that by discussing the main points of agreement.
• And lastly, cover the points for growing distrust among the people due to failure of proper implementation of policies.

Solution:

• On 20th February 1956, the leaders of Hyderabad and Andhra met in Delhi,and arrived at a Gentlemen's Agreement. This agreement covered 14 points and paved the way for the merger of the two states.
• Some of those points included a proportional division of administrative expenditure between both regions, spending of any surplus revenue from Telangana only on Telangana’s development, reservation of the existing educational institutions in Telangana for students from Telangana, and proposing the establishment of a Regional Council for Telangana, etc.
• The Mulki rules were also to be continued, which stated that only those people with 12 years of residence in Telangana were to be eligible for jobs and admissions to educational institutes.
• Over time, the non-implementation of the Gentlemen’s Agreement stirred a discontent in the Telangana region.
• The main reasons for the same were:
  • Discontent over diversion of surplus revenue from Telangana to other regions of the state.
  • Granting of domicile status to outsiders from Coastal Andhra, in violation of the Mulki rule.
  • Discrimination in employment in the government sector.