Glimpses from the past

It was on 26th January 1950 that India became a truly sovereign state .Why? Well because the nationalists of the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress had unfurled our Tri-Colour Flag at midnight of December 31, 1929 taking a pledge that every year on January 26, the "Independence Day" would be celebrated and everyone would unceasingly strive for the establishment of a Sovereign Democratic Republic of India. The professed pledge was successfully redeemed on 26 January, 1950, when the Constitution of India framed by the Constituent Assembly of India came into force, although the Independence from the British rule was achieved on August 15, 1947. And hence August 15 is celebrated as Independence Day, while January 26 as Republic Day. The Indian Constituent Assembly met on December 9, 1946. The Assembly appointed a number of committees to report on the various aspects of the proposed constitution. The Indian Constitution was finalized with 395 Articles and eight Schedules, and was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. The Indian Republic officially came into being on January 26, 1950. January 26 was not some random date picked out of the calendar. It was on this date in 1927, that the Indian National Congress, then fighting its non-violent war for freedom, voted for complete independence as against 'dominion status'. It was the date when members of the INC took the pledge to work towards a 'sovereign democratic republic' of India. After the Constitution was written and adopted on November 1949, 26 January 1950 the following year was chosen as the day when India would finally arrive as a nation, complete with the lengthiest and the most detailed constitution in the world. Since than Republic day is celebrated all over the country. It was on 26th January 1950 that India became a nation in the true sense, with a constitution and elected representatives of the people. The first Republic Day on January 26, 1950 was a red letter day for Hyderabad, a proud moment, when joy and jubilation took over the people at large. It was a momentous occasion of unique glory – the inauguration of the Indian Republic, a day of rejoicing for the people of India and landmark on the international political map. On that memorable day all roads in Hyderabad led to the military parade ground. Men, women and children from various parts of the city wended their way to witness the ceremonial hoisting of the national flag. During the Nizam’s days, parades were held at Fateh maidan where the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s troops were garrisoned to vanquish the Qutb Shahi Kingdom of Golkonda. The Nizam used to take the salute on this ground specially on his birthday. But the Nizam had been dethroned on the State’s accession to the Indian Union till he became the Rajpramukh for a brief period till 1956 when Andhra Pradesh was formed and C. M. Trivedi, ICS, took over as the Governor of the newly created State. Hyderabad did not have an elected government on the first Republic Day. But it had a Chief Minister appointed by the Government of India, M K Vellodi, ICS, after major-General J N Chowdhary, the Military Governor, relinquished office giving place to a civilian government. But Vellodi retained the whole Cabinet – D S Bakhle, ICS, D R Pradhan, ICS,V S Rao, M Seshadri, P H Krishna Rao, Nawab Zain Yar Jung and Raja Dhonde Raj attended the first Republic Day parade if I remember correctly. The Chief Minister, M K Vellodi, took the salute at a colourful ceremony and displays of military mite before one of the largest congregations of men, women, students and children in their best attire. They waved the tri-colour flags, made of cloth or paper, raised slogans like "Indian Union Zindabad" and "Indian republic Zindabad". A colourful ceremony was held in the Jubilee Hall when His Exalted Highness, the Nizam of Hyderabad "proclaimed" the inauguration of the Indian Republic and took the oath of office as Rajpramukh of Hyderabad. The Nizam next hoisted the flag of the Indian Union a few yards away and resumed his seat when 20 guns were fired. About 500 prisoners were released a day earlier to mark the occasion. The poor were fed by the State and prisoners treated to special diet including fruits.