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'My grandfather fought against Nizam': KTR amid BJP vs TRS over September 17 celebration
The tussle between the BJP and the TRS went on over the celebration of Hyderabad's freedom from the Nizam's rule – with the BJP seeking Telangana chief minister KCR's apology ‘for distorting Telangana’s history' to earn ‘AIMIM's praise'.
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Telangana on Saturday witnessed a fresh clash between the Centre and the TRS government after both announced celebrations under different names on September 17 which marks the freedom of Hyderabad state from the Nizam's rule on September 17, 1948. After the Centre announced a year-long celebration of Hyderabad Liberation Day, Telangana IT minister KTR (K Tarak Rama Rao) questioned how many leaders at the Centre have any role in the Indian freedom movement. "They seem very keen to appropriate what ain't theirs," KTR tweeted posting a photo of his maternal grandfather J Keshava Rao. Also Read: Owaisi explains why 'National Integration Day' is more apt than 'mere liberation' for Hyderabad struggle
"Inspired by Gandhi ji, he fought against the Nizam as part of Telangana Rebellion in late 1940s. He received recognition from Govt of India as a freedom fighter. I am a proud Indian/Telanganaite whose family has a history of fighting for public causes & larger good," the minister tweeted.
After the Centre's announcement of the Liberation Day celebration, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah asking to use the phrase 'Integration' instead of 'Liberation'. On Saturday evening, KCR announced that the state government will observe Telangana National Integration day for three days starting from September 17.
'Hyderabad Liberation Day it will be...'
The tussle intensified as BJP's Amit Malviya snubbed Owaisi on Twitter and said the celebration will be known as Hyderabad Liberation Day only as 'Republic of India' is not 'KCR's Farm House Republic'. KCR doesn’t have the mandate to accept or grant “National Integration Day”. AIMIM may have veto over TRS but not Telangana. You can’t erase memories of Razakar’s genocidal past. Hyderabad Liberation Day it will be…," Malviya wrote to Owaisi who thanked KCR for accepting his proposal to celebrate the day as National Integration Day.
'Shame on Owaisi': BJP
BJP Telangana president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said Owaisi never spoke about Nizam's anarchy and MIM opposed the formation of Telangana. "TRS, Congress & Communists are following orders of the party that has legacy of Razakars. People of Telangana should teach a lesson to such nasty parties," he tweeted adding that KCR should offer an unconditional apology for distorting the history of Telangana State liberation for MIM's praise. "KCR got approval from Darussalam to celebrate Sept 17," he wrote.
