Ask Telangana govt to celebrate merger day: BJP to Governor

The Telangana BJP on Saturday urged the GovernorTamilisai Soundararajan to advise the state government to celebrate the day (September 17, 1948) of the merger of the Hyderabad state with the Indian Union.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, a BJP delegation, led by its state president K Laxman, said the party has been fighting for official celebration of the day for the past 20 years.

"Veteran leader and formerBJPnational president Lal Krishna Advani addressed a public meeting at Nizam College grounds in Hyderabad in 1999 and stressed the need to celebrate September 17 as Telangana Liberation Day officially," the memorandum said.

In a reference to Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM, the BJP alleged that the TRS, which was in support of the demand during the separate Telangana agitation, backtracked due to pressure from its friendly parties after coming to power.

The BJP said the governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka were celebrating September 17 as 'Liberation Day' in districts (in their respective states) which were under the Nizams rule.

The party urged the Governor to advise the government of Telangana to observe September 17 as Telangana Liberation Day on the lines of Maharashtra and Karnataka.

The party also asked the Governor toinstruct the government to initiate the process for construction of a memorial to honour the valour of martyrs who fought against the alleged draconian rule of the Nizam.

On September 8, Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy had demanded that the Telangana government officially celebrate September 17 as Hyderabad "Liberation Day".

The state BJP has been celebrating the Hyderabad Liberation Day every year and unfurling the national flag across the state.