Disputed Image Shows Razakars’ Flag, Not Official Hyderabad State Flag

In a case of historical misinformation gaining traction online, fact-checkers have debunked claims about a supposed “official flag” of the former princely state of Hyderabad. The black-and-white image circulating across social media platforms shows a uniformed soldier holding a flag with a crescent moon and star, purportedly representing Hyderabad State before India’s 1948 military intervention.

The image, shared by multiple Facebook accounts with captions identifying it as “Hyderabad official flag before 1948 Operation Polo,” has misled viewers about an important period in the subcontinent’s post-independence history.

NewsMeter, following an investigation into the claim, determined that the flag depicted in the viral image was never the official state flag of Hyderabad under the Nizam’s rule. Instead, the banner belongs to the controversial Razakars, a paramilitary militia aligned with the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) that actively supported the Nizam’s resistance to integration with the newly independent India.

Operation Polo, also known as “Police Action,” was a military intervention launched by the Indian government in September 1948. The operation aimed to incorporate the princely state of Hyderabad, which had declared independence rather than joining either India or Pakistan after the British withdrawal from the subcontinent. The five-day operation resulted in Hyderabad’s integration into the Indian Union.

Historical records provide clear documentation of Hyderabad State’s actual official banner during the final years of the Nizam’s rule (1947-1948). The authentic state flag, known as the Asafia flag, featured a yellow or saffron background with green horizontal bands. It contained Arabic inscriptions including “Al Azmatulillah” (Greatness belongs to God), “Ya Uthman” (referencing the Ottoman Caliphate), and “Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah” (the title of Hyderabad’s rulers).

Through reverse image searches, fact-checkers traced the viral photo to a series published by Telugu news outlet Sakshi commemorating Operation Polo and Telangana Liberation Day. Within that series, the same photograph appears with proper attribution, clearly identifying the flag as belonging to the Razakars militia led by Qasim Razvi.

The Razakars played a controversial role during Hyderabad’s transition period. Following India’s independence in 1947, when Nizam Osman Ali Khan initially resisted joining the Indian Union, the Razakars emerged as a powerful force supporting his stance. Under Qasim Razvi’s leadership, the militia became notorious for its campaign against those supporting integration with India, particularly targeting Hindu villages in the region.

This historical context is crucial for understanding why the misattribution of the flag is problematic. The Razakars militia’s actions during this period remain a sensitive topic in the region’s history, with historical accounts documenting violence against civilians in the months preceding Operation Polo.

The confusion between official state symbols and those of partisan militia groups highlights the importance of careful historical documentation, especially regarding complex periods of political transition. As regional histories continue to be discussed and debated in digital spaces, such distinctions become increasingly important for accurate public understanding.

Historians emphasize that proper identification of historical symbols is essential for understanding the political complexities of the immediate post-colonial period in South Asia, when numerous princely states navigated their futures amid competing visions of national identity and sovereignty.