Marathwada Liberation Day

Marathwada Liberation Day

Side View of Marathwada Martyr Monnument, Parbhani
Official name मराठवाडा मुक्ती संग्राम दिन
Observed by Parbhani, Maharashtra, India
Significance Marathwada became part of India
Celebrations
  • Indian National Flag is hoisted in Marathwada
  • Various Cultural and Social Programs related to issues of Marathwada
  • Various Cultural Programs Held At RajgopalChari Uddyan,Parbhani
Date 17 September
Frequency annual
Related to Marathwada

Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din is celebrated in Maharashtra on 17 September annually. It marks the anniversary of Marathwada's integration with India when the Indian military, with help of local rebels, annexed the State of Hyderabad, overthrew the Nizam and merged Hyderabad into the Indian Union on 17 September 1948, 13 months after Indian independence.[1][2][3][4]

History

India gained independence from British on 15 August 1947. After the partition, princely states were given the option to join either India or Pakistan. The Muslim ruler of Hindu majority state of Hyderabad, Osman Ali Khan, decided to remain independent. He also appealed to the United Nations that his princely state, which included current Marathwada and Telangana regions, be granted statehood. This sparked a rebellion in the State. During the revolt Marathwada saw major uprisings against the Razakars of Nizam. The main leaders of the revolt were Swami Ramanand Tirth, Govindbhai Shroff, Vijayendra Kabra, Ramanbhai Parikh and P H Patwardhan. The Indian government appeared anxious to avoid what it termed a "Balkanization" of the new country and was determined to integrate Hyderabad into the newly formed Indian Union.[5] Amidst the unrest the Indian government launched a military operation named Operation Polo which it termed a "police action". The operation itself took five days, in which the Razakars were defeated and Hyderabad was annexed.[6][7][8][9]

Celebrations

The Marathwada Liberation Day is a local holiday in Maharashtra. during the official celebrations the Indian National Flag is hoisted on offices of administration. People gather around the "Marathwada Liberation Day Monument" and pay tribute to the ones who were killed during the struggle for independence. Schools also hold rallies attended by students and teachers. Various seminars are organised to discuss social issues related to the economically backward region of Marathwada. The Governor also comes out to greet the local people on this occasion.[7][8][10][11]

Marathwada, Telangana and 4 districts of Karnataka were part of the former princely Hyderabad state. Since 1948, when Hyderabad annexed, 17 September has been celebrated as "Liberation day" by Maharashtra and Karnataka. However, as of now, the newly formed state Telangana does not celebrate it. Bhartiya Janata Party officials have demanded that Telangana Rashtra Samithi's government in Telangana declare it as "Liberation day" and give it an official status.[12]

See also

References

  1. "Governor greets people on Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din". Zeenews.india.com. Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  2. "Rediff On The NeT: Marathwada to celebrate Hyderabad liberation jubilee". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  3. "64th Marathwada Mukti Sangram day celebrated". Sakaaltimes.com. Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  4. "How the Nizam lost Hyderabad in 1948". The Hindu. 2012-08-14. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  5. Barbara D. Metcalf; Thomas R. Metcalf (2006). A Concise History of India (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521682251.
  6. Students' Britannica India. Popular Prakashan. 2000. pp. 135–. ISBN 978-0-85229-760-5.
  7. 1 2 "Veterans Recall Marathwada Liberation Struggle | Sep 18,2010". Outlookindia.com. Retrieved 2015-09-18.
  8. 1 2 "Celebrate Sept. 17 as Liberation Day: BJP". The Hindu. 2014-07-22. Retrieved 2015-09-18.
  9. Kate, P. V., Marathwada Under the Nizams, 1724–1948, Delhi: Mittal Publications, 1987, p.75
  10. "Governor greets people on Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din". Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  11. "Governor greets people on Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din". indiatoday.intoday.in. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  12. "Celebrate Sept. 17 as Liberation Day: BJP". The Hindu. 2014-07-22. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
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