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On September 17, people celebrate Hyderabad Liberation Day to honour the incorporation of the princely state of Hyderabad into India in 1948. This event ended Nizam Mir Usman Ali's authority and absorbed Hyderabad into the Indian Union after a military action known as Action Polo.
Background: The Nizam's Reluctance
Hyderabad was not a small state but one of the largest and richest resources of India at the time when India gained independence in year 1947 and it was ruled by Nizam Mir Usman Ali. Despite this, the British left India, and the Nizam did not easily commit to joining either side of India or Pakistan or wanted to be an independent state. His hesitation was for the selfish interest of not wanting to lose his authority and also for the self-interest of not wanting to lose his money and position.
Under feudal conditions, the majority of the population of Hyderabad used to live. Though Nizam was very rich, the majority of the people in his kingdom were burdened with taxes and were exploited by the landlords. This division brought dissatisfaction and resulted in different movements which demanded integration with India.
Growing Tensions
Further violence emerged in mid-1948 when Nizam faced armed groups called Razakars at war with those who wanted integration into India. The Indian government in particular under the Sardar Patel felt that the situation was becoming more and more unsustainable. When the Nizam was reluctant to accept the integration on various grounds India launched ‘Operation Polo’ on September 9, 1948 and occupied Hyderabad.
Operation Polo
Hyderabad integration was a military realized through Operation Polo. It started on 9th September and ended with Nizam’s surrender on 17th September 1948. After this, on the 11th of November in the same year, Hyderabad formally joined India. The Indian government was rather lenient on the Nizam after he surrendered the powers and was allowed to continue to hold a symbolic position.
Thus the operation involved a lot of violence and ethnic conflict and the incidence recorded many thousand fatalities. Information from that era suggests that numerous lives were lost during the operation against Razakars as well as civilians that were trapped in the war.
Hyderabad Liberation Day is very important for analyzing different aspects of the regional identity and the process of integration of South Indian states with the rest of the country. Some consider it as the day when the country became free from authoritarian rule others consider it as a day which was marked by negotiation and battle. This day is observed as an official public holiday in India to commemorate its importance in the struggle for India’s independence from colonial rule.
Hyderabad Liberation Day remains a pivotal chapter in India's integration journey, reflecting both the regional complexities and the broader struggle for unity. It stands as a reminder of the challenges faced during India's post-independence consolidation, commemorating the triumph of democratic values over authoritarian rule in South India.
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