Why in News?

• Ministry of Culture will organize the inaugural programme of the year-long commemoration of the Hyderabad Liberation Day, on 17th September 2022. The Government of India has approved the yearlong commemoration of the "Hyderabad Liberation Day" for the period 17th September, 2022 to 17th September,2023.

Reason for the celebrations:

• The year-long commemoration is aimed at paying tribute to all those who gave their live for the liberation of Samsthan and its merger with the Indian Union.

History:

• On 17th September 1948, more than one year after India secured Independence from the British, the state of Hyderabad got its independence from Nizam’s rule.
• History is replete with illustrations of struggles in the entire freedom movement including the struggle of Ramji Gond against the British; the fight of Komaram Bheem; the valour of Turrebaz Khan in 1857 who wanted to hoist the Indian national flag on the residence of the British Resident Commissioner at Koti in Hyderabad city.
• The struggle became vociferous after Indian independence. With the spontaneous participation of people chanting Vande Matram and with the demand of the merger of the samsthan into the Indian union, the struggle transformed itself into a massive people's movement.

Role of Sardar Patel:

• The liberation of Hyderabad was possible due to the swift and timely action by first Minister of Home Affairs of India, Shri Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel under Operation Polo.

About Operation Polo:

• Operation Polo was the code name for the September 1948 "police action" against Hyderabad state by the thenindependent Dominion of India.
• It was a military operation in which the Indian armed forces annexed the Nizam-ruled princely state.
• India, on the instructions of Home Minister Sardar Patel, did the operation in Hyderabad.
• Operation was started on September 13, 1948, and completed on day 5, September 17.
• Sardar Patel had major doubts about the Nizam of Hyderabad's intentions due to the state's location.
• Hyderabad state was in the heart of India, surrounded by land.
• The Nizam was not interested in forging connections with India, which implied he had other ideas in mind.
• As a result, Sardar Patel put up an inquiry team to find out what the Nizam was up to. i.e. Hyderabad was friendly with Pakistan yet opposed to India.
• On 18th September 1948, Operation Polo was terminated after the Indian Army accepted the surrender of the Nizam of Hyderabad’s army.

The areas liberated:

• The state of Hyderabad under the Nizam included :
• the whole of current day Telangana,
• the Marathwada region in Maharashtra that included the districts of Aurangabad, Beed, Hingoli, Jalna, Latur, Nanded, Osmanabad, Parbhani and
• districts of Kalaburagi ,Bellary Raichur ,Yadgir, Koppal, Vijayanagara and Bidar in current day Karnataka.

The Recognition:

• The state governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka officially observe September 17 as the Liberation Day.