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Politics over anniversary of the end of Nizam rule
In Maharashtra, the day is celebrated as ‘Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din’ or Marathwada liberation day. This year also marks the diamond jubilee celebration as next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the event
MumbaiThe Centre’s decision to celebrate ‘Hyderabad Liberation Day’ on Saturday to mark the integration of the princely state of Hyderabad with the Union of India has got political overtones, with demands for it to be renamed as ‘National Integration Day’.
In Maharashtra, the day is celebrated as ‘Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din’ or Marathwada liberation day. This year also marks the diamond jubilee celebration as next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the event.
Union home minister Amit Shah will launch the celebrations in Hyderabad on Saturday, with the BJP intent on capitalizing on the issue of the liberation of a Muslim-ruled state. Chief minister Eknath Shinde has been invited for the event. Shinde was in Aurangabad on Friday for the celebrations in the state.
However, Asaduddin Owaisi, Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad and president, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), has sought that the occasion be celebrated as ‘National Integration Day’ to mark the struggle of people against colonial and autocratic rule. The Telangana government has heeded this demand.
The dominions of the princely state covered parts of Marathwada in Maharashtra, Telangana and Karnataka. Hyderabad’s Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan or Nizam-VII wanted to maintain his independence and resisted the integration into India with encouragement from the Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM). After a military operation that was dubbed as ‘Operation Polo’ or police action, the Nizam surrendered and Hyderabad state joined India on 17 September 1948.
Sceptics claim that the AIMIM has metamorphosed from the remains of the MIM, though party leaders unequivocally state that the leaders of the MIM, who were against Hyderabad joining India, left for Pakistan soon after.
The AIMIM secured its first political opening in Maharashtra in Marathwada, when it won seats in the Nanded civic body in 2012. In 2019, Imtiaz Jaleel became the first AIMIM MP to be elected from outside Hyderabad by defeating the Shiv Sena’s Chandrakant Khaire from Aurangabad. Today, the Congress fears that the party may grow in the region at its expense since the latter has support among Muslims.
Senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan who comes from Nanded, criticised the Shine government for what he called misplaced priorities. “The MVA government has decided to hold a special meeting of state cabinet at Aurangabad on September 16 and discuss the pending problems of the region. However, the current government has not bothered to hold the meeting or take any decision for the region which was liberated from the Nizam rule 74 years ago,” he said. Shinde is expected to speak on the issue during his function at Aurangabad on Saturday.
