HYDERABAD: Governor Jishnu Dev Varma on Sunday pitched for the Telangana government to officially celebrate September 17 as the Liberation Day.
“It is our duty to honour the memory and pass on the history to the future generations. Maharashtra and Karnataka have long been celebrating Liberation Day on September 17. Telangana too must proudly carry forward this commemorative torch.”
As the Centre is set to celebrate the Telangana Liberation Day at Parade Ground, the Governor, along with Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, inaugurated a photo exhibition on the merger of Hyderabad with the Indian Union in September 1948.
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said: “Freedom movement of Hyderabad is not just history. It’s the heartbeat of the people. They strived for justice and marched towards freedom. Sadly, the many heroes who made their greatest sacrifices remained unsung. Thousands of people lost their lives and homes in fighting with Razakars.”
He said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ensured Hyderabad’s merger with the Indian Union. “Without his firmness and foresight, liberation would have been delayed and freedom would have been denied,” he said.
Kishan Reddy demanded that the state government officially celebrate September 17 as Liberation Day and added that the BJP will conduct official celebrations if it forms government in the state. “It’s our responsibility to honour and pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives during the freedom movement,” he said.