AIMIM to celebrate Sep 17 as national integration day

September 17 marks the integration of erstwhile Hyderabad State with the Indian Union

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.

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For the first time in its history, the MIM had last year celebrated September 17 as national integration and organised programmes to mark the occasion. Telangana’s ruling party BRS (then TRS) had also celebrated September 17 as national unity day.

Three-day celebrations were organised 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 word liberation, the MIM and the TRS organised 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 Sunderlal Commission’s report which revealed that 40,000 people were killed in Police Action, as the Operation Polo was popularly called.