Hyderabad, 17 September (H.S.): Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Thursday said September 17, 1948, marked the conclusion of a decisive chapter in the history of independent India with the integration of the erstwhile Hyderabad State into the Indian Union.

Addressing the Hyderabad Liberation Day celebrations at Parade Grounds as the chief guest, Radhakrishnan said the occasion was not merely a commemoration of a historic date but also a reminder of the journey of nation-building and the values that continue to bind the country together. The Union Ministry of Culture had scheduled the main celebrations at Secunderabad Parade Ground with the Vice President as chief guest.

He said the history of Hyderabad reflected the challenges faced by a young nation in bringing together people who had emerged from different political circumstances. It was also a story of statesmanship, courage and sacrifice, followed by the continuing task of building a constitutional democracy in which every citizen has an equal place.

Recalling Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's contribution to national integration, the Vice President said Patel, as the first Home Minister and Minister for States, carried an extraordinary responsibility when India was recovering from Partition and consolidating the princely states into one Union.

Gandhi Ji and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Ji played a pivotal role in India's freedom. Sardar Patel Ji played a pivotal role in unifying princely states with modern-day India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji is now playing a pivotal role in the making of developed India - Viksit Bharat @ 2047, he said.

Paying tribute to the people who participated in the Hyderabad struggle, Radhakrishnan said students, intellectuals, writers, social workers, political activists, farmers and ordinary citizens had endured imprisonment, violence and personal hardship.

He paid homage to patriots including Ramji Gond, Turrebaz Khan and Komaram Bheem, saying their courage demonstrated that history was shaped not only by statesmen but also by ordinary citizens who stood against injustice.

Political integration can bring territories together; constitutional democracy brings citizens together, he said, stressing that national unity must be strengthened through equal rights, dignity and opportunity.

The Vice President said India's unity did not require uniformity, as citizens could speak different languages, follow different traditions, worship differently and hold different political views while remaining united by the Constitution and the principle that sovereignty ultimately belongs to the people.

He also acknowledged the role of the Central Armed Police Forces in national integration and safeguarding territorial integrity, besides their contribution to combating Left-Wing Extremism in Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and other affected areas.

Radhakrishnan visited the War Memorial and laid a wreath in tribute to the bravehearts. He also inspected the parade and witnessed the March Past and cultural performances.

He said the legacy of Hyderabad should remind the nation that integration must lead to inclusion and patriotism must ultimately find its highest expression in service to the nation.

Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar