Hyderabad: The Congress government on Wednesday decided to commemorate September 17 as ‘Telangana Praja Palana Dinotsavam’ (Telangana People's Governance Day) instead of the previously used nomenclature like the Telangana Merger Day, Telangana National Integration Day, Telangana Liberation Day, among others.
On September 17, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will hoist the national flag in Hyderabad, while ministers and other public representatives will perform the same ceremony in district headquarters. The government has also finalised the names of the public representatives who will unfurl the flag in these districts.
September 17 holds a special place in the history of Telangana. It marks the day in 1948 when Hyderabad Princely State, which was under the Nizam's autocratic rule, was integrated into the Indian Union, transitioning from autocracy to democracy. However, this day has become a source of political contention in Telangana, with various parties marking it in different ways, leading to a war of words between the ruling and opposition factions.
For the past several years, September 17 has been a point of contention between political parties in Telangana. While the central government organises official programmes on this day, recognising it as the Telangana Liberation Day, the previous BRS government celebrated it as the National Integration Day. This divergence in nomenclature and the nature of the celebrations has fueled political disputes. The Congress observed September 17 as the Telangana Merger Day, while it was in Opposition from 2014 to 2024.
On September 11, 2022, the Central government issued an official order regarding the observance of September 17 as the Telangana Liberation Day. Union home minister Amit Shah reiterated the Central government’s decision to commemorate Hyderabad Liberation Day annually to honour the sacrifices made by those who fought for Hyderabad's integration into India. Since 2022, the Central government has organised grand celebrations for Telangana Liberation Day at the Secunderabad Parade Grounds, with Amit Shah serving as the chief guest on both occasions.
Each party continues to approach September 17 in its own way, contributing to the continued ruckus that has surrounded the day for years.
