Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 15 : Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Sunday slammed the Congress and the BRS and said that they never celebrated the Hyderabad Liberation Day because of their "vote bank politics". He also said that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will participate in this year's Hyderabad Liberation Day celebration.
"Because of vote bank politics, Congress and BRS never celebrated Hyderabad Liberation Day in this area. On the occasion of 'Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,' PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah decided to hold an official event related to the Hyderabad Liberation Day every year. This is the third year of doing this," Reddy told ANI.
"This year, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is going to participate in this, and it is going to be a big event. We have started a digital museum through which people of Telangana can watch the event through their phones from home. Almost 1000 artists and paramilitary troops are going to participate in this event. Villagers will also hoist Tiranga in their villages," he added.
In August, in the 125th edition of his monthly radio programme 'Mann ki Baat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that on September 17, Hyderabad Liberation Day will be observed. It is to remember the courage of all those heroes who took part in 'Operation Polo'.
Operation Polo was a military operation in 1948 to annexe the princely state of Hyderabad, led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, to integrate it into the Indian Union after the Nizam's resistance to joining India. The five-day campaign, often referred to as the "Police Action," successfully ended the Nizam's rule and secured Hyderabad's territory within India.
In the 125th 'Mann Ki Baat' episode, PM Modi played an audio clip of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. In the clip, the Iron Man of India said, "So what you have written in the certificate that whatever I did for the states or whatever our government did for Hyderabad, it was fine, but you know how we handled the Hyderabad case, how difficult it was! We promised all the states, all the princes that we will not take any wrong decision for any prince or king. Everyone will be treated equally; whatever happens to everyone, they will also be treated the same. But to that extent, for them, we made a separate agreement."
Referring to this, the Prime Minister said that September 17 will be celebrated as Hyderabad Liberation Day. He added, "This is the same month when we will remember the courage of all those heroes who took part in 'Operation Polo'. You all know that when India got Independence in August 1947, Hyderabad was in a different situation. The atrocities of Nizam and Razakars were increasing day by day. People were slaughtered even for hoisting the tricolour or chanting 'Vande Mataram'. Atrocities were committed against women and the poor."