Marathwada Liberation Day
{{Short description|Observance in India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox holiday
|holiday_name = Marathwada Liberation Day
|type = Government
|image = File:Marathwada Freedom Fighters.jpg
|imagesize =
|caption = Side View of Marathwada Martyr Monument, Parbhani
|nickname =
|observedby =All districts of Sambhajinagar Division, Maharashtra, India
|litcolor =
|longtype =
|significance = Marathwada became part of India on 17 September 1948
|begins =
|ends =
|date = 17 September
|scheduling = same day each year
|duration = 1 day
|frequency = Annual
|celebrations = *Indian National Flag is hoisted in Marathwada
- Various Cultural and Social Programs related to issues of Marathwada
- Various Cultural Programs Held at RajgopalChari Uddyan, Parbhani
|observances =
|relatedto = Marathwada
}}
Marathwada Liberation Day, also known as Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din, is celebrated in Maharashtra on 17 September annually. It marks the anniversary of Marathwada's integration with India when the Indian military, liberated State of Hyderabad, and defeated the Nizam on 17 September 1948, 13 months after Indian independence.{{cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/maharashtra/governor-greets-people-on-marathwada-mukti-sangram-din_1798040.html |title=Governor greets people on Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din |work=Zeenews.india.com |date=16 September 2015 |accessdate=17 September 2015}}{{cite web|title = Rediff on the NeT: Marathwada to celebrate Hyderabad liberation jubilee|url = http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/aug/31hyd.htm|work = Rediff.com|accessdate = 25 October 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sakaaltimes.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsId=4755813807964463878&SectionId=5351696313519115080&SectionName=State&NewsTitle=64th+Marathwada+Mukti+Sangram+day+celebrated&fb_comment_id=573983925965182_6871026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515084459/http://www.sakaaltimes.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsId=4755813807964463878&SectionId=5351696313519115080&SectionName=State&NewsTitle=64th+Marathwada+Mukti+Sangram+day+celebrated&fb_comment_id=573983925965182_6871026 |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 May 2016 |title=64th Marathwada Mukti Sangram day celebrated |work=Sakaaltimes.com |accessdate=17 September 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/books/how-the-nizam-lost-hyderabad-in-1948/article3765710.ece |title=How the Nizam lost Hyderabad in 1948 |work=The Hindu |date=14 August 2012 |accessdate=25 October 2015}}
History
India gained independence from British on 15 August 1947. After the partition, princely states were given the option to join either India or Pakistan. The ruler of Hyderabad, Osman Ali Khan, decided to remain independent. He also appealed to the United Nations that his princely state, which included current Marathwada, Telangana, Kalyana-Karnataka region and Rajura, Korpana, Jiwati of Chandrapur, Vidharbha regions, be granted statehood. This sparked a rebellion in the State. During the revolt Marathwada saw major uprisings against the Razakars .{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}} The main leaders of the revolt were Swami Ramanand Tirth, Govindbhai Shroff, Vijayendra Kabra and Ramanbhai Parikh and P H Patwardhan. Bahirji Shinde was martyred at Aajegaon in the fight against Nizam.
The Indian government appeared anxious to avoid what it termed a "Balkanization" of the new country and was determined to integrate Hyderabad into the newly formed Indian Union.{{cite book| author1 = Barbara D. Metcalf| author2 = Thomas R. Metcalf|title = A Concise History of India|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=jGCBNTDv7acC| year = 2006 | edition = 2nd|publisher = Cambridge University Press| isbn = 978-0521682251}} Amidst the unrest the Indian government launched a military operation named Operation Polo which it termed a "police action". The operation itself took five days, in which the Razakars were defeated and Hyderabad was annexed.{{cite book|title=Students' Britannica India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ISFBJarYX7YC&pg=PA135|year=2000|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-0-85229-760-5|pages=135–}}{{cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/news/article/veterans-recall-marathwada-liberation-struggle/693881 |title=Veterans Recall Marathwada Liberation Struggle | Sep 18,2010 |work=Outlookindia.com |accessdate=18 September 2015}}{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/celebrate-sept-17-as-liberation-day-bjp/article6234540.ece | title=Celebrate Sept. 17 as Liberation Day: BJP | work=The Hindu | date=22 July 2014 | accessdate=18 September 2015}}Kate, P. V., Marathwada Under the Nizams, 1724–1948, Delhi: Mittal Publications, 1987, p.75
Related issues
Marathwada, Telangana and Kalyana-Karnataka were part of the former princely Hyderabad state. Since 1948, when Hyderabad annexed, 17 September has been celebrated as "Liberation day" by Maharashtra and Karnataka. Evidence of which is observed in Pandit Sunderlal Committee Report.
See also
{{Portal|India}}