Pre Independence

• In 1917,  Congress Party had committed itself to the creation of linguistic provinces in a Free India.
• Nagpur Session in 1920, principle was formalized with the creation of provincial Congress Committees of linguistic zones.

At time of Independence

Post Independence

Dhar Commission

• Why :  Marathi speaking Congress members raised the pitch for separate Maharashtra State. Following this demand, other language speaking people too demands a separate state for them.
• Hence, Constituent Assembly in 1948 appointed the Linguistic Provinces Commission, headed by Justice S.K. Dhar, to enquire into the desirability of linguistic provinces.
• Dhar Commission advised against this at that time reason being it might threaten national unity and also be administratively inconvenient.

JVP Committee

• Why : Clamor for linguistic states again got momentum. To appease the vocal votaries of linguistic states, the congress appoints a committee (JVP) in December 1948 consisting of Nehru, Sardar Patel and Pattabhi Sitaramayya to examine the question afresh.
• Recommendation : Language can’t be considered basis for State Reorganisation

Post JVP Committee + Formation of Andhra Pradesh

• The demands for separate state on the linguistic basis didn’t subside.
• Speakers of Telugu asked the congress to implement its old resolution in favour of linguistic states.  Madras CM T Parkasam resigned from Congress + various street marches, petitions & hartals carried out
• On 19 October 1952, a popular freedom fighter, Potti Sriramulu undertook a fast unto death over the demand for a separate Andhra and expired after 58 days. After his death people were agitated and it was followed by rioting, demonstrations, hartals and violence all over Andhra.  Vishalandhra movement turned violent.
• Finally, the then PM, Nehru announced the formation of a separate Andhra State in December 1952.

State Re-organisation Commission (SRC), 1953

• Why : formation of Andhra Pradesh spurred the struggle for making of other states on linguistic lines . Hence SRC was made with justice Fazl Ali, K.M. Panikkar and Hridaynath Kunzru as members
• Recommendation – Accepted language as basis for reorganisation of states. But rejected the theory of ‘one language one state. ‘ + Financial, economic & administrative considerations,  planning & welfare of people should also to be taken into account
• States Reorganization Act was passed by parliament in November 1956. It provided for 14 states and 6 centrally administered territories.
• SRC opposed the splitting of Bombay & Punjab.

Maharashtra & Gujarat

• Strongest reaction against SRC‘s report came from Maharashtra, where widespread rioting took place. To fulfill their demand of separate Marathi speaking people’s state, there was the broad based Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti and on the other hand in Bombay state, there was Maha Gujarat Janata Parishad led the movement for Gujarati people.
• Government finally agreed in May 1960 to bifurcate the state of Bombay into Maharashtra, Gujarat with Bombay city being included in Maharashtra and Ahmedabad being made the capital of Gujarat.

Punjab

• Other state where an exception was made to the linguistic principle was Punjab as SRC concluded that Punjabi is not a language as it is not linguistically different from Hindi
• In 1956, the state of PEPSU had been merged with Punjab, which remained a trilingual state having three language speakers-Punjab, Hindu and Pahari within its border
• In the Punjabi speaking part of the state, there was a strong demand for carving out a separate Punjabi Suba (Punjabi Speaking State). This demand got communal overtones.
  • Akali Dal led Sikh Communalists
  • Jan Sangh led Hindu communalists.
• Finally in 1966, Indira Gandhi agreed to the division of Punjab into two Punjabi and Hindi speaking status of Punjab and Haryana, with the Pahari speaking district of Kangra being merged with HP.

Sikkim Case

• Till 1947 , Sikkim ruled by Chogyal Dynasty & after that became protectorate of India ie GoI assumed responsibility of defence , external affairs & communication of Sikkim
• In 1974 , Sikkim expressed desire for greater association with India
• 35th Constitutional Amendment created new class of statehood and Sikkim was given status of Associate state with inclusion of Article 2A and 10th Schedule (terms & conditions of association ) inserted
• In 1975 , via referendum people voted for abolition of Chogyal Dynasty & Sikkim became integral part of india .
• Under 36th Amendment , Sikkim became full state ie 22nd state of India. Amended 1st & 4th  Schedule & added Article 371F providing special provisions for Sikkim
• The integration  of  Sikkim  to  India  was  unique  as  it  involved  a  complex  process  of  a  host  of  treaties. The  integration  followed  a  gradual  process  one  after  another.

Goa Case

• Prolonged rule of British empire came to an end in 1947 but Portugal refused to withdraw from the territories of Goa, Diu and Daman
• People of Goa were suppressed by Portuguese misrule and they were denied of basic civil rights to them, Portuguese carried out coerced religious conversions as well.
• Initially, the Government of India, tried to convince the Portuguese to vacate these territories
•  After denial of Portuguese to vacate the territories, the Indian army on the orders of Government of India, liberated the territories within the two days of armed action.

Issue post merger with India

• After this liberation, another thorny issue emerged in Goa
  • • Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party [MGP] desired that Goa should be merged with Maharashtra.
    • United Goan Party (UGP ) wanted to retain their separate identity & their culture essentially their Konkani language.
• In 1967, Government of India initiated a move to resolve this issue. It undertook an “Opinion Poll” in Goa whether it should be merged with Maharashtra or remains separate. This was the only occasion where this kind of referendum like process was undertaken to ascertain people’s desire on a particular subject. The overwhelming majority of the people favored Goa to remain, separate from Maharashtra.
• For a longer time, Goa remained a Union Territory, but Finally Goa became a state of the Indian Union.

(Order important for Prelims)