Mumbai, May 1: Jay Maharashtra! Saluting this vast land of Marathas today on the royal occasion of Maharashtra Diwas. On 1 May, 1960 Maharashtra came into existence along with Gujarat.1 May is also marked as ‘Labour Day’.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis extended warm wishes greeting people on the Maharashtra Day.
Wishing on the Maharashtra Diwas, CM Fadnavis said मंगल देशा ! पवित्र देशा ! महाराष्ट्र देशा ! प्रणाम घ्यावा माझा हा श्री महाराष्ट्र देशा...महाराष्ट्र दिन आणि कामगार दिनाच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा ! #MaharashtraDay #महाराष्ट्रदिन #कामगारदिन
India’s one of the largest state: Maharashtra came into existence on 1 May 1960 on the basis of language spoken, Marathi.
On the occasion of Maharashtra Diwas, several leaders tweeted their greetings.
How did it happen?
Back in the year 1956, there was a ‘ States Recognition Act’: that defined boundaries for states on the basis of languages. On other side, Bombay state had people speaking various languages like Marathi, Gujarati, Kutchi and Konkani. So the Samyukt Maharashtra Samiti, stepped ahead to divide Bombay State into two: one where people primarily spoke Gujarati and Kutchhi and the other where people primarily spoke Marathi and Konkani. The same demand was placed by Mahagujarat Movement for Gujarat state.
On 8th August 1956, a few Gujarati students marched to the Congress house at Ahmedabad to meet Morarji Desai and demand for a separate Gujarati state. Chief Minister Morarji Desai not only ignored them, but also ordered police action, which led to police firing, resulting in the death of 5 students.
That was the turning point which triggered massive protests throughout the state. Paying tributes to the martyrs, at Hutatma Chowk Maharashtra owes to its existence.
On the one hand, Gujaratis started the “Mahagujarat Andolan”, demanding for a separate Gujarat state with Bombay as its capital, and on the other hand, Marathi speaking masses started the “Samyukta Maharashtra Andolan”, demanding for a separate Maharashtra state with Bombay as its capital.
The states of Maharashtra and Gujarat thus came into existence according to the Bombay Reorganization Act, 1960 enacted by Parliament on April 25, 1960. The act came into effect on May 1, 