Hyderabad Merger Day observed with solemnity
The Hindu
BJP celebrates occasion as ‘Liberation Day’
Hyderabad marked the 73rd day of accession to India on in a solemn manner. While the ruling TRS, the Opposition Congress, and other parties commemorated the occasion as ‘Hyderabad Merger Day’, the BJP celebrated it as ‘Telangana Liberation Day’.
The Congress party organised an event at the Ashoka Pillar near the Residency Building (Koti Women’s College). TRS organised a tricolour hoisting event at the Telangana Bhavan with TRS general secretary K. Keshava Rao leading the celebrations. BJP leaders paid floral tributes at the statue of former Home Minister Vallabhbhai Patel.
It was on August 17, 1948, that Hyderabad’s ruler Mir Osman Ali Khan announced cessation of hostilities after the Indian forces marched into the dominion on multiple fronts. While India gained Independence on August 15, 1947, Hyderabad did not join the union for nearly 13 months. But after the Indian Army entered the dominion without much resistance, Prime Minister of Nizam Mir Laiq Ali broadcast a speech on August 17 announcing ceasefire. The surrender of Nizam’s forces took place on September 18 as the Indian troops march was delayed by a few hours due to landmines.
District Collector K. P. Karthikeyan inspected the areas around the Sorimuthu Ayyanar Temple inside the Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve on Thursday evening as this shrine would attract thousands of devotees from the southern districts for the Aadi Amavasai festival to be celebrated in August .