Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir on Sunday said successive governments in the State had failed to recognise the significance of September 17 and celebrate it officially. Addressing a mammoth meeting titled Sankalp Sabha here, he said innumerable people had sacrificed their lives in the struggle against the despotic rule of the Nizam and his private army, Razakars.
“Neither the Congress then nor the TRS now has given importance to September 17. However, if the BJP comes to power in the State in next elections, it will celebrate the day as Telangana Liberation Day,” he said. Presiding over the meeting, BJP State president K. Laxman said the day had importance in three ways — it is the Telangana Liberation Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday and national labour day. Telangana people had waged a historic struggle against the last Nizam and liberated Hyderabad from his dictatorial rule, he said.
Questioning Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao why he was not officially celebrating the day, he accused the former of being under the influence of the MIM, forgetting his own demands during the statehood agitation days. He said KCR was insulting Telangana people with his family rule. Former Union Minister B. Dattatreya said statements of Telangana Home Minister Nayini Narasimha Reddy on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh were highly objectionable and indicate his political immaturity.
BJP floor leader in the Assembly G. Kishan Reddy, former Minister N. Janardhan Reddy, former MLA Y. Laxminarayana and party district president Palle Ganga Reddy spoke.
