Jan 28, 1940: The
samyukta mahasabha organization is formed in
Bombay
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
(now
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
) to pursue the resolution passed at the literary meet.
1940-45: The demand of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
was postponed due to World War and
Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Kranti Movement, was a movement launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi on 8th August 1942, during World War II, demanding an end to British rule in ...
.
May 12, 1946: A resolution of ''Samyukta Maharashtra'' (Unified Maharashtra) is passed at the literary meet in
Belgaum
Belgaum (ISO 15919, ISO: ''Bēḷagāma''; also Belgaon and officially known as Belagavi) is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka located in its northern part along the Western Ghats. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous ...
, which is presided over by
Gajanan Tryambak Madkholkar
Gajanan Tryambak Madkholkar (Marathi: गजानन त्र्यंबक माडखोलकर) (December 28, 1900 – November 27, 1976) was a Marathi novelist and a literary critic from Maharashtra, India.
Early life
Madkholkar wa ...
. A committee comprising GT Madkholkar, DV Potdar,
Shankarrao Deo
Shakarrao Deo aka Nanasaheb Deo was the founder of Satkaryottejak Sabha. He was a member of Constituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to frame the Constitution of India. It was elected by the 'Provincial As ...
,
Keshavrao Jedhe
Keshavrao Marutrao Jedhe (Deshmukh) (25 April 1896 – 12 November 1959) was an Indian independence activist and politician from Pune. He served as a leading figure in the Indian National Congress, and in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement durin ...
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
Shakarrao Deo aka Nanasaheb Deo was the founder of Satkaryottejak Sabha. He was a member of Constituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to frame the Constitution of India. It was elected by the 'Provincial As ...
. Around 200 delegates from Maharashtra, south Maharashtra, Vidharbha and
Marathwada
Marathwada () is a proposed state and geographical region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was formed during the Nizam's rule and was part of the then Hyderabad State. The region coincides with the Aurangabad division of Maharashtra. ...
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.
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.
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
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
,
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
and
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
.
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
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat—
*
*
*
* and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
and
Vallabhbhai Patel
Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel (; ; 31 October 1875 – 15 December 1950), commonly known as Sardar, was an Indian lawyer, influential political leader, barrister and statesman who served as the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of I ...
is formed to reconsider this issue.
Oct 1953: The State of Andhra is formed.
Nov 4, 1953:
Shankarrao Deo
Shakarrao Deo aka Nanasaheb Deo was the founder of Satkaryottejak Sabha. He was a member of Constituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to frame the Constitution of India. It was elected by the 'Provincial As ...
writes Nehru and demands formation of ''Samyukta Maharashtra''.
Dec 29, 1953: Union government constitutes the State Reformation Board under Fazal Ali.
Aug 1954: Fazal Ali files report after touring
Nagpur
Nagpur (pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, aːɡpuːɾ is the third largest city and the winter capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the 13th largest city in India by population and according to an Oxford's Economics report, Nag ...
,
Chanda
Sanskrit prosody or Chandas refers to one of the six Vedangas, or limbs of Vedic studies.James Lochtefeld (2002), "Chandas" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A-M, Rosen Publishing, , page 140 It is the study of Metre (poetr ...
,
Akola
Akola () is a municipal corporation and the third largest city in Vidarbha after Nagpur and Amravati and tenth largest city in Maharashtra. is located about east of the state capital, Mumbai, and west of the second capital, Nagpur. Akola ...
,
Amravati
Amravati (pronunciation (help·info)) is the second largest city in the Vidarbha region and ninth largest city in Maharashtra, India. It is administrative headquarters of Amravati district and Amravati division which includes Akola, Buldha ...
,
Pune
Pune (; ; also known as Poona, (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million ...
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
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
, 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, including Vidharba and Marathwada; Maha Gujarat, including Kutch and Saurashtra and Bombay. However,
Shankarrao Deo
Shakarrao Deo aka Nanasaheb Deo was the founder of Satkaryottejak Sabha. He was a member of Constituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to frame the Constitution of India. It was elected by the 'Provincial As ...
and Dhananjay Gadgil suggest two states: Samyukta Maharashtra, including Vidharbha, Marathwada and Bombay, and Maha Gujarat, including Kutch and Saurashtra.
Nov 8, 1955: Congress working committee accepts Nehru's tri-state formula.
Nov 18, 1955: The Left parties observe the strike in Bombay.
Nov 20, 1955:
Morarji Desai
Morarji Ranchhodji Desai (29 February 1896 – 10 April 1995) was an Indian independence activist and politician who served as the 4th Prime Minister of India between 1977 to 1979 leading the government formed by the Janata Party. During his ...
and SK Patil hold rally at
Girgaum Chowpatty
Girgaon Chowpatty (IAST: ''Giragāva Chaupāṭī''), is a public beach along the Queen’s Necklace adjoining Marine Drive in the Girgaon area of Mumbai (Bombay), Konkan division, India. It is served by the Charni Road railway station. The ...
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
Flora Fountain is a Fountain located at the Hutatma Chowk is an ornamentally sculpted architectural heritage monument located at the southern end of the historic Dadabhai Naoroji Road, at the Fort (Mumbai precinct), Fort business district in ...
(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
Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan (Marathi pronunciation: əʃʋənt̪ɾaːʋ t͡səʋʱaːɳ 12 March 1913 – 25 November 1984) was an Indian politician. He served as the last Chief Minister of Bombay State and the first of Maharashtra after l ...
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
Sir Chintaman Dwarakanath Deshmukh, CIE, ICS (14 January 1896 – 2 October 1982) was an Indian civil servant and the first Indian to be appointed the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India in 1943 by the British Raj authorities. He subsequent ...
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.
April 21, 1960: Lok sabha gives its approval for a divided bigger bilingual state of Bombay.
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
The Pranahita Chevella Lift Irrigation Project is a lift irrigation project to harness the water of Pranhita tributary of Godavari river for use in the Telangana state of India. The river water diversion barrage across the Pranahita river is loca ...
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
Icchampally Project (or ''Inchampalli Project'') (Telugu: ఇచ్చంపల్లి) (Marathi: इच्चमपल्ली प्रकल्प) was a multi-purpose project proposed in 2008, with hydro electricity generation, irrigation ...
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.
References
{{Reflist
Indian history timelines
History of Maharashtra (1947–present)
Reorganisation of Indian states