Maharashtra
is a land of rich cultural and
historical heritage. The great Shivaji Maharaj had carved out a empire which
was a people's state in a true sense. He created an awareness about our own
languages, our own state and its culture. And hence its created a unique
Marathi identity.
During
the time of freedom movement in Maharashtra the Marathi identity took its
concrete form due to the growth of nationalistic values among people. Freedom
fighters like Lokmanya Tilak cited various examples of glorious Marathi past
and the great Marathi King Shivaji. While explaining the unjust partition of
Bengal by lord Curzon he compare it with Afjal Khan's murder by Chatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj.
After
Independence various regions in India were demanding states on linguistic
basis. In Maharashtra demand of separate state of Marathi speaking people was
being raised since 1946 . A Samyukta(United) Maharashtra Movement started for
this purpose on 28th July 1946.
British
created provinces for their administrative convenience. There were 11 provinces
during the British rule and they were carved out randomly according to their
presidency, there was no any linguistic criterion for creation any province.
But this type of demarcation has created many administrative problems due to
different languages. Hence Indian National Congress which a only united voice of Indians demanded
linguistic states as there are many languages spoken in different part of
India. British also extended their support to this demand.
Demands
for Linguistic states
Demands
for separate state on linguistic basis were being raised from throughout the
country. After Bengal partition of 1905 Congress has extended its support for
linguistic states. It formed provincial committees for Bihar and Sindh in 1908
and 1917 respectively. Telugu speaking population of Madras province stated
taking meeting and organizing various campaigns for the demand of separate
state.
Nagpur
session of Congress(1921) was remembered for many historic changes. At this
session Mahatma Gandhi has presented a resolution for formation of linguistic states. Nehru report of 1928 also
demanded state reorganization on linguistic basis. 1937 election manifesto of
Congress also presented promises of different linguistic states.
The
Drafting commission of Constituent Assembly had set up a commission under the
chairmanship of Justice S.K Dar for
state reorganization on linguistic basis.
Dar
Commission
This
commission consist of Justice SK Dar as a chairman and shri Pannalal and Shri
Jagat Narayan Lal as members. They took up a tour of whole India interviewing
people and presented their report in 1948. They rejected the idea of linguistic
state cited the reason that their is no urgent need of it. Suggested Mumbai to
be kept separate from Maharashtra or Gujarat. Congress criticized this report
in its Jaipur Session. As no solution has been found on this issue a new
commission had been formed with Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel and Pattabhi Siddharamaiya
popularly known as JVP committee.
JVP
committee
This
committee presented its report on 5th April 1949. It accepted demand for
linguistic states but also told that its not a right time to do this.
Maharashtra will be separated but will not include Mumbai in it. Varhad part
will not be separated.
A proposal for separation of Mumbai from
Maharashtra had created a wave of resentment throughout the Maharashtra . On
November 1949 Acharya P.K Atre and Bhandari had presented a demand in Mumbai
Municipal Corporation for "United
Maharashtra along with Mumbai".
State
reorganization commission
It
suggested 14 states and 6 Union territories. A separate state of Bombay will be created consisting Marathi and Gujrati speaking regions. Both
Marathi and gujrati speaking peoples were disappointed with this and they
started demanding their own state . As a result of mass movement against such
unjust demarcation a State of Maharashtra along with Mumbai came into existence
on 1st may 1960
Samyukta
Maharashtra Movement
A
movement for separate state for Marathi speaking people gradually grew its
strength after the Independence. All people belonging to different caste and
religion united under the common demand of separate state for them. Central
government had tried to suppress these demand by stating that it will affect
the unity of the nation. People followed a non violence path during this
movement. Different states on linguistic background were created in India after
the independence. Only telugu and Marathi speaking regions had to fight a very
long struggle for this. On 1st May 1960 Maharashtra with Mumbai became Indian
state. But some villages which were willing to be part of Maharashtra and also
voted for it had gone to Karnataka.
Fighters
of United Maharashtra
Various March, meetings and movements came up
during the last stage of the movement. Some leaders like Morarji Desai, S K
Patil were against the demand for separate state for Marathi speaking
population .
People's movements
As
Morarji went up to present a proposal of three state partition of Bombay people
unite to fight against such a move. Senapati Bapat organized a huge rally on
Vidhansabha . On 21th November 1955 Morarji Desai said in rally organized at
Chaupathi that Mumbai will not be given to Maharashtra if people don’t stop the
violent way.
On
21st November 1955 workers in Mumbai went on a strike and gather at a oval stadium of Mumbai. Desai announced curfew
to curb the worker’s strike. Police open fired on workers in which 15 martyred
and 300 people were injured.
On
16th January 1956 Prime minister Nehru has announced the Government’s decision
about the state reorganization which
contain Mumbai as a union territory and
Maharashtra and Gujarat two separate state. This had increased the anger of
people and they went on to road to protest. Desai government again fired on
protesting people resulting in death of nearly 106. Various leaders like
Prabhodhankar Thackeray, S M Joshi, Shripad Dange, Datta Deshmukh etc had
toured whole Maharashtra and made people aware about the demand for separate
state. Many newspapers and magazines like Nava Kal, Sakal, Prabodhan, Maratha,
Navyug, also supported the cause and
helped to spread the idea.
Dr B R Ambedkar also supported the demand for
united Maharashtra. He said that Mumbai is an integral part of Maharashtra and
if any state with Marathi as a linguistic basis is being made then Mumbai must
also be a part of it.
Formation
of Maharashtra
On 1st May 1960 Maharashtra state came into
being with 26 districts divided into four divisions of Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and
Aurangabad.
Even after the long struggle Belgaon, Nipani,
Bhalki , and Dang could be the part of state.
Yashwantrao
Chavan became the first Chief minister of
Maharashtra with Mumbai as its capital
Peoples
from various sections of society had participated in this movement. Students,
workers, farmers, Writers, political leaders and women were part of this
historic movement. If Maharashtra is ahead today from most of the states of
India then its credit goes to its founding father who made Maharashtra a
progressive and a forward looking state
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