SAMYUKTA MAHARASHTA

MOVEMENT
PRESENTATION BY DR RUTUJA HOLKAR
SAMYUKATA MAHARASHTRA MOVEMENT
• Samyukta Maharashtra Movement (Marathi: Sanyukta Maharashtra
Chalaval), commonly known as the Samiti, was an organisation
in India that advocated for a separate Marathi-
speaking state in Western India from 1956 to 1960.

•
FOUNDER
• Keshavrao Jedhe
• The Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti was founded on February 6, 1956
at an all-party meeting held in Pune under the leadership of
Keshavrao Jedhe. The movement united the city which was divided
on socio-political and geographical lines into western' and eastern'
parts.Apr
CRONOLOGY
• Jan 28, 1940: The samyukta mahasabha organization is formed in Bombay (now Mumbai)
to pursue the resolution passed at the literary meet.
• 1940-45: The demand of Maharashtra was postponed due to World War and Quit India
Movement.
• May 12, 1946: A resolution of Samyukta Maharashtra (Unified Maharashtra) is passed at
the literary meet in Belgaum, which is presided over by GT Madkholkar. A committee
comprising Madkholkar, DV Potdar, Shankarrao Deo, Keshavrao Jhede and SS Navre is
constituted to implement the resolution.
• Jul 28, 1946: The committee holds a conference, Maharashtra Ekikaran Parishad, in
Bombay, organized by SK Patil and presided over by Shankarrao Deo. Around 200
delegates from Maharashtra, south Maharashtra, Vidharbha and Marathwada are
present for the conference and resolution of Samyukta Maharashtra is passed after
Acarya Dada Dharmadhikari's proposal.
•
Dec 1946: People supporting the formation of state on linguistic lines hold a meeting in
New Delhi under leadership of Pattabhi Sitaramaiya.[citation needed]
April 13, 1947: The Akola pact is finalized between Shankarrao Deo and Madhav
Aney. It is decided that the Maharashtra Ekikaran Parishad will work on formation of
Samyukta Maharashtra including Western Maharashtra (Bombay Province) and C.P
and Berar Province commonly styled as Maha-Vidarbha.[citation needed]
Jun 17, 1948: The Union government appoints a commission to be headed by the
president of the constitutional council, SK Dhar, to study the formation of
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.
Dec 10, 1948: The Dhar commission submits its report opposing the formation of
states on linguistic lines, saying that such move will be against national interest.
Dec 1948: The Congress accepts the principle of the formation of the states on
linguistic lines at its Jaipur conclave. A committee comprising Pittabhi
Sitaramiya, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel is formed to reconsider this issue.
Oct 1953: The State of Andhra is formed.
Nov 4, 1953: Shankarrao Deo writes Nehru and demands formation of Samyukta
Maharashtra.
Dec 29, 1953: Union government constitutes the State Reformation Board under Fazal A
Aug 1954: Fazal Ali files report after touring Nagpur, Chanda, Akola, Amravati, Pune and
then Bombay
Oct 10, 1955: Fazal Ali's report is made public. The report suggests formation of two
states, Bombay and Vidharbha. Ali proposes Bombay with two divisions – Gujarat,
including Kutch and Saurashtra, and Maharashtra, including Marathwada. However, the
Samyukta Maharashtra Parishad opposes this proposal.
Oct 19, 1955: Nehru suggests formation of three states: Samyukta Maharashtra, includin
Vidharba and Marathwada; Maha Gujarat, including Kutch and Saurashtra and Bombay.
However, Shankarrao Deo and Dhananjay Gadgil suggest two states: Samyukta
Maharashtra, including Vidharbha, Marathwada and Bombay, and Maha Gujarat, includin
Kutch and Saurashtra.
Nov 8, 1955: Congress working committee accepts Nehru's tri-state formula.[citation needed]
Nov 18, 1955: The Left parties observe the strike in Bombay.
Nov 20, 1955: Morarji Desai and SK Patil hold rally at Girgaum Chowpatty challenging the supporters of Samyukta
Maharashtra.

Nov 21, 1955: The Left parties take a morcha (procession) to the state legislature, which the police try to stop. 106
people were shot by security forces during the period of agitation and at different places as the police open fire on
the morcha at Flora fountain (now known as Hutatma chowk) after some people throw stones. Chimanlal Sheth, a
reporter from the Gujarati daily Janmabhoomi, is killed while covering the morcha.

Nov 1955: Non-Congress political parties form the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti in Pune
.
Dec 1, 1955: Yashwantrao Chavan states that if he has to make a choice between Samyukta Maharashtra and
Nehru, he will choose Nehru.

Jan 16, 1956: Violent agitations follow Nehru’s announcement of making Bombay a union territory.

