He looked at his watch. It said 3:00 am. He was constantly humming songs and talking to himself to keep himself awake, and to beat the cold. It was tough sitting there for four hours on the trot. His hands and feet were going numb, and he was in desperate need of a hot cup of coffee, but the guy selling it was all sold out. He put his hand into his pocket and dug out one – last – piece of chewing gum and started chewing on it. His eyes were droopy, his chest a bit congested, and his head was pounding with nervous excitement.

The day when you wake up and find that your city, no, your street has become a state unto itself is not a big impossibility now. But I would not simply close my eyes, and oppose or condemn anyone who asks for a separate state. We need to look at the history and the legitimacy of the demand, examine both these factors carefully and consider the sentiments and stifled voices of the people in that region. Only then can we make a call about any demand for statehood of any region. This brings us to the most hyped – and in the news – subject of Telangana.