Congress takes credit for Hyderabad merger with India

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy has alleged that the BJP, TRS and MIM were trying to distort and communalise the history of Hyderabad's merger with the Indian Union.

Speaking after hosting the national flag at Gandhi Bhavan on the 72nd anniversary of Hyderabad Merger Day at Gandhi Bhavan on Thursday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that only Congress and Communist parties struggled for Hyderabad's merger with Indian Union. He said BJP or its predecessors did not participate in the struggle against Nizam's rule.

In fact, BJP did not even exist when Congress leaders were struggling against the Nizam's rule. However, today BJP leaders are trying to communalise Hyderabad's merger with Indian Union by calling it a 'liberation' by distorting the history, the Congress leader said.

Similarly, he said, TRS and MIM too are trying to communalise the history for political gains. "They are trying to make an issue out of Hyderabad Merger Day's celebration while the fact is the Congress party has been celebrating the occasion since 1949 without any hue and cry," he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the last Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan had refused to join Hyderabad State with the Indian Union and wanted to either join Pakistan or stay independent. But his plans were foiled when the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel merged Hyderabad State with Indian Union through Operation Polo.

"Several Congress leaders and Communist leaders made several sacrifices in the struggle against Nizam's rule. The Congress party not only recognised their struggle, but also honoured them by extending all the benefits of freedom fighters. BJP leaders are not even aware of the real history. But they are trying to distort the history to draw political mileage," he said.

CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka, MLC T Jeevan Reddy, TPCC working president J Kusum Kumar, former PCC presidents V Hanumantha Rao and Ponnala Lakshmaiah and other senior leaders were also present on the occasion. Later, Uttam Kumar Reddy participated in the Hyderabad Merger's Day celebrations at Ashoka Pillar, Koti, and paid rich tributes to the martyrs of Hyderabad Struggle.