Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s remarks on Nizam-era administration have triggered a fresh political controversy in the state. Speaking during an Assembly discussion, Revanth Reddy highlighted administrative and developmental aspects of the Nizam period, including revenue management and investments in infrastructure and public institutions.
The comments came around September 17, Hyderabad Liberation Day, a date associated with the integration of the erstwhile Hyderabad State into the Indian Union in 1948. Different political parties in Telangana use different terminology and approaches to commemorate the historical event.
BJP leaders, including Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, as well as Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao, criticised Revanth Reddy’s remarks. They pointed to the historical resistance against Nizam rule and the violence associated with the Razakar period, questioning the characterisation of the administration as effective or beneficial.
The controversy has once again brought Telangana’s history, the Nizam era and Hyderabad’s integration with India into the centre of political debate. The exchange also reflects differing interpretations among political parties about how the events of 1948 should be remembered and described.
His comments drew criticism from senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao. They questioned the positive characterization of the Nizam-era administration and pointed to the resistance movements and violence associated with the final years of Nizam rule and the Razakar period
Kishan Reddy, speaking at a September 17 government event, questioned why several prominent figures of the Telangana resistance had fought against the Nizam if the administration was as effective as described. He also referred to Operation Polo, through which Hyderabad State was integrated into the Indian Union in 1948.
The controversy has also highlighted the different political approaches to September 17. The BJP observes the occasion as Hyderabad Liberation Day, while the Telangana Congress government uses the name Praja Palana Dinotsavam, and the previous BRS government referred to it as Telangana National Integration Day.
The issue has therefore moved beyond Revanth Reddy’s comments on historical administration and become part of a wider political discussion over Telangana’s history, the Nizam period, the Razakar movement and the events surrounding Hyderabad’s integration with India. Different political parties continue to present contrasting interpretations of this historical period.