Andhra Lobby : Modern Day Asaf Jahis and The Issue of Celebrating Hyderabad Liberation Day

This 17^th September marks  the 63^rd anniversary of Hyderabad Liberation Day. It was on this day, Nizam Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII officially accedded the princely state of Hyderabad to the Union of India, relieving the people of Telangana from the clutches of his tyranny. It spelt a new beginning for socio-political and economic revival of the region.

62 years down the line, where does Telangana stand today? How successful have we been in the realms of economic development, political liberty and preservation of cultural heritage? How far did we traverse in realizing the dreams of our grandfathers?

Sadly, Telangana today appears unchanged from the state 62 years ago. It must be noted that there has been considerable progress post 1948, but when viewed from a larger perspective, comparing the development levels in Telangana with those of surrounding regions, Telangana appears untouched by development and progress. While Telangana prior to 1948 was an orphan, Telangana of 2010 is no more than a neglected child.

Regardless of the discrimination Telangana had to face from the successive governments, September 17^th always has been a day to cherish and celebrate for Telanganites. After all, it was this day when they became the proud citizens of world’s largest democracy.

Erstwhile Hyderabad State

While Hyderabad Liberation Day is celebrated officially in the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka(a few Kannada and Marathi speaking districts of erstwhile Hyderabad state were merged with current day Maharashtra and Karnataka during Reorganization of states,1956) the government of Andhra Pradesh intentionally turns a Nelson’s eye to the event, downplaying its historic importance. The nonchalant attitude of the Andhra inclined Govt to the thousands of appeals made during the past five decades to declare the day an official honour, reveals the step-motherly treatment towards Telangana by the Govt, which is predominantly constituted of  Andhra elected representatives.

And on this note, it makes me question how distinct are today’s Andhra biased rulers from Asaf Jahi kings (famously known as Nizams)? Surprisingly, we can hardly see a contrast between both the suppressors. Moreover, present day Telangana protests find themselves on the same track with the Telangana People’s Struggle against feudal lords between 1946 to1951.

 Asaf Jahi Kings built Hyderabad with the funds amassed by exploiting Telangana peasants .Current day Andhra biased rulers are minting money grabbing lands from the locals in the surrounding regions of Hyderabad in the name of SEZs and Outer Ring Road.

 Asaf Jahi kings deprived Telanganites of public offices by instituting Urdu as the official language and following the same route, Andhra biased Govt Representatives deemed the dialect of Telanganites incongruous for official correspondences. This is a shameless violation Gentlemen’s Agreement of 1956 and G.O.610 of 1985.

 Following the legacy of suppression of the Asaf Jahi kings,who had created a political wing, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (present day MIM) in the wake of Telangana People’s Struggle against feudal lords, the current day Andhra lobby created Samaikyandhra JAC as a counter to Telangana JAC.

Current day Andhra lobby have developed a powerful anti-Telangana media ring to ensure that only selective news will reach to public. The banning of Raj TV during Nizamabad bye-elections was a glaring testimony to the censorship of the Andhra Lobby. One is compelled to draw parallels to the strict censorship policy of the Asaf Jahi Nawabs to suppress the news of peasant revolution and smother the freedom of expression

 Asaf Jahi Kings deployed Razakar forces under the leadership of Qasim Rizvi  to torment and massacre revolutionaries. Their Andhra protégés reciprocated the same by engulfing the Osmania University Campus with thousands of police personnel, torturing students both physically and psychologically and registering false cases on them.

And the list of similarities between Asaf Jahi Monarchs and Andhra prone rulers never ceases to end.

Above all, the government’s outright denial to commemorate and celebrate the occasion of Telanganites’ inclusion into Indian Union is a blasphemy against democracy. It vehemently contradicts the spirit of independence.

The acutely reasonable argument Combined Andhra supporters table against the celebration of Hyderabad Liberation day is the claim that thousands of innocent Muslims were massacred post Operation Polo and that Telanganites’ should indeed mourn for their deaths on this day. But this argument dissipates as around a Million innocent lives were lost because of Partition of India. Should Indians also stop celebrating Independence Day? Should India, on every 15^th of August, weep and mourn and not rejoice its emancipation? Telanganites wish to celebrate their Indian identity on the Sep 17^th, while equally mourning the death of our brothers.

The governments’ Asaf Jahisque strategies towards the rightful demands of Telanganites and its contemptuous attitude towards September 17^th will only further consolidate the desire of a separate Telangana state among masses and if necessary, undertake another movement for Independence akin to the anti-Razakar movement of 1947-48.

Vive le Telangana libre!