Yogi Adityanath (left pic) warned Asaduddin Owaisi (right pic) saying, "If BJP comes to power, I assure you Owaisi will have to flee from Telangana the same way Nizam (centre) was forced to flee from Hyderabad."

In the run up to the polls in Telangana, the verbal slug fest among politicians has gotten murkier. The latest duel is between Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi.

Yogi Adityanath on Sunday in an election campaign in Vikarabad, Telangana, warned Owaisi by saying, "If BJP comes to power, I assure you Owaisi will have to flee from Telangana the same way Nizam was forced to flee from Hyderabad."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Hyderabad: If BJP comes to power I assure you Owaisi will have to flee from Telangana the same way Nizam was forced to flee from Hyderabad. #TelanganaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/xwdcObSBQQ ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2018

Owaisi slammed Yogi saying, "He (yogi) has zero knowledge in history Nizam never fled from Hyderabad."

This triggered a hot debate on social media over the Hyderabad Nizam, many pointed out that Yogi's claim was "wrong".

India Today Fact Check found the seventh and the last Nizam of Hyderabad had surrendered to Indian forces but never fled from Hyderabad, as claimed by Yogi Adityanath.

After independence in 1947, Hyderabad was one among other independent princely states. The seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan chose neither to accede to India nor Pakistan but to remain independent.

He tried to remain independent by maintaining a status-quo with the Indian government. But the internal situation in Hyderabad deteriorated with various political upsurges forcing the Nizam to join the Indian union.

The loyal forces of Nizam called "the Razakars" tried to contain these political movements against the Nizam by force but it resulted in more communal unrest in the princely state.

As all efforts by the Indian government to persuade the Nizam to accede to the dominion failed, India decided to send troops to Hyderabad on September 13, 1948.

The name of this military operation to annex Hyderabad with India was called "Operation Polo". The Nizam surrendered in four days, and the Government of India appointed Major-General JN Chaudhuri as Military Governor.

According to a researcher of International history in London School of Economics and Political Science, Dr Taylor C Sherman, "Delhi decided that the Nizam could retain his position as Rajpramukh, though law-making and enforcement power rested with the Military Governor."

Rajpramukhs were appointed Governors of certain provinces and states in India. The sequence of events can be read in Dr Sherman's detailed research on the accession of Hyderabad. The paper is called - "The integration of the princely state of Hyderabad and the making of the postcolonial state in India, 1948-56".

These same facts are also confirmed by scholar historian professor Arjun Rao Kuthadi - the head of the history department of Osmania University, Hyderabad.

Professor Kuthadi clarified, "Though the Nizam initially refused to join Indian union but later chose to do so after India's military action, he surrendered but never fled from Hyderabad even after the police action."

The historic records of "The Hyderabad Police Action" has been documented by the Indian Army as well.

But nowhere is it found that the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan had ever fled Hyderabad.

The Nizam remained the Rajpramukh of the State from 26 January 1950 until 31 October 1956, when the post was abolished.

Mir Osman Ali Khan died on 24 February 1967, which was a Friday. But unlike other Nizams, the last Nizam was buried beside his mother, in the graveyard of Judi Mosque facing King Kothi Palace, Hyderabad.

Once named as the richest man in the world by Time magazine, the seventh Nizam is also known as the architect of modern Hyderabad.

Also read: Owaisi will flee Hyderabad like Nizam did if BJP comes to power in Telangana: Yogi

Also read: Modi isn't god, criticising him is constitutional right: Owaisi tells Adityanath

Watch: Polarisation in Telangana: Calculated move to divide communities?

INDIA TODAY FACT CHECK





Claim If BJP comes to power, I assure you Owaisi will have to flee from Telangana the same way Nizam was forced to flee from Hyderabad. Conclusion The Nizam never fled Hyderabad. JHOOTH BOLE KAUVA KAATE The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie. 1 Crow: Half True

2 Crows: Mostly lies

3 Crows: Absolutely false