Nizam, though an autocrat, was liberal
Firstly, it was not ‘Police Action’ but a ‘Military Action’ in Hyderabad State, codenamed ‘Operation Polo’.
After the Indian government failed to bring Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan on to their side, deputy PM Sardar Patel decided to march Indian forces into Hyderabad and annexe the state.
I was a 25-year-old, working as director of the religious affairs department, when the army moved in on September 17, 1948. My father Nawab Deen Yaar Jung was DGP and I was informed of the invasion by him, through the radio and by word of mouth.
The first thing that came to my mind was ‘why should Hyderabad be invaded?’ I was a Congressman but the invasion troubled me a lot. If India could achieve Independence through ahimsa, why use force against Hyderabad?
The Indian government had given three options to the Nizam — to remain an independent state, join Pakistan or join the Indian Union. This was incorrect. The correct course would have been to allow majority of the Muslim population to join Pakistan and for Hindus to remain in India.
I came to know that the Nizam was planning to join the Indian Union at an appropriate time but with certain terms and conditions. But before negotiations could take place, the Army invaded Hyderabad.
All this while, my father tried to maintain law and order in Hyderabad with reports that Kasim Razvi was trying to create trouble. My father spoke to him for 10 minutes and asked him not to create any problems. It worked.
It’s a fact that democracy is better than autocracy. But today’s democracy leaves me disappointed. Though the Nizam was an autocrat, he was liberal and all communities lived in harmony under his rule.
- Dr Hasnuddin AhmedRetired IAS officer, author and administrator
Next: Violent condition created by fanatics

Violent condition created by fanatics
1948 was the most tragic period in Hyderabad’s struggle for liberation. Although India got freedom on August 15, 1947, Hyderabad was still under the tyrannical rule of the Nizam. During this period, violent and intolerable conditions were created by unruly religious fanatics.
It was a strange phenomenon of dual rule. During the day, it was the rule of the government police and the MIM, while at night, it was the Communist rule (din ka sarkar, raat ka sarkar). Congress leaders like Burgula Rama Krishna Rao and Chenna Reddy toured villages under such anarchic conditions and encouraged people to face the situation bravely.
It was during this period that the Hyderabad State Congress gave a call to lawyers to boycott courts. The State Congress also asked people to protest and ensure that the government was paralysed. I was active in student Congress politics then. The Students Action Committee was also formed.
Socialist leader J.P. Narayana came to Hyderabad and addressed a public meeting at Karbala Maidan where he described the Nizam as another Mir Zafar. The next day, when he was to address a meeting in Raghunath Bagh, Section 144 was promulgated and Narayana was arrested and deported.
In spite of this, the meeting was held, where student leaders, including Sri Rammurthy Naidu, Baswaraju, Burgula and I spoke. All of us were arrested and later released.
On August 15, 1948, Flag Day was observed. Sangam Laxmibai, state Youth Congress leaders and I were attacked by the Razakars, but we still went to attend the flag hosting ceremony by K.M. Munshi, agent general of the Indian government.
Dr B. Babu Rao Varma, Former Member APPSC & National Commission for Backward Classes