92-yr-old freedom fighter recalls his tryst with destiny
He may appear fragile due to his age, but Prakash Rao spoke proudly as he recalled the historical incidents
Hyderabad: Hyderabad state remained under the Nizam's imperial rule even as the rest of India enjoyed freedom. Students, educators, thinkers and the general public banded together to bring Hyderabad into the Indian Union. K. Chandra Prakash Rao, who is 92 years old now, is one of them.
When Deccan Chronicle spoke with him, he described how those who participated in the freedom struggle made several sacrifices, including being imprisoned, getting severely beaten, sexually assaulted and, in some cases, being executed by the Nizam's army and the Razakars.
He may appear fragile due to his age, but Prakash Rao spoke proudly as he recalled the historical incidents. He was imprisoned in Warangal alongside 12 of his fellow agitators after they participated in a protest march and hoisted the Tricolour at a public building.
"On September 2, 1947, the protestors were rounded up and openly shot by the Nizam's army at Parkal near Hanamkonda. It was akin to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which resulted in several deaths. Those who were injured were brought to this jail and received medical attention; their clothing was soaked in blood,” he recalled.
After being released after three months, Prakash Rao, then 16, went underground and began working against the Nizam's regime. "There were several raids carried out on our hiding place. One of the agitators, Ramchandaraiah, was killed by the Razakars,” he stated. "There were several restrictions placed on carrying the National Flag at public gatherings," he said.
He praised the Hyderabad State Congress, which he said inspired students, workers, and teachers in Hyderabad State after August 1947. "Under the leadership of Swami Ramananda Tirtha, many people took the call and hoisted the Tricolour in public places and houses, mass rallies with Vande Mataram slogans,” he recalled.
“When we learned that Gandhiji was taking the Grand Trunk Express from Madras to Vadodara, we were ecstatic. It was 1946. At Kazipet, the train was to halt so that the water and charcoal could be refilled. Gandhiji spoke at the station at around one in the morning. The speech of Mahatma Gandhi motivated us,” Pakash Rao recollected.
Operation Polo, also known as the Hyderabad police action, was undertaken against the Nizam of Hyderabad's Army from September 13 to September 17, 1948, for Hyderabad’s accession to the Union of India.
Chandra Prakash Rao blamed the British for their diversionary politics. “While the British ended their colonial rule and quit India, they played dirty. They gave options for the states, that they could join the Indian Union or Pakistan or stay independent. Taking advantage of this, Hyderabad refused to join the Union of India. With several sacrifices, this state is now a part of a free nation, and each year when the Nation Flag is raised, we are proud of the glorious moment,” he stated.