Minister Kishan Reddy hails Centre's decision on Hyderabad Liberation Day

Hyderabad, Mar 13 (PTI) Union Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy and former Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao on Wednesday hailed the Union Home Ministry for issuing a notification to celebrate September 17 every year as 'Hyderabad Liberation Day'.

They thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the decision.

The erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad under Nizam's rule was merged with the Indian Union on September 17, 1948.

In a statement, Kishan Reddy said the Centre's decision to celebrate September 17 as 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' is a respect given to those who made sacrifices for Telangana's freedom.

The decision would make the future generations aware of the significance of September 17 and about the struggle for the liberation of the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad under Nizam's rule, he said.

Vidyasagar Rao, who was a senior BJP leader, said September 17 is officially celebrated in the districts of present day Maharashtra and Karnataka which were part of the erstwhile Hyderabad State.

It is regrettable that the Telangana government has not officially celebrated the day so far, he said.

Vidyasagar Rao also said the Centre issuing a notification to celebrate September 17 as 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' is historic.

Amit Shah had attended the celebration of September 17 organised by the Centre in Hyderabad during the last few years.

September 17 is interpreted differently by different parties in Telangana and earlier in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The BJP calls September 17 as 'Liberation day' and it has been fighting for many years now for an official celebration of the day by the government.

The Congress calls September 17 as 'Merger day' and the previous BRS government celebrated the day as 'National integration day'.

The Centre on Tuesday announced that it will celebrate September 17 every year as 'Hyderabad Liberation Day'.

In a notification, the Union Home Ministry said Hyderabad did not get independence for 13 months after India's independence on August 15, 1947 and was under the rule of the Nizams.

The region was liberated from Nizam's rule on September 17, 1948 after police action, namely 'Operation Polo'.

"Whereas, there has been a demand from the people of the region that 17th September may be celebrated as Hyderabad Liberation Day.

"Now in order to remember the martyrs who liberated Hyderabad and to infuse the flame of patriotism in the minds of youth, the Government of India decided to celebrate 17th day of September every year as 'Hyderabad Liberation Day'," the notification read.

Meanwhile, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) vice-president G Niranjan said the Centre had already celebrated September 17 in Hyderabad with Amit Shah attending the event.

The union government is issuing notifications on matters like September 17 and CAA instead of focusing its attention on key issues like filling up the posts of Election Commissioners, he alleged.

"They are not showing keenness on issues that they should be taking up. Instead, (they are) acting with political motives," he said. PTI