The Nizam forced India's first home minister to order police action to merge the Hyderabad State with the Indian union, the current home minister said.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh praised the role played by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in shaping the geography of India after independence.
Speaking before flagging off the Run For Unity to mark the 139th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel in the city on Friday, Singh recalled the role played by the country's first Home Minister in uniting over 500 small states and kingdoms into the Indian union.
He said that all states were merged in an extremely peaceful manner. However, the last Nizam forced Sardar Patel to order police action to merge the erstwhile Hyderabad State with the Indian union.
BJP senior leaders including T Kishan Reddy, Bandaru Dattatreyya, Dr K Lakshman and other legislators were also present. (INN)