Hyderabad: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will celebrate September 17 as National Integration Day with a bike rally and a public meeting in Hyderabad, party President Asaduddin Owaisi announced on Monday.
September 17 marks the integration of erstwhile Hyderabad State with the Indian Union. The Hyderabad MP said that the bike rally will start from Dargah Yousufain, Nampally, and will conclude at Hockey Grounds, Masab Tank, where the public meeting will be held. Owaisi, MIM floor leader in Telangana Assembly Akbaruddin Owaisi, and party legislators will participate in the rally and address the public meeting.
For the first time in its history, the AIMIM had last year celebrated September 17 as national integration and organized programs to mark the occasion. Telangana’s ruling party BRS (then TRS) also celebrated September 17 as National Unity Day.
Three-day celebrations were organized across the state. The National Unity Day celebrations by the TRS and the MIM were seen as counter to Hyderabad Liberation Day celebrated by the BJP. The Union Culture Ministry had organised a parade in Hyderabad which was addressed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Taking exception to the use of the word liberation, the MIM and the BRS organized the celebrations as National Unity or National Integration Day.
Hyderabad State acceded to India in 1948 following India’s military operation codenamed ‘Operation Polo’. During the celebrations last year, Asaduddin Owaisi had said that old wounds should not be re-opened. He quoted the Sunderlal Commission’s report which revealed that 40,000 people were killed in Police Action, as Operation Polo was popularly called.
Next Story:
Now you can get the latest stories from Hydnow every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Hydnow’s Facebook page and Twitter and Instagram