The case for linguistic states as administrative
units was very strong. Language is closely related to culture and
therefore to the customs of people. Besides, the massive spread of
education and growth of mass literacy can only occur through the medium
of the mother tongue. Nehru appointed in August 1953 the States
Reorganization Commission (SRC), with Justice Fazi Ali, K.M. Panikkar
and Hridaynath Kunzru as members, to examine ‘objectively and
dispassionately’ the entire question of the reorganization of the states
of the union. Throughout the two years of its work, the Commission was
faced with meetings, demonstrations, agitations, and hunger strikes.
Different linguistic groups clashed with each other, verbally as well
as sometimes physically. The SRC submitted its report in October 1955.
While laying down that due consideration should be given to
administrative and economic factors, it recognized for the most part the
linguistic principle and recommended redrawing of state boundaries on
that basis. The Commission, however, opposed the splitting of Bombay and
Punjab. Despite strong reaction to the report in many parts of the
country, the SRC's recommendations were accepted, though with certain
modifications, and were quickly implemented.
The States
Reorganization Act was passed by parliament in November 1956. It
provided for fourteen states and six centrally administered territories.
The Telengana area of Hyderabad state was transferred to Andhra;
merging the Malabar district of the old Madras Presidency with
Travancore-Cochin created Kerala. Certain Kannada-speaking areas of the
states of Bombay, Madras, Hyderabad and Coorg were added to the Mysore
state. Merging the states of Kutch and Saurashtra and the
Marathi-speaking areas of Hyderabad with it enlarged Bombay state.
The strongest reaction against the SRC's report and the States
Reorganization Act came from Maharashtra where widespread rioting broke
out and eighty people were killed in Bombay city in police firings in
January 1956. The opposition parties supported by a wide spectrum of
public opinion—students, farmers, workers, artists, and
businesspersons—organized a powerful protest movement. Under pressure,
the government decided in June 1956 to divide the Bombay state into two
linguistic states of Maharashtra and Gujarat with Bombay city forming a
separate, centrally administered state. This move too was strongly
opposed by the Maharashtrians.
Nehru now vacillated and,
unhappy at having hurt the feelings of the people of Maharashtra,
reverted in July to the formation of bilingual, greater Bombay. This
move was, however, opposed by the people both of Maharashtra and
Gujarat. The broad-based Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti and Maha Gujarat
Janata Parishad led the movements in the two parts of the state. In
Maharashtra, even a large section of Congressmen joined the demand for a
unilingual Maharashtra with Bombay as its capital; and C.D. Deshmukh,
the Finance Minister in the Central Cabinet, resigned from his office on
this question. The Gujaratis felt that they would be a minority in the
new state. They too would not agree to give up Bombay city to
Maharashtra. Violence and arson now spread to Ahmedabad and other parts
of Gujarat. Sixteen persons were killed and 200 injured in police
firings.
In view of the disagreement over Bombay city, the
government stuck to its decision and passed the States Reorganization
Act in November 1956.
