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Union Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar and others participate in programme to mark Hyderabad Liberation Day at Parade Ground in Secunderabad on Tuesday (September 17, 2024).
| Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G
Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, also Telangana BJP president, saw a ‘conspiracy to cover up’ the historical facts in the State government not celebrating the Telangana Liberation Day leading to the present generations being unaware of the protracted struggle against the erstwhile Nizam before Independence was gained for the region.
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People voluntarily participated in the armed struggle
Addressing a press conference at the Parade Grounds on Tuesday (September 17, 2024) after he hoisted the national flag to celebrate the Telangana Liberation Day under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, the BJP leader stated that people had voluntarily participated in the armed struggle against the Nizam with whatever they could marshal, including kitchen implements, and it has no parallel in world history.
The ‘atrocities’ of the Nizam and his armed militia of Razakars led by Qasim Rizvi had begun from 1940 against the majority community, reaching a peak between 1946-48. These included indiscriminate imprisonments, high taxes, raids, restrictions on Telugu language and culture, rape, torture, forced conversions, etc. He gave an account of some of the key incidents during the period.
Hence, it is ‘cruel’ to hide such history when there was so much struggle from the masses, sacrifices by scores of people and many lives lost, he said. The Centre is determined to host the celebrations officially whether the local governments do it or not and a gazette notification was also issued to this effect, he reiterated. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Rajya Sabha MP K. Laxman and others were present.
Kow-towing to Majlis Party
Earlier, addressing the gathering at the Parade Grounds, Mr. Kishan Reddy accused the current Congress government as well as the Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party of kow-towing to the ‘communal and dynastic’ Majlis Party and refusing to celebrate the Telangana Liberation Day.
Majlis Party is a ‘successor’ to the erstwhile Razakars responsible for the atrocities on the women and common folk during the Telangana Freedom Struggle. However, these two parties (Congress and BRS) have been bowing before the party and cheating people, he maintained. He implored the people to fight against those practising the ‘politics of bankruptcy’.
Conveying his best wishes to the people on the occasion, Mr. Kishan Reddy pointed out that while the entire country became independent from the British rule on August 15, 1947, the people of Telangana had to wait for a harrowing period till September 17, 1948 to be free from the ‘tyrannical’ rule of the Nizam.
But, the liberation came at a great cost as thousands of lives were lost, before the then Home Minister Sardar Patel ordered ‘Óperation Polo’ where the Indian Army had decisively inflicted a crushing defeat on the Nizam’s forces leading to a surrender.
Mr. Kishan Reddy noted that the day has become even more special as it coincided with the conclusion of the nine-day festivities of the Ganesh Chaturthi where the idols are immersed in water bodies, ‘Vishwakarma Jayanthi’ and birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Cultural programmes and a march past by Central para-military forces were also part of the celebrations.
The BJP leader hoisted the national flag at the State office, paid his respects to the martyrs at the War Memorial and also garlanded the statue of Sardar Patel.
Published – September 17, 2024 04:56 pm IST