Kishan Reddy not to attend Telangana govt's event on September 17

Hyderabad: Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy on Sunday informed Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy that he will not attend the 'Praja Palana Dinotsavam' (celebration of people's governance day) being organised by the state government on September 17.

The day marks the merger of the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad under Nizam's rule with the Indian Union in 1948.

Responding to the chief minister's invite to attend the event, Kishan Reddy said the people of the princely state of Hyderabad had carried out a spirited struggle for years to liberate the region from the brutalities of the Nizam and his private army of Razakars. Therefore, September 17 should be commemorated in a manner that befits the sacrifices of the martyrs, he said, in a letter to the CM.

"Your intent, however, seems to be to deflect the attention of the people from the core aspects of the struggle which is evident in the very name given to the day. To describe the Liberation of Hyderabad, as just another transition of power from a monarchy to a democracy not only subverts the heroic struggle but also propagates further the politics of appeasement," Reddy said.

On the contrary, the Narendra Modi government over the last few years has been commemorating September 17 by giving it the recognition it deserves in a manner and form that pays homage to the courage, sacrifice and valour of those who made the liberation possible, he said.

"I therefore cannot be party to an insincere ritual which blatantly attempts to erase the truth from the people," he said.

Chief Minister Reddy on September 13 invited Union Home Minister Amit Shah and also three other Union Ministers-- Kishan Reddy, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Bandi Sanjay Kumar-- to attend the 'Praja Palana Dinotsavam' being organised by his government on September 17.

Kishan Reddy has already announced that the Centre would celebrate the 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' in the city on September 17 like it did during the last two years.

Shah had attended the celebrations as chief guest during the last two years.

September 17, 1948, is interpreted differently by different parties in Telangana.

While the BJP calls it a 'Liberation Day', the previous BRS regime had celebrated the day as 'National Integration Day'.

(Inputs from PTI)