Addressing the grand ‘Liberation Day’ celebrations in Hyderabad, Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday called it a ‘historic day’ for the city whose history goes long back. "If not for Sardar Patel, Hyderabad would have taken more years to get liberated,” Shah told the massive gathering at the public rally.
Shah saluted the freedom fighters who made the liberation of the city from the Nizam rule possible.
‘Hyderabad state’, which was under the rule of Nizam, was annexed into the Union of India on September 17, 1948, following a military action, initiated by the then home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
“Sardar Patel knew that as long as Nizam's Razakars could not be defeated, the dream of Akhand Bharat will not be fulfilled," Shah said.
The Razakars were a private militia who defended the erstwhile Nizam rule in Hyderabad and oppressed the Hindus. When India gained Independence, the Razakars called for Hyderabad state to either join Pakistan, or to become a Muslim dominion while resisting its merger with the Union of India.
“People of the state wanted to officially celebrate Hyderabad Liberation day. Different political leaders promised to celebrate the day. However, once in power, they refused to celebrate due to vote bank politics,” he said at the Hyderabad Liberation Day program.
{{/usCountry}}“People of the state wanted to officially celebrate Hyderabad Liberation day. Different political leaders promised to celebrate the day. However, once in power, they refused to celebrate due to vote bank politics,” he said at the Hyderabad Liberation Day program.
{{/usCountry}}Notably, Amit Shah and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will be holding separate celebrations for the historical event under slightly different names. While the home minister has called it ‘liberation day’. KCR is holding rallies under the banner of Telangana Integration Day.
Earlier this morning, Shah greeted the people of Telangana, Hyderabad-Karnataka, and Marathwada on 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' in a tweet and hailed them for their courageous fight against the “atrocities” of the 'Razakars' to merge the region into the Union of India.
The central government is holding an event in Secunderabad on Saturday to commemorate 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' where the home minister is the chief guest.