Correct Answer - Option 4 : Andhra Pradesh
Potti Sreeramulu, the man who fasted onto death for the sake of statehood for Andhra was born on 16 March 1901.
- After independence, the modern state of Andhra Pradesh (along with Telangana) was divided between the Nizam’s Hyderabad State and the northern districts of Madras State.
- There was a growing demand for the formation of states on the basis of languages.
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Telugu-speaking people wanted a separate state but the C Rajagopalachari-led Madras State was not particularly sympathetic to this demand.
- This was especially because the city of Madras (now Chennai) was a contentious factor with both Telugu and Tamil populations staking a claim for it.
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Sreeramulu started a fast on 19 October 1952. The then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru assured his support for the creation of Andhra Pradesh.
- Finally, he died on 15 December 1952 after about 58 days of commencing his fast. This resulted in widespread rioting and violence in many regions in Andhra.
- Protests continued for about four more days and on 29 December, Nehru announced his decision to form a separate Andhra state.
Thus, it is clear that Potti Sriramulu went on a hunger strike for Andhra Pradesh to protect the interest of Telugu speakers.