1-year celebration to mark 1947 merger of Hyderabad

NEW DELHI: The Centre has planned a year-long celebration — Hyderabad State Liberation — starting September 17 to honour the ‘sacrifices made by the previous generations’ for the merger of princely state Hyderabad with the Indian Union.

Referring to the role of the first home minister of India Sardar Vallahbhai Patel and ‘Operation Polo’ in the annexing, Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy on Saturday invited chief ministers of three states — Basavaraj Somappa Bommai (Karnataka), K Chandrashekar Rao (Telangana) and Eknath Shinde (Maharashtra) to attend the inaugural day of celebration as the guests of honour. The event will take place at Parade Ground in Hyderabad on September 17.

Reddy also requested them to hold events across the state on the day. “I would also request you to identify events and commemorations throughout the year and share these plans with the Government of lndia so that a holistic approach can be taken in planning the yearlong commemorations,” Reddy wrote in the letter to the three CMs.     

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be the chief guest on the occasion. Reddy, in the letter, also said that when India became independent in 1947, although 562 princely states announced the merger into the Indian Union, there was resistance from the erstwhile state of Hyderabad.

“On 17th September 1948, more than one year after India secured Independence from the British, the erstwhile state of Hyderabad, comprising the entire state of Telangana and some districts in Maharashtra and Karnataka, got independence from the brutality and tyranny of the Nizam’s rule. This was possible due to the swift and timely action of Shri Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel under Operation Polo,” read Reddy’s statement.

After Hyderabad refused to join the Union of India, a ‘police action’ referred as Operation Polo was initiated by the Indian Army in the state on September 13, 1948, which ended on September 17 leading to the merger.

“I am happy to inform you that the Government of India, after careful consideration of the various aspects, decided to celebrate 75 years of Hyderabad State Liberation.The objective is to make the current generation, both from the region under consideration and the rest of India, aware of the story of resistance, valour, and sacrifice,” Reddy said.