Hyderabad, March 13 : BJP leaders in Telangana on Wednesday hailed the decision of the Centre to celebrate September 17 as 'Hyderabad Liberation Day'.

Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of north eastern region G. Kishan Reddy, who is also the state President of BJP, termed the decision 'historic' and called September 17 a day of liberation and legacy.

He said that the move honours the sacrifices made and instils a patriotic feeling in the minds of the youth. 'This historic decision marks a significant step towards remembering the martyrs who fought for Hyderabad's freedom and infusing the spirit of national pride in the hearts of the next generation,' he said.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for recognising this momentous occasion. 'This day will forever be etched in Hyderabad's history, a testament to the courage and resilience of those who fought for its liberation,' Kishan Reddy said.

BJP General Secretary and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay also thanked Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah.

'From falsification of history by past rulers, to now officially celebrating the reality in BJP era,' Bandi Sanjay posted on 'X'. 'Grateful that your support and hear every demand from Telangana,' he said while thanking PM and Amit Shah.

BJP MLA Raja Singh has also welcomed the Centre's decision. He said the BJP government led by Prime Minister Modi has taken a commendable decision.

The MLA believes that this will help in conveying the glorious history of the Hyderabad Liberation War to the young generation across the country.

'It has finally happened,' reacted the BJP MP and President of the party's OBC Morcha.

He termed the official declaration of Hyderabad Liberation Day a crucial milestone in recognising the city's true history and breaking free from past oppressions of the Nizam regime. He thanked Prime Minister Modi for this 'historic acknowledgement' and said this would 'preserve the truth for generations to come.'

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday issued a gazette notification to celebrate September 17 every year as Hyderabad Liberation Day.

September 17 marks the erstwhile Hyderabad State's accession to the Indian Union.

Hyderabad did not achieve independence for 13 months after independence on 15th August 1947 and was under Nizam's rule. The region was liberated from Nizam's rule on September 7, 1948, after a police action namely 'Operation Polo'.

Claiming that there has been a demand from the people of the region to celebrate September 17 as Hyderabad Liberation Day, the notification mentioned that to remember martyrs who liberated Hyderabad and to infuse the flame of patriotism in the minds of the youth, the Central government decided to celebrate 17th day of September every year as Hyderabad Liberation Day.

The BJP has long been demanding an official celebration of September 17 as Hyderabad Liberation Day. Earlier, in united Andhra Pradesh and later in Telangana, the party used to organise protests demanding the government to officially celebrate September 17.

Successive governments, however, avoided official celebrations in view of the objections from Muslim groups, who argued that the entire country has one Independence Day.

Barring BJP, other parties were celebrating September 17 as Hyderabad Merger Day.

In 2022, the Union Ministry of Culture started organising the celebrations in Hyderabad on September 17. On both occasions, Union Home Minister Amit Shah hoisted the national flag and reviewed the parade by contingents of paramilitary forces.

The same year, the BRS government started officially celebrating September 17 as National Integration Day. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) also celebrated the day as National Integration Day in 2022 and 2023.

The BJP, in its manifesto for Telangana Assembly elections, had promised a celebration of September 17 as Hyderabad Liberation Day.

In view of the Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party has once again made it a poll issue. While addressing BJP workers in Hyderabad on March 12, Amit Shah slammed Congress and BRS for not celebrating Hyderabad Liberation Day due to vote bank politics.

/IANS