eastern Uttar Pradesh

Purvanchal () is the region of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Purvanchal is also a proposed state in India, encompassing 32 eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh.  The proposal, introduced in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 2011 by then Chief Minister Mayawati, aimed to divide Uttar Pradesh into four smaller states for improved administration and governance.  The proposal was rejected by the central government. After the rejection of proposal, Bhojpuri speaking community of Eastern Uttar Pradesh is demanding Purvanchal as a state for Bhojpuri speaking people which also covers the Bhojpuri speaking areas of neighbouring states Bihar and Jharkhand.

Proposal of Purvanchal as a Bhojpuri-speaking state

Since the late 20th century, there has been a demand for a separate Purvanchal state, carved out of the state of Uttar Pradesh. Bhojpuri as the official language of Purvanchal state.{{Cite book , last=Kumar , first=Sanjeev , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mN0UEQAAQBAJ
*1947: In 1947, a convention on Bhojpuri language and literature was held in Siwan, Bihar. The demand for a separate Bhojpuri state was first made by Rahul Sankrityayan.{{Cite book , last=Shukla , first=Ramdeo , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WBg5EAAAQBAJ&q=%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B2+%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A8+%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%97+%E0%A4%AD%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80 , title=Smarananjali , date=19 July 2021 , publisher=Sarv Bhasha Trust , isbn=978-93-90502-04-2 , language=hi Later, the issue of constitutional recognition of Bhojpuri came up when the constitution came into force. Rahul demanded for a separate Bhojpuri state by joining the Bhojpuri speaking regions of Bihar, United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) and Madhya Pradesh.{{Cite book , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YZhjAAAAMAAJ , title=Śrī Nāgendra Prasāda Siṃha ke "Soca-vicāra" para bāta-vicāra , date=1999 , publisher=Loga Prakāśana , language=hi
*1968: The demand for a separate Bhojpuri state resurfaced in the late 1960s when the rightist organisation of eastern India, Anand Marg took up the issue. The Anand Margis organised a conference at the largest cattle fair of Asia, Sonepur Mela in 1968 and raised the demand for a separate state for the Bhojpuri-speaking people.{{Cite book , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7qZQAQAAMAAJ , title=Journal of Historical Research , date=2004 , publisher=Department of History, Ranchi University. , language=en{{Cn, date=February 2025
*5 November 2006: Hundreds of Bhojpuri speaking people gathered in Bihar's Sasaram to demand creation of a separate Bhojpuri state for those who speak the language. Meeting under the aegis of the 21st All India Bhojpuri Sahitya Sammelan they demanded the creation of a separate state and protection of the interests of the people speaking Bhojpuri.{{Cite web , title=Bhojpuri-speaking people demand separate state , url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-bhojpuri-speaking-people-demand-separate-state-1062441 , access-date=31 March 2023 , website=DNA India , language=en
* 1 June 2008: ''A separate state can ensure the security of borders as well as overall development in which the region is lagging far behind in comparison to western and central Uttar Pradesh'', said Yogi Adityanath (then a BJP Member of Parliament from Gorakhpur; he became Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2017).{{Cite web, title=Demand for separate states of Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, website=Outlook, date=1 June 2008, url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/demand-for-separate-states-of-purvanchal-bundelkhand/576644, access-date=2 January 2021
* 7 December 2013: People associated with the Bhojpuri Andolan held a two-day convention at Taraiya in Saran district under the banner of Saran Pramandal Bhojpuri Sahitya Sammelan and demanded a separate state for Bhojpuriyas consisting of the Bhojpuri-speaking districts of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.{{Cite news , date=11 December 2013 , title=Demand to carve Bhojpuri state gains momentum , work=The Times of India , url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/demand-to-carve-bhojpuri-state-gains-momentum/articleshow/27198708.cms , access-date=31 March 2023 , issn=0971-8257
* 2015: Thousands of people gathered at Shastri Ghat near Varuna river in Varanasi to demand the establishment of Purvanchal state with Varanasi as its capital. In this, Suhaldev Bharatiya Samaj Party's national president Om Prakash Rajbhar said that the central and state government should stop giving false assurances. The movement has started from the revolutionary land of Varanasi, now it is not going to stop. The wheel of development has completely stopped in Purvanchal since independence.{{Cite web , title=Demand for Purvanchal state , url=https://www.bhaskar.com/news/UP-VAR-people-protest-for-purvanchal-state-and-make-plan-varanasi-4938535-PHO.html
* 30 March 2017: BJP MP from Sasaram, Bihar, Chhedi Paswan evoked the demand of separate Purvanchal state to boost development in the Bhojpuri areas. He said that the formation of Purvanchal state is mandatory by joining the Bhojpuri speaking areas of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and Varanasi as its capital.{{Cite web , title=पूर्वांचल बने राज्य, वाराणसी हो राजधानी : छेदी पासवान , url=https://www.livehindustan.com/news/bhabua/article1-Purvanchal-ruled-state-Varanasi-make-capital-Chhedi-Paswan-760969.html , access-date=6 April 2023 , website=Hindustan , language=hi
* 16 May 2017: Members of Purvanchal Rajya Jan Andolan Sanstha staged a train stop demonstration in Banaras demanding the creation of a new Purvanchal state. The agitators kept shouting slogans in support of Purvanchal state while stopping the train.{{Cite web , last=Vikrant , date=16 May 2017 , title=पूर्वांचल राज्य की मांग को लेकर काशी में आंदोलन, प्रदर्शनकारियो ने रोकी ट्रेन , url=https://hindi.oneindia.com/news/uttar-pradesh/protesters-stop-train-varanasi-demands-seperate-purvanchal-state-407823.html , access-date=6 April 2023 , website=hindi.oneindia.com , language=hi
* 8 July 2017: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale states his support for the division of the state for development of the region of the eastern Uttar Pradesh.{{Cite web, title=Athawale demands separate statehood for Purvanchal, Vidarbha, first1=Rajeev, last1=Dikshit, website=The Times of India, publisher=Bennett Coleman & Company Limited, date=8 July 2017, url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/athawale-demands-separate-statehood-for-purvanchal-vidarbha/articleshow/59504776.cms, access-date=2 January 2021
* 4 August 2018: Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar demands separate statehood for Purvanchal, pushes for liquor ban.{{Cite web, title=UP Minister OP Rajbhar demands separate statehood for Purvanchal, pushes for liquor ban, website=Times Now News, publisher=Bennett Coleman & Company Limited, url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/uttar-pradesh-op-rajbhar-statehood-purvanchal-liquor-ban-yogi-adityanath-mathura/264413, access-date=2 January 2021
* 11 March 2019: Rajkumar Ojha, convenor of the Purvanchal Rajya Gathan Morcha, started a three-day fast in the Collectorate premises of Jaunpur, demanding the creation of a separate Purvanchal state and formation of the State Reorganization Commission.{{Cite web , title=अलग पूर्वांचल राज्य बनाने की मांग , url=https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/jaunpur/81552329527-jaunpur-news , access-date=2 April 2023 , website=Amar Ujala , language=hi
* 5 August 2021: Purvanchal Rajya Morcha officials raised the demand for separate Purvanchal state in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh.{{Cite web , date=5 August 2021 , title=पूर्वांचल राज्य मोर्चा के पदाधकारियों ने उठाई पृथक पूर्वांचल राज्य की मांग , url=https://sankalpsavera.com/purvanchal-rajya-morcha-officials-raised-the-demand-for-separate-purvanchal-state/ , access-date=3 April 2023 , website=संकल्प सवेरा {{!{{! Sankalp Savera , language=en-US
* 18 December 2021: Twenty one thousand lamps were lit at Assi Ghat in Varanasi demanding a separate Purvanchal state.{{Cite web , date=18 December 2021 , title=Varanasi: अलग पूर्वांचल राज्य के लिए जलाए गए दीये से सुलग उठा अस्सी घाट, लपटें देख सहमे लोग , url=https://hindi.news18.com/news/uttar-pradesh/varanasi-fire-broke-out-due-to-21000-lamps-lit-at-assi-ghat-people-were-stunned-by-sight-nodelsp-3906835.html , access-date=2 April 2023 , website=News18 हिंदी , language=hi
* 26 June 2023: Under the banner of 'Purbiha Log Party', people have called for uniting the people and intensifying the demand for creating a separate Purvanchal state. Under this sequence, the first meeting of the District Working Committee of Purbiha Log Party was held in Padrauna of Kushinagar district, Uttar Pradesh.{{Cite web , title=यूपी से अलग होकर पूर्वांचल राज्य बनाने की मांग हुई तेज, 'पूरबिहा लोग पार्टी' का हुआ गठन , url=https://www.uptak.in/apna-up/demand-to-separate-from-up-to-form-purvanchal-state-purbiha-log-party-formed , access-date=10 December 2023 , website=www.uptak.in , date=26 June 2023 , language=hi
* 16 September 2023: Members of Nagrik Vikas Party took out a strong procession for the formation of Purvanchal state in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh and handed over their 13-point demand letter to the SDM for the formation of a separate Purvanchal state.{{Cite web , date=16 September 2023 , title=Ballia News: चुनावी मौसम में उठने लगी पूर्वांचल राज्य के गठन की मांग {{! Demand for formation of Purvanchal state , url=https://www.patrika.com/ballia-news/demand-for-formation-of-purvanchal-state-8490235/ , access-date=20 December 2023 , website=Patrika News , language=hi-IN

