Hyderabad would have taken more years to get liberated If not for Patel: Amit Shah

Hyderabad, Sep 17: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday took part in Hyderabad Liberation Day celebrations at Parade Ground and said that Hyderabad would have taken more years to get liberated "if not for Sardar Patel."

The event was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy.

Giving credit to India's first Home Minister Sardar Patel for the liberation of Hyderabad, Amit Shah said, "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,"

In his speech, the Union Home Minister took a dig at the ruling TRS, saying 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.

"...when there was a demand in the region that Hyderabad Liberation Day be 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," PTI quoted the Union Home Minister as saying.

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 PM Modi for his decision to officially celebrate the day. Shah said he is not surprised but happy that everybody now celebrates the day after Modi taking 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.

The State of Hyderabad which was under Nizam's rule was annexed into the Union of India after a police action code named 'Operation Polo' that culminated on September 17, 1948.

Hyderabad Liberation Day is celebrated on September 17 to remember the rebellion and the subsequent police action which led to the freedom of Hyderabad state from the Nizam's rule on September 17, 1948.

In 1948, the first Home Minister of India Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel unfurled the Tricolour after Hyderabad merged with the Indian Union. The erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad, which was under the Nizam's rule, was annexed into the Union of India following a military action code-named 'Operation Polo', which culminated on September 17, 1948.