Jan 22, 1956: Union minister CD Deshmukh resigns from the Nehru’s cabinet and alleges that Nehru nurtures ill-
will towards Maharashtra.
Jun 3, 1956: Nehru declares Bombay a Union territory for five years, but refuses to
make the city capital of Maharashtra. He announces a high court and a public service
commission for Bombay, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Aug 10, 1956: Lok Sabha passes a resolution for bigger bilingual state of Bombay.
The state includes: Samayukta Maharashtra, including Bombay; and Maha Gujarat
including Kutch and Saurashtra.
Aug 31, 1956: Marathi majority taluks transferred to Adilabad, Medak, Nizamabad
and Mahaboobnagar districts of new Telugu State (now Telangana) and Karnataka
in 1956. Even today, the old town names of all these regions are Marathi names.

Transferred to Telangana (1) Alampur and Gadwal taluks of Raichur district and
Kodangal taluk of Gulbarga district; (2) Tandur taluk of Gulbarga district; (3)
Zahirabad taluk (except Nirna circle), Nyalkal circle of Bidar taluk and Narayankhed
taluk of Bidar district; (4) Bichkonda and Jukkal circles of Deglur taluk of Nanded
district; and (5) Mudhol, Bhiansa and Kuber circles of Mudhol taluk of Nanded
district; and (6) Adilabad district except Islapur circle of Boath taluk, Kinwat taluk
and Rajura taluk; and thereupon the said territories shall cease to form part of the
existing State of Hyderabad.

Transferred to Karnataka (1) Belgaum District (Marathi Majority) (2) Bijapur District
(Marathi Majority) (3) Gulbarga District (Marathi Majority) (4) Bidar District (Marathi
Majority) (5) Dharwar District (Marathi/Kannada) (6) Bagalkot District
(Marathi/Kannada) (7) Raichur District (Marathi/Kannada)
Nov 1956: Samayukta Maharashtra Samiti
starts satyagraha
Mar 28, 1960: Proposal of division of bigger bilingual state
of Bombay is put up in Lok sabha.[citation needed]
April 21, 1960: Lok sabha gives its approval for a divided
bigger bilingual state of Bombay.[citation needed]
May 1, 1960: Maharashtra is formed with Bombay as its
capital.
1999–Present: 40 years old dispute of Telangana state's claim over several villages in
Chandrapur district comes back to limelight. The Telangana High Court declared these
villages to be part of their state. In response, the Maharashtra government had moved
it to the Supreme Court, where its appeal is still pending. 14 villages in Jiwati taluk, 12
villages in Rajura taluk and 5 villages in Antapur of Chandrapur district are disputed
with Telangana State. They are revenue villages of Marazoda, Anarpally, Lakampur,
Ananthapur, Esagaon, Bolapathar, Gouri (D), Parandoli, Paraswada, Arkepally (D),
Karanjiwada, Kota, Mukadamguda, Maharajguda, Lendijala, Lendiguda, Indiranagar,
Yesapur, Narayanguda, Shankarloddi, Padmavathi and Janakpur, etc. sharing border
with Adilabad District of Telangana, which has laid claim on these areas. The
encroachment by Telangana is much attributed to its two humungous projects
Pranahita Chevella lift irrigation scheme and Icchampally project which are seen to
drain-out the water, land, people and agricultural resources of Vidarbha region.
The ongoing Telangana State Irrigation project Pranahita
Chevella lift irrigation scheme which is a project not in the
interest of Maharashtra. Maharashtra will be losing about
2123.4 hectares of land (which is severely under reported
by print media at 1500 Ha or even less).
The Telangana State Irrigation project Icchampally
Project which is a project not in the interest of Maharashtra.
Maharashtra will be losing 33,614 hectares of land which is
more than 100 villages.
2011–present: Disputes between Belgaum's Marathi-speaking leadership and the
Karnataka government became frequent. Matters came to a head in mid-2012,
when the Karnataka government actually superseded the Belgaum City Municipal
Corporation. The Maharashtra Legislature unanimously passed a resolution
against the move and demanded that Belgaum and the surrounding area
embroiled in a border dispute be placed under the rule of the Centre until
resolution of the dispute in the Supreme Court. Only in late 2011, the Belgaum
civic body was dismissed along with its Marathi-speaking mayor and deputy
mayor. From the 1960s, when the border dispute began, until 2015 the
Maharashtra legislature passed at least 18 resolutions against the Karnataka
government, calling its actions to crack down upon Marathi-speaking institutes
and people in Belgaum illegal and unjust. [5]
Samyukta Maharastra Samiti

The Samiti demanded the creation of a new state from Marathi-speaking areas of the State of
Bombay, a bilingual Marathi-Gujarati state, with the city of Bombay as its capital.

