Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the credit for the merger of Hyderabad State into Indian Union goes to the Congress party alone and criticised the BJP, TRS and MIM for trying to distort and communalise the merger issue.
Speaking after hoisting the national flag at Gandhi Bhavan on the 72nd anniversary of Hyderabad Merger Day, he said that only Congress and Communist parties have struggled for Hyderabad’s merger with Indian Union. “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 were trying to communalise the issue calling it ‘liberation’ by distorting the history. Similarly, TRS and MIM too were trying to communalise the history for political gains, he said. He reminded that Congress party has been celebrating the occasion since 1949 without any hue and cry.
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 Union Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel through Operation Polo.
“Several Congress leaders and Communist leaders have made sacrifices in the struggle against the Nizam’s Rule. The Congress party recognised their struggle and honoured them by extending all the benefits of freedom fighters. BJP leaders are not even aware of the real history,” he said.
Mr. Reddy lashed out at BJP, TRS and MIM saying they take credit for other’s achievements. He said that the Congress party brought Statehood to Telangana but TRS is claiming it. And unfortunately, except for the Kalvakuntla family no one gained from Telangana formation.
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, the Congress leaders also participated in the Hyderabad Merger’s Day celebrations at Ashoka Pillar, Koti.
