Rajnath Singh to preside over Hyd Lib Day prog

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be the chief guest at the ‘Hyderabad Liberation Day’ celebrations organised by the Union government tomorrow at the Parade Grounds in Secunderabad, while the Congress government will mark it as “Praja Palana Diwas’ (governance day) at a separate programme in Public Gardens with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy presiding over it.

For the past few days, controversies and political upmanship have marked 17 September, the day the Nizam of Hyderabad State signed the Instrument of Accession to merge with the Indian Union following police action, but this year, the political parties seem to have lost some steam.

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Last year, Reddy had invited the representatives of the Union government, but this time the political parties, both ruling and the Opposition, seem to be content in observing the day with separate functions. The Defence Minister has already arrived in Hyderabad to participate in the programme tomorrow. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat, whose ministry is organising the function, will also be present at the Parade grounds at 8 am. Apart from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), which will participate in the parade, cultural shows by artists from Telangana will also be showcased during the programme.

Meanwhile, observing Praja Palana Diwas, CM Revanth Reddy will hoist the national flag at 10 am in the Public Gardens. Other government offices and departments will also follow suit, hoisting the flag at their respective premises.

The earlier BRS government, under K Chandrasekhar Rao, had observed the day as National Integration Day for two years before it lost power in 2023. Over the years, the BJP has been quite vocal about observing Hyderabad Liberation Day, but in 2024, the Centre came out with a government order making it a mandatory event. In the past, Union Home Minister Amit Shah presided over the programme at Parade Grounds. Even chief ministers of Karnataka and Maharashtra are invited to the event since some parts of the Nizam’s realm also included parts of North Karnataka and Maharashtra, which are adjoining to Telangana.