Many Didn't Celebrate Hyderabad Liberation Day Due To Vote-Bank: Amit Shah

In a veiled attack on the ruling TRS, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said it is unfortunate that the 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' has not been celebrated officially all these years in Telangana due to "vote bank politics" despite some leaders promising to do so.

He said he would like to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for deciding to commemorate the day.

Mr Shah was speaking at the Union Government's official celebration of 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' to mark the occasion of erstwhile Hyderabad State under Nizam rule merging with the Indian Union on September 17, 1948.

"...when there was a demand in the region that Hyderabad Liberation Day is celebrated with government endorsement, it is unfortunate that 75 years are over, but those who were in government here could not dare celebrate Hyderabad Liberation Day due to vote bank politics," he charged.

In an apparent reference to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, he said many people had promised during elections and agitations to commemorate the day but went back on them after coming to power.

"Many people had made promises, during elections and during agitations. But, after coming to power, they turned back due to the fear of 'Razakars' (armed supporters of Nizam rule)," he said.

He congratulated Prime Minister Modi for his decision to officially celebrate the day.

Shah said he is not surprised but happy that everybody now celebrates the day after Prime Minister Modi took the decision.

"They celebrate the day. But, it is not called 'Hyderabad Liberation Day'. There is still fear in the mind. I would like to tell them that remove that fear. 'Razakars' cannot make decisions in this country. It has been 75 years since this country got independence," he said.

Modi took the decision in deference to the feelings of the people of Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka, he said.

Shah credited the country's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for the liberation of Hyderabad.

If not for Sardar Patel, it would have probably taken many more years for Hyderabad to get liberated and he knew that as long as Nizam's Razakars could not be defeated, the dream of Akhand Bharat will not be fulfilled, Mr Shah said.

He paid tributes to Komram Bheem, Ramji Gond, Swami Ramanand Tirtha, former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, M Chenna Reddy and many others who fought for freedom.

The intention to celebrate 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' is to take the story of the struggle for liberation to the young generation, he said.

He said research should be carried out in universities on the liberation struggle.

Shah also recalled the atrocities of 'Razakars' during the Nizam rule in the Hyderabad State which included Telangana and some districts of present-day Maharashtra and Karnataka.

He said he would like to tell the people of Telangana and also those who cannot call the day 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' that not paying tributes to the thousands of martyrs amounts to their betrayal.

Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Karnataka Transport Minister B Sriramulu spoke on the occasion.

While the first Union Home Minister Sardar Patel unfurled the tricolour in Hyderabad on September 17, 1948, the incumbent Shah was doing so after 74 years, Mr Reddy said.

Shinde said he reached Hyderabad from Aurangabad Chatrapati Sambhaji Nagar in Maharashtra.

The chief minister of Maharashtra participates in the 'Mukti Sangram Din' event at Aurangabad Chatrapati Sambhaji Nagar every year and unfurls the National Flag, he said.

Earlier, the Union Home Minister hoisted the National Flag and inspected a parade on the occasion. Various folk arts were also presented on the occasion.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)