Written by: Shubham Kumar6 min readSep 6, 2026 07:08 AM IST First published on: Sep 6, 2026 at 06:45 AM ISTBy December 3, 1952, the telegrams reaching Jawaharlal Nehru had become frantic. Potti Sriramulu was on the 46th day of a fast unto death. He wanted a state for the Telugu-speaking districts of Madras. Nehru told Chief Minister C Rajagopalachari that he was “totally unmoved” and would ignore the fast.The telegrams kept coming. Madras Governor Sri Prakasa warned of the consequences if Sriramulu died. Union Labour Minister VV Giri said delays would deepen bitterness in Andhra. Nehru’s own words soon revealed his unease: the Andhra dispute had become a “festering sore”.