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Updated September 3rd, 2022 at 17:52 IST

'Not Hyderabad Liberation, mark Sept 17 as National Integration Day', urges Owaisi

Owaisi wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah, and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao demanding that September 17 be observed as ‘National Integration Day'

Reported by: Sudeshna Singh
Hyderabad Liberation Day
Image: PTI | Image:self
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Not happy with the Centre's year-long commemoration to mark 75 years of 'Hyderabad State Liberation', AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah, and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Saturday demanding that September 17, the day the then-princely state merged with India in 1948, be observed as ‘National Integration Day’ instead.

"It must be noted that the accession and merger of various princely states were not only about 'liberating' the territories from autocratic rules. The nationalist movement rightly saw the peoples of these territories as an integral part of independent India. Therefore, the phrase 'National Integration Day' may be more apposite, than the 'liberation'," the Member of Parliament from Hyderabad wrote in the letter.

'People of the territories were recognised as Citizens of India'

The Parliamentarian highlighted how with the merger of the erstwhile Hyderabad state and various other princely states, the people of the territories were finally recognised as 'equal citizens of India, as a Union of States'. He added that common Hindus and Muslims were advocates of a united India under a democratic, secular and Republican government, which he pointed out was reflected in the report of the Sunderlal Committee-- appointed to report on the situation after the merger. 

"The Committee also found out that mass violence was committed against the Muslims," he said, concluding that the struggles of the erstwhile Hyderabad state against colonialism, feudalism and autocracy were a 'symbol of national integration and not liberation'.

'Hyderabad State Liberation Day' announced by Centre

The letters come after it was announced that the Union of India will hold a year-long commemoration to mark 75 years of 'Hyderabad State Liberation', with Home Minister Amit Shah as chief guest at the inaugural event on September 17. Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy said that letters were written to the Chief Ministers of Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra, inviting them to the inaugural programme at the Hyderabad Parade Grounds.

"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 Government of India has approved the year-long commemoration of 'Hyderabad State Liberation' from Sep 17, 2022, to Sep 17, 2023," Reddy wrote in each of the letters dated September 3.

The erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad – which covered the modern-day Marathwada region in Maharashtra, Hyderabad-Karnataka region in Karnataka, and all districts in current-day Telangana – became part of the Union of India on September 17, 1948.

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Published September 3rd, 2022 at 17:52 IST

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