Hyderabad Liberation Day, Telangana Unity Day or Telangana National Integration Day - three nomenclatures to mark 75 years of Hyderabad’s annexation to the Indian Union. As parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra were also part of Hyderabad State, Maharashtra and Karnataka have been commemorating September 17 as Marathwada Liberation Day and Hyderabad-Karnataka Liberation Day respectively.

The Union government is celebrating September 17 as ‘Hyderabad Liberation Day’ while the government of Telangana as ‘National Integration Day’. It was on September 17, 1948 Telangana became an integral part of India. Both BJP and ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) are making a desperate attempt to woo the electorate before the Telangana assembly polls next year.

The Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrshekhar Rao unfurled the national flag on Telangana Jateeya Samaikyata Dinotsavam (Telangana National Integration Day) in Public Gardens of Hyderabad on Saturday. Earlier, Union Minister Amit Shah hoisted the flag at parade grounds marking the celebrations of ‘Hyderabad Liberation Day' in the city.

On September 17, 1948, State of Hyderabad ceased to exist as a princely state after a 109 hours war which came to be known as Operation Polo. However the accession took place on January 26, 1950 when the Nizam was made ‘Rajpramukh’ of Hyderabad state spread over 212,000 sq km area.

Standstill Agreement

Unlike other princely states, the Nizam of Hyderabad nominated a three-member team to negotiate a Standstill Agreement with the Union of India. The Agreement was signed on November 29, 1947 by Governor General Lord Mountbatten and Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan. The pact was valid for one year and that foreign affairs, defence and communications would be in India’s control while the Nizam had control over domestic affairs.

Operation Polo

The military action codenamed ‘Operation Polo’, which culminated on September 17, 1948 is also known as ‘Police Action’. According to some scholarly work, the Nizam would want to settle the issue with India in a honourable manner. He even denounced the Mir Laiq Ali government and Razakar militia.

Indian forces entered the State of Hyderabad from the west in Sholapur and from the east near Suryapet. The war began at 4 am on September 13, 1948 and lasted 109 hours and by September 17, 1948, Hyderabad Army, which had a strength of 17,000 soldiers, surrendered to the Indian Army.

In the military action, the Indian Army lost its 42 soldiers while 490 soldiers of Hyderabad Army were killed. Besides, 2,727 Razakars were killed while 102 were wounded and 3,364 captured. A month after the Police Action, on October 18, 1948, Major General J.N. Chaudhuri of the Indian Army was appointed Military Governor of Hyderabad state.

Also Read: India Needs Decisive Politics Not Divisive Politics, Says KTR