Hyderabad Liberation Day
Why in News?
Hyderabad Liberation Day is observed annually on September 17 to commemorate the historic integration of the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad into the Indian Union in 1948 following a military action known as Operation Polo.
Historical Background
- The Nizam’s Rule: Before 1947, Hyderabad was one of the largest and wealthiest princely states in India, ruled by the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan.
- Refusal to Accede: When India gained independence on August 15, 1947, the Nizam refused to join either India or Pakistan, choosing instead to declare Hyderabad an independent nation.
- The Standstill Agreement: To buy time, the Nizam signed a Standstill Agreement with the Indian government on November 29, 1947, maintaining existing administrative relations for one year while negotiations continued.
Atrocities & People's Resistance
- The Razakar Terror: During this period, an extremist private militia called the Razakars, led by Kasim Rizvi, unleashed large-scale communal violence and atrocities against the local population, political opponents, and rural communities.
- Telangana Peasant Movement: Parallelly, a massive communist-led Telangana Peasant Armed Struggle was fought by local farmers against oppressive feudal landlordism and the tyranny of the Nizam's regime.
Operation Polo ("Police Action")
- The Military Move: Driven by the deteriorating law and order situation and strategic security concerns, India's Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, ordered military intervention.
- Timeline: The Indian Army launched the assault on September 13, 1948, under the code name "Operation Polo" (also referred to as "Police Action").
- The Surrender: Unable to withstand the Indian forces, the Nizam's military commander surrendered, and a ceasefire was formally declared on September 17, 1948, marking the end of Nizam's rule.
Post-Integration Transition
- Nizam's Status: Following the integration, the Nizam was not immediately exiled. When India became a republic, he was designated as the Rajpramukh (Governor equivalents of the time) of Hyderabad State.
- Geographical Spread: The historic state of Hyderabad was much larger than modern Telangana; it encompassed the present-day regions of Telangana, Marathwada (in Maharashtra), and Hyderabad-Karnataka (in Karnataka). Because of this, parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka also officially celebrate September 17 as Liberation Day.
