Hyderabad: Telangana People’s Governance Day, dubbed as ‘Telangana Praja Palana Dinotsavam‘ was celebrated by the state government officials on the occasion of September 17, the anniversary of the erstwhile Kingdom of Hyderabad ceding itself to the Indian Union in 1951.
The celebratory events in Hyderabad were led by the Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy and were held at the Public Gardens, Hyderabad. In other districts, the event was led by top administrative officials including district collectors.
The chief minister visited Gun Park, where he paid respect to the martyrs of the Telangana Rebellion, before leaving for Public Gardens, Hyderabad during the morning hours of Tuesday, September 17, to take part in the rest of the festivities.
Chief minister Revanth Reddy hoisted the national flag at the Public Garden and oversaw a march past conducted by the Telangana police corps. He said that the decision to observe September 17 as People’s Governance Day is an effort to inspire the four crore people in the state with the spirit of Telangana’s Armed Rebellion.
He said that the map of Telangana looks similar to a clenched fist, which could signify the history of people’s struggle in the creation of Telangana.
Revanth Reddy, during the event, recalled recognising ‘Jaya Jayahe Telangana‘ as the official anthem of the state, building a statue of Telangana Thalli, the symbolic mother of Telangana, introducing state awards in the name of the state’s beloved love singer Gaddar, in efforts to give the state a new, but strong cultural identity.
The event is a rebranded version of the National Integration Day introduced by the previous BRS-led state government to celebrate the integration of the state of Hyderabad into India.
On the other hand, the BJP terms the day as ‘Telangana Liberation Day’ and is seen as an attempt to manipulate historical narratives for political gain. By framing the day as a liberation from princely rule, the BJP is accused of oversimplifying and politicizing a complex historical event.
The Revanth Reddy-led Congress government aims to shift the focus from that narrative, and mark the day by adding a good governance aspect for the people in Telangana.
The new celebration is trying to remind the people about the Telangana rebellion, a people’s movement that fought against the Zamindari system existed during Nizam rule, while shifting the focus from the narrative of violence and massacres that took place during Hyderabad’s annexation to the Indian union.
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