HYDERABAD: On the eve of September 17, which commemorates the entry of the formerly Hyderabad State into the Indian Union, Telangana Unity Day celebrations got underway all over the state on Friday.

All of the state's Assembly districts held rallies to launch the year-long official celebrations of the golden jubilee that the state government had announced. At the rallies, ministers, MPs, state lawmakers, and other prominent figures emphasised the importance of unity.

At the rallies at constituency headquarters, thousands of students, young people, and women carried national flags. Three days of festivities officially started at this point. The three days will feature a range of programmes.

The national flag will be raised at the major ceremony, which will take place on Saturday in Hyderabad, by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. The national flag will be raised by ministers at the district headquarters.

Thirteen months after India's independence, on September 17, 1948, the princely State of Hyderabad joined the Indian Union.

After Nizam of Hyderabad had first refused to join the Indian Union, the Indian Army had conducted Operation Polo, which led to the admission.

Mahmood Ali, the state's minister of the interior, T. Srinivas Yadav, the minister of agriculture, and chief secretary Somesh Kumar were among the authorities who attended the rally marking Telangana Unity Day at People's Plaza in Hyderabad. K.T. Rama Rao, minister of industry and information technology, spoke to the crowd in Sircilla.

The Telengana Rastriya Samiti working president was referring to Hyderabad Liberation Day celebrations being organised by the Bharatiya Janata party.

KTR warned people about plans to polarise communities. He warned that Telangana might slip back several decades if people do not stay vigilant. As the state was established only after a protracted struggle, he claimed that Telangana was not new to strife. He recommended that BJP leaders and Union Ministers who were in Telangana bring money to the region.

We need to watch whether visiting Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Hyderabad would discuss money the federal government owes the state or use religion to incite violence, said K.T Rama Rao.

On September 17, Amit Shah will take part in Telangana Liberation Day events sponsored by the Union Culture Ministry in Hyderabad.

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