Two parallel celebrations are planned on September 17; one is to mark ‘Hyderabad Liberation Day’ by the Central government and the other is ‘National Integration Day’ by the Telangana government.
While the Central government’s programme includes a march past by paramilitary forces at Parade Grounds, the State government’s event is a cultural fiesta at NTR Stadium and People’s Plaza.
But 74 years earlier, an air of fear and foreboding hung in the air in the newly-independent country with princely states jostling for identity.
V.D. Savarkar who coined the phrase India’s First War of Independence for the 1857 revolt, hailed the decision of Travancore to stay independent.
“In the very interests of Akhand Hindustan itself, I strongly support the Maharaja and the far-sighted and courageous determination to declare the independence of our Hindu State of Travancore. The Nizam has already proclaimed his independence and other Muslim States are likely to do so. Hindu State bold enough to assert it has the same rights,” Savarkar telegraphed C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar, the Dewan of Tranvancore, on June 20, 1947. In this atmosphere of religious divide, Hyderabad was expected to be a tinderbox.
In Nizam’s Dominion, Hindus constituted 63.5%, Harijans 17.9% while Muslims were 12.8% of the population. This religious demography, the attack on Kashmir by Pakistan, the issue of Junagadh and the intransigency of Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan led to disquiet and fear about communal conflagration.
Factoring the reality, V.P. Menon, Secretary, Ministry of States, shared his ideas with Home Minister Sardar Patel: “…existing political and communal situation…I suggested therefore that if we could get from Hyderabad the substance of accession by an agreement…”
The fear of communal conflagration was not limited to Indian politicians and officials. The British government which had ruled India till a few weeks ago expected as much in Hyderabad. “No Arms Act was enforced in the State, and there were estimated to be over a million weapons in private hands. Southern India had been relatively quiet hitherto, but if communal disorders broke out in Hyderabad they would rapidly spread through Southern and Central India,” this was the gist of the message sent by Commonwealth Relations Office to Lord Mountbatten on September 21, 1947.
Well networked spies saw the possibility of communal riots in the country. “The Indian Army is believed capable of occupying Hyderabad without effective opposition. The great danger is that the ensuing communal rioting might spread…” was the cable sent by the Central Intelligence Agency agents to Langley.
But once the Indian Army tanks crossed the Bori river into Hyderabad on the dawn of September 13, 1948, things changed rapidly. Instead of riots, there was a sense of relief. The sense of relief was expressed in Governor-General C. Rajagopalachari’s message to observe September 26 as a National Thanksgiving Day. “The conclusion of our task in Hyderabad has been welcomed throughout the country with deep feeling of relief and thankfulness…in order to give expression of thankfulness and to seek guidance and strength from above, further to consolidate the union of hearts, on which the nation must build its prosperity and happiness.”