Culture

{{Main, Culture of Bhojpuri Region
It is predominantly Bhojpuri-speaking region with several dialects. Western Bhojpuri prevalent in the areas of Varanasi, Chandauli, Azamgarh, Mirzapur (eastern parts), Sonbhadra (northern parts), Jaunpur (eastern parts), Ghazipur (western parts) and Mau (western parts). Northern Bhojpuri is prevalent in Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddharthnagar, Maharajganj, Deoria, Ambedkar Nagar and Kushinagar. Southern Bhojpuri is prevalent in Ballia, Ghazipur (eastern parts) and Mau (eastern parts).{{Cite book , last1=Cardona , first1=George , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OtCPAgAAQBAJ&dq=Mirzapur+district+Bhojpuri+language&pg=PA518 , title=The Indo-Aryan Languages , last2=Jain , first2=Danesh , date=26 July 2007 , publisher=Routledge , isbn=978-1-135-79711-9 , language=en

See also

* Bhojpuri region

References

{{reflist

External links

Purvanchal Website

{{Geographic location
, North = Nepal
, Northeast = Nepal, Bihar
, West = Awadh (Uttar Pradesh)
, Northwest = Nepal, Awadh (Uttar Pradesh)
, Center = Purvanchal (Uttar Pradesh)
, South = Bagelkhand
, Southwest = Lower Doab (Uttar Pradesh)
, Southeast = Jharkhand
, East = Bihar

{{Historical regions of North India
{{Proposed states and territories of India
{{coord missing, Uttar Pradesh

Regions of Uttar Pradesh
Proposed states and union territories of India