Hyderabad, Sep 17 (IANS): Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan said on Thursday that September 17, 1948, marked the conclusion of a decisive chapter in the history of independent India, with the integration of the erstwhile Hyderabad State into the Indian Union following the events of September 1948 and Operation Polo.
He said that Hyderabad Liberation Day is not merely a commemoration of a historic date, but a reminder of the journey of nation-building and the values that continue to bind Bharat together.
He was addressing the 79th Hyderabad Liberation Day celebrations held at Parade Ground, Secunderabad.
The Vice-President said the story of Hyderabad reflects the enormous challenges faced by a young nation in bringing together people who had emerged from different political circumstances. It was a story of statesmanship, courage and sacrifice, followed by the larger and continuing task of building a constitutional democracy in which every citizen has an equal place.
Recalling Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s contribution to national integration, Radhakrishnan said that as the first Home Minister and Minister for States, Sardar Patel carried an extraordinary responsibility at a time when India was recovering from Partition and simultaneously consolidating hundreds of princely states into one Union.
He stated that while Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose played a pivotal role in India’s freedom, Sardar Patel Ji played a pivotal role in unifying princely states with modern-day India. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now playing a pivotal role in the making of developed India by 2047.
Paying tribute to the people’s movement behind the Hyderabad struggle, Radhakrishnan said that students, intellectuals, writers, social workers, political activists, farmers and ordinary citizens participated in the struggle and endured imprisonment, violence and immense personal hardship.
He paid homage to patriots including Ramji Gond, Turrebaz Khan and Komaram Bheem, among many others, and said their courage reminds us that history is not made only in government offices or by famous statesmen, but also by ordinary citizens who refuse to accept injustice as their destiny.
“Political integration can bring territories together; constitutional democracy brings citizens together,” he said, stressing that national unity cannot be sustained by geography alone and must be strengthened through equal rights, equal dignity and equal opportunity.
He said Bharat’s unity does not require every citizen to be identical, noting that Indians may speak different languages, follow different traditions, worship differently and hold different political opinions, yet remain bound together by the Constitution and the principle that sovereignty ultimately belongs to the people.
Referring to the role of the Central Armed Police Forces, the Vice-President said that they had played an important role in the integration of princely states and in safeguarding the territorial integrity of Bharat in 1947–48. He also acknowledged their contribution in combating Left-Wing Extremism in Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and other affected areas.
He inspected the parade and witnessed the impressive March Past and evocative cultural performances at the event.
He also visited the War Memorial and laid a wreath, paying tribute to the Bravehearts.
The Vice President also visited the exhibition set up by the Central Bureau of Communication, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, showcasing the struggle, sacrifices and historic journey towards the liberation and integration of Hyderabad with the Indian Union.
Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Malkajgiri MP Etela Rajender and others were present.