The Samiti achieved its goal when the state of Maharashtra was created on 1 May 1960. Members
continued to advocate for the inclusion of Marathi-speaking areas in northern Karnataka such
as Belgaum, Karwar, Dharwad and Bidar into Maharashtra, and the newly annexed state
of Goa until the 1967 Goa Opinion Poll rejected merger with Maharashtra.
HUTATMA CHOWK
The Samyukta Maharashtra Movement
organisation was founded on 6 February
1956, under the leadership of Keshavrao
Jedhe at Tilak Smarak Mandir in Pune.

The Samiti declared its Executive Council.

Comrade Shripad Amrut Dange as the
President. Dr. T. R.Naravane as Vice
President and S. M. Joshi as General
Secretary were selected.
CONTINUE…

Many of the Prominent activists of Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti were leftists

such as Shreedhar Mahadev Joshi, Shripad Amrit Dange, Narayan Ganesh Gore,
and Uddhavrao Patil. Other leaders included Maina Gawankar, Walchand
Kothari, Pralhad Keshav Atre, Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, Pandurang Mahadev
Bapat, Bhausaheb Raut, and Amar Shaikh, G. T. Madkholkar, Madhu Dandavate, Y.
K. Souni.

As a part of the campaign, P. K. Atre used his Maratha newspaper to criticise

Prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Morarji Desai (then chief minister of Bombay
state) and S.K. Patil, the Bombay Congress party politician who favored
separation of Bombay city from a linguistically reconstituted Maharashtra or
Gujarat.
The Indian National Congress had pledged to introduce linguistic states prior to
Independence.However, after Independence, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel were adamantly opposed to linguistic states.

They perceived linguistic states as a threat to the integrity of India.

For the first time and perhaps the only time, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its
chief Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar supported Nehru and Patel against redrawing of the
map along linguistic lines.

.
STATE REORGANISATION COMMITTEE

The catalyst to the creation of a States Re-organization Commission was

the fasting death of Telugu nationalist Potti Sriramulu.

In 1956, the SRC (States Re-organisation Committee) recommended

creation of linguistic states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka but
recommended a bi-lingual state for Maharashtra-Gujarat, with Bombay
as its capital but Vidarbha outside Maharashtra.

Further, they recommended the creation of Vidharba state to unite

the Marathi-speaking people of former Hyderabad state with Marathi-
speaking areas of Central Provinces and Berar state.
•.
MARTY’S CROSSROAD/HUTATMA CHOWK
• . On 21 November 1955, demonstrators were fired upon by the police at Flora
Fountain in the capital city of Bombay.
• Flora Fountain was subsequently renamed Hutatma Chowk or "Martyr's
Crossroad" in their memory.
• It is estimated that in all, 106 people were shot by security forces during the
period of agitation and at different places.
• Morarji Desai, who was the then chief minister of Bombay State was later
removed and replaced by Yashwantrao Chavan as a result of criticism related to
the 21 November incident.
• Nehru's speech dissenting with the SRC led C. D. Deshmukh, the then Finance
Minister of the Nehru Cabinet to resign his post in January 1956.
• This led to the creation of the predecessor movement Sanyukta Maharashtra
Parishad, inaugurated on 1 November 1956, causing a great political stir and,
under the leadership of Keshavrao Jedhe, a whole party meeting was held in
Pune and Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti was founded on 6 February 1956.
• In the second general election of 1957, the Samiti defeated the stalwarts of
Congress by securing 101 seats out of 133, including 12 from Bombay. The
Congress party could form a government only with the support
of Gujarat, Marathwada and Vidharba.
The catalyst to the creation of a States Re-organization Commission was the fasting death of Telugu
nationalist Potti Sriramulu.

In 1956, the SRC (States Re-organisation Committee) recommended creation of linguistic states of Andhra
Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka but recommended a bi-lingual state for Maharashtra-Gujarat, with Bombay as
its capital but Vidarbha outside Maharashtra.

Further, they recommended the creation of Vidharba state to unite the Marathi-speaking people of
former Hyderabad state with Marathi-speaking areas of Central Provinces and Berar state

.
The Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti achieved its goal on 1 May 1960, when the State of
Bombay was partitioned into the Marathi-speaking State of Maharashtra and the
Gujarati-speaking State of Gujarat.

However Goa (then a Portuguese colony), Belgaum, Karwar and adjoining areas, which
were also part of the Maharashtra envisaged by the Samiti, were not included in
Maharashtra state.

The prominent leaders of sanyukt maharashtra samiti decided to quit samiti after 1 May
1960, but the then chairman of the samiti Bhai Uddhavrao Patil continued his fight for
the 862 Marathi-speaking villages of Karnataka that were excluded in 1960.
Thank you