Form of words:
Hyderabad: Every year since the formation of Telangana state in 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) observes 17 September as ‘Liberation Day’. But the party is demanding state recognition of the day, which commemorates the princely accession. Hyderabad to India in 1948, it is now more than a decade.
The demand was raised during Home Minister Amit Shah’s public meeting in Hyderabad on Friday, where he said the BJP would celebrate ‘liberation day’ if it comes to power in 2024.
Shah’s speech, however, clearly targeted the Muslim political party All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) and its chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
“When BJP comes to power (in 2024) we will celebrate Hyderabad Liberation Day. We are not afraid of MIM or anyone. The day we took independence from the Razakars is September 17 and that day will be celebrated as Liberation Day in Telangana,” Shah said in the gathering.
When India gained independence from the British, all the 500-odd princely states and chieftains were given the option to either join India or Pakistan or remain independent. Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel asked the For the Nizam’s inclusion in India after independence, the ruler refused and Hyderabad was declared an independent nation on 15 August 1947.
The Nizam established a feudal state and under him the Razakars committed violent atrocities against the people of Hyderabad and molested women. This eventually led to a rebellion against the Nizam.
“The people revolted against feudalism. They wanted their right to land, equal representation in administration. And this led to the entire movement against the Nizam’s rule and the Razakars in the state,” Professor Kodandaram, activist and founder of the party Telangana Jana Samiti, told ThePrint.
The Indian Armed Forces intervened when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the Home Minister, and Hyderabad State was annexed from the Nizam with ‘Operation Polo’ on 17 September 1948.
This is what the BJP wants to celebrate as ‘liberation’ from the Nizams and Razakars.
However, experts noted that the Hyderabad independence movement did not have a Hindu-Muslim angle as people from both communities were part of both the Nizam’s administration as well as the resistance movement.
BJP on AIMIM-TRS ties
After Hyderabad joined India, Qasim Razvi was imprisoned for nearly a decade and then released in 1957 on the condition that he would leave for Pakistan. Razvi then handed over the reins to Asaduddin’s grandfather Abdul Wahid Owaisi, who rebranded the organization as AIMIM.
This relation of AIMIM and Owaisi with the then MIM and Razakars has been continuously raised by the BJP.
The party has even said that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi do not observe September 17 as ‘Liberation Day’ as the former has close links with the AIMIM party chief.
In the public meeting on Friday, Shah said that KCR is scared of Asaduddin.
“CM KCR had promised during the separate state agitation that he would celebrate Liberation Day – but why is he not doing so now? What is he afraid of? Does the CM not remember the sacrifices of the people? Shah said.
KCR’s son KT Rama Rao on Saturday responded to Shah’s comments and said that for the Telangana government, June 2 – when Telangana was officially created – is ‘liberation day’.
This is a U-turn from the promise made by KCR during the separate state movement to observe September 17 as ‘Liberation Day’.
Rao further said that the party observes the day but the state government will not support any effort or allow anyone to use Mukti Diwas to target a particular community.
Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owaisi has always been against celebrating the day and also said This will open up old wounds.
Shah’s meeting also took place in view of the crucial Huzurabad by-election in the state. This Vei was also held in Udala Mari, where the Razakars allegedly killed 1,000 people fighting against the Nizam near a banyan tree in Udala Mari.
Under the Nizam rulers the Hyderabad state formed the present-day Telangana region, the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and parts of Karnataka.
Shah also said on Friday that Karnataka and Maharashtra celebrated Liberation Day, so why did Telangana not.
Read also: Violent clashes between tribals and forest officials are increasing in Telangana
No Hindu-Muslim angle, say experts
While the BJP has been promoting the issue of ‘Mukti Diwas’ as Hindu-Muslim, there was no such communal angle in Hyderabad’s independence movement, according to experts.
“The (rebellion) movement was led by the Communist Party, the Hyderabad State Congress (then not part of the Indian National Congress) and the socialists. The BJP was not even in the picture,” Kodandaram said.
He further added: “It was never a Hindu versus Muslim issue. There were many Hindu ministers in the administration who supported the Razakars and the Hindu community fought against them as well. Similarly, many Muslims opposed and fought against the atrocities of the Razakars.”
According to senior political analyst Nageshwar Rao, the BJP is trying to project September 17 as a day when Hindus got freedom from the rule of a Muslim king.
“But, in reality it was not so. Both the communities fought together against the administration. But because it has this Hindu-Muslim angle, even the ruling party is refraining from celebrating it because of its ties with the MIM. The party is of the opinion that talking against the Nizam can hurt Muslim sentiments and votes. But, what is the relation between Nizam and Muslims? Rao said.
Columnist Mohan Guruswamy It highlighted that many Hindus were also part of the Nizam’s administration, even though he was predominantly Muslim.
“The Deshmukhs are said to have helped the Razakars. One of the prominent figures of the Communist Party, who led the movement, was Khaja Moiuddin – then how is this a Hindu-Muslim fight? BJP here again Hindu-Muslim rift A clear attempt to polarize and break communal harmony,” Guruswamy said.
Meanwhile, independent researcher Faisal CK, Told That the Razakars terrorized the Hindu community and that the MIM supported these activities.
He also said that during the Nizam’s rule 50 percent spoke Telugu, 25 percent spoke Marathi, 11 percent spoke Kannada and hardly 1.2 percent spoke Urdu.
In addition, Muslims constituted less than 15 percent of the population, but held 75 percent of positions in the bureaucracy.
According to senior political expert Professor Hargopal, BJP is cashing in on the weaknesses of Muslims.
“Muslims in Hyderabad still feel that once they were the ruling class, it would be a soft corner for Nizam rule. And distorting history, especially when people don’t know what really happened, will obviously help polarize them. They are talking about Sardar Patel and his operation – he was a Congressman, secular and actually banned the RSS.”
Read also: Now the world of AP, Karnataka, Telangana (upper) caste politics begins, Brahmins get privileges
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