Hyderabad Liberation Day: Vice-President Pays Tribute to Freedom Fighters

Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan said the sacrifices made during the Hyderabad liberation struggle must be remembered by the younger generation, while underlining Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s historic role in bringing princely states together and laying the foundation for a united India.

Radhakrishnan made the remarks while addressing the 79th Telangana Liberation Day celebrations organised by the Centre at Secunderabad Parade Grounds. The event marked the integration of the erstwhile Hyderabad State into the Indian Union. He first paid tributes at the Police Martyrs’ Memorial, unfurled the national flag and received a ceremonial salute from police and paramilitary personnel.

Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender were among those who attended the programme.

Recalling the events of September 1948, the Vice-President described September 17, 1948 as a significant day in independent India’s history. He said negotiations to resolve the Hyderabad issue had failed, following which the Indian government launched Operation Polo on September 13, 1948. The operation concluded on September 17 after the Nizam’s forces surrendered and Hyderabad was integrated into the Indian Union.

Radhakrishnan said the day should be remembered not merely as a historical milestone but as an opportunity to understand the nation-building process and the sacrifices of those who participated in the struggle. He urged the younger generation to learn about the movement and understand Patel’s contribution from the broader perspective of national integration.

He recalled that India faced the difficult task of integrating hundreds of princely states soon after Independence while simultaneously dealing with the consequences of Partition. Patel, he said, shouldered a major responsibility in unifying these territories and establishing a strong foundation for “Ek Bharat.”

The Vice-President also paid tribute to Ramji Gond, Turrebaz Khan and Komaram Bheem, along with students, farmers, writers, intellectuals, activists and ordinary citizens who participated in the struggle despite imprisonment, violence and hardship.

He stressed that unity does not require Indians to share the same language, traditions or political views. Rather, constitutional democracy, equal rights, dignity and opportunities provide the common foundation for national unity.

Radhakrishnan also praised the role of Central Armed Police Forces in combating Left-Wing Extremism and supporting development in affected regions, particularly in Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. He said areas once affected by Naxalism were increasingly witnessing peace, development and new opportunities.