Warangal, Sept.15 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticized efforts to alter the historical significance of September 17, asserting that the date unequivocally marks “Telangana Liberation Day.” Speaking at a press conference held at K Convention Hall in Warangal, BJP Warangal District President Ganta Ravikumar and senior state leader Errabelli Pradeep Rao stated that the party will not tolerate attempts to distort history or diminish the sacrifices of nationalist freedom fighters for vote-bank politics.
Addressing reporters alongside BJP State Spokesperson Dr. Vannala Venkataramana and other senior leaders, party representatives emphasized that the struggle for liberation from the autocratic rule of the Nizam in 1948 must not be conflated with the subsequent Communist armed struggle. They noted that while the Telangana armed struggle persisted from 1946 to 1951, the integration of Hyderabad State into the Indian Union occurred on September 17, 1948, following military intervention. Attempting to merge these distinct historic events distorts facts and undermines the contributions of nationalist fighters who fought under the Indian national ideal.
The BJP leaders criticized the Congress-led state government’s decision to observe September 17 as “Praja Palana Dinotsavam” (People’s Governance Day), terming it a political maneuver to appease specific voter bases. The party presented five key demands which include officially celebrating September 17 as Telangana Liberation Day, incorporating the distinct histories of both the liberation movement and the armed struggle into educational curricula, honoring tragic historical events like the massacres at Parkal and Bhairanpally, recognizing all nationalist freedom fighters, and putting an end to political distortions of regional history.
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