Ramachandra Guha : Pg 320

The linguistic reorganisation of states

In India, during the British period, the organization of territories for administration was not based on any rational or a
broad principle. As pointed out by Mount Ford Report in 1918, organization was based on military or administrative
convenience, etc While doing so, the question of nearness to people to the administration or their likes were not
considered.

• Before Independence, division was made on the basis of 4 groups: (A) (B) (C) (D) Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

• Before Independence, demand for states based on linguistic approach started.

• Nehru and Patel opposed it fearing riots and problems.

• Protest started in Telugu speaking area for separate states

The All Parties Conference set up the Motilal Nehru Committee (1928) to look into the aspects of reorganization. It
supported the organization of regions on the linguistic principles. But the reorganization of the states cantered around four
principles of administrative convenience language, culture, development and unity.

The reorganization of the states based on language, a major aspect of national consolidation and integration, came to the
fore almost immediately after independence. The boundaries of provinces in pre-1947 India had been drawn in a
haphazard manner as the British conquest of India had proceeded for nearly a hundred years. No heed was paid to
linguistic or cultural cohesion so that most of the provinces were multi-lingual and multi-cultural. The interspersed
princely states had added a further element of heterogeneity.

During its struggle for freedom the INC had stated that each major linguistic group would have its own province. As
Gandhiji's dream of one nation did not materialize due to partition of India congress leader were sceptical about the future
division of states on the basis of language.

The partition of India resulted in the death of millions of people who were killed in riots. They feared that this may
happen if the country was divided on linguistic lines. Prime Minister Nehru and deputy PM Patel were against creation of
linguistic states.

This view of the leader brought disappointment to the Kannada, Malayalam and Marathi speakers, as they all looked
forward to having their own state.

The strongest protests came from Telugu speaking district of Madras presidency. There was great protest and demand for
the separate state of Telugu speaking people. In Oct 1952, the veteran Ghandian Potti Sriramulu went on hunger fast
demanding for formation of Andhra state to protect interest of Telugu speakers. He died.

After long protest 1st Oct 1953, new state of Andhra was created. Nehru appointed in August 1953 the States
Reorganization Commission (SRC), with Justice Fazi Ali, K.M. Panikkar and Hridaynath Kunzru as members.

The four principles that the State Reorganization Commission followed are:

1) Preservation and strengthening of the unity and security of India;

2) Linguistic and cultural homegeneity;

3) Financial, economic and administrative considerations; and

4) Successful working of the national plan.

The Commission had to operate within certain 'limiting factors' because it had to consider the multilingual situation. The
limiting factors were:

i) Not all the language groups are so placed that they can be grouped into separate states

ii) There are a large number of bilingual belts between different linguistic zones.

iii) There exist areas with a mixed population even within unilingual area.

Throughout the two years of its work, the Commission was faced with meetings, demonstrations, agitations, and hunger
strikes. It recommended province for Assamese, Bangali, Oriya, Tamil, Maliyalam, Kannada and Telugu Speakers
respectively.

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. On the basis of the Commission Report, the
system of A, B, C, D was abolished and 14 new states along with 6 new Union Territories were established.

Large speaking Hindi speaking was broken up in several states. In 1960 Bombay state was divided into separate state of
Marathi and Gujarati speakers. In 1966, the state of Punjab was divided in Punjab and Hariyana.

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
Following are the new states in India created after 1950.

Andhra Pradesh Created by the State of Andhra Pradesh Act 1953 by carving our some areas from the State of Chennai

Gujarat and The State of Mumbai was divided into two States i.e. Maharashtra and Gujarat by the Mumbai (Reorganisation) Act
Maharashtra 1960

Kerala Created by the State Reorganisation Act, 1956. It comprised Travancor and Cochin areas

Karnataka Created from the Princely State of Mysuru by the State Reorganisation Act, 1956. It was renamed Karnataka in 1973

Nagaland It was carved out from the State of Asom by the State of Nagaland Act, 1952

Haryana It was carved out from the State of Punjab by the Punjab (Reorganisation) Act, 1966

The Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh was elevated to the status of State by the State of Himachal Pradesh Act,
Himachal Pradesh
1970
 First carved out as a sub-State within the State of Asom by 23 Constitutional Amendment Act, 1969. Later in 1971, it
Meghalaya
received the status of a full-fledged State by the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act 1971

Manipura and Both these States were elevated from the status of Union-Territories by the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act
Tripura 1971

Sikkim was first given the Status of Associate State by the 35th Constitutional Amendment Act 1974. It got the
Sikkim
status of a full State in 1975 by the 36th Amendment Act, 1975

Mizoram It was elevated to the status of a full State by the State of Mizoram Act, 1986

Arunachal Pradesh It received the status of a full state by the State of Arunachal Pradesh Act, 1896

Goa was separated from the Union-Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu and was made a full-fledged State of Goa,
Goa
Daman and Diu Reorganisation Act 1987. But Daman and Diu remained as Union Territory

Chhattisgarh Formed by the Constitutional Amendment Act, 2000 by dividing Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000

Uttarakhand Formed by the Constitutional Amendment Act, 2000 by dividing Uttar Pradesh on November 9, 2000

Jharkhand Formed by the Constitutional Amendment Act, 2000 by dividing Bihar on November 15, 2000