The Hyderabad Liberation Day celebrations at Secunderabad’s Parade Grounds began with Union Home Minister Amit Shah paying tributes to India’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. While Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao skipped the event, Maharastra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Karnataka Minister B Sriramulu attended the event. Crediting Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for the liberation of Hyderabad, the Union Minister faulted previous governments for ignoring the day all these years for their vote bank politics.
“The 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 the day due to vote bank politics,” said the Union Minister, addressing the crowd who had gathered to witness the first ever official celebrations of what the Union Government refers to as the Hyderabad Liberation Day. Shah also said that it is the “fear of Razakars” that kept governments from officially celebrating the day.
Shah expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for deciding to celebrate the Hyderabad Liberation Day. “When Modi decided to celebrate the day, everyone followed suit. They are not celebrating the day, but not as Hyderabad Liberation Day. Whatever they call the day, I am glad they finally began celebrating the day,” said Amit Shah.
“They still have fear. I want to tell them, remove fear from your heart and Razakars cannot take decisions for this country as it got independence 75 years ago," the Home Minister added.
"I want to congratulate Modi because he understood the aspirations of the people of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana and decided to celebrate Hyderabad Liberation day," he added.
The celebrations at Parade Grounds were organised by the Union Culture Ministry. The State of Hyderabad which was under Nizam's rule was annexed into the Union of India following a police action codenamed 'Operation Polo' that culminated on September 17, 1948.
For the first time, Government of India organised official celebrations to mark the occasion. Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy had invited Chief Ministers of all the three states for the event. However, as Telangana government has also announced year-long celebrations to mark 75 years of Hyderabad State's accession, Chief Minister KCR skipped the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said that BJP had been fighting for the last 25 years for official celebrations of the day. The Union Minister said this was the occasion people had been waiting for 74 years. He claimed that the decision of the Telangana government to organise the celebrations is a victory for the people. "It doesn't matter what you call it but it is a matter of happiness that the national flag is being hoisted across the state," he said.
Without naming MIM, Kishan Reddy said that even the party which inherited the legacy of 'Razakars' was forced to celebrate the day by hoisting the tricolour.
The Parade also included Telangana specific art forms and dances. Bathukamma dance, Dappu, Kommu Koya, Gussadi etc. A contingent from Karnataka showcased Dollu Kunitha and another contingent from Maharastra showcased Dhol Tasha Pathak.
(With agency inputs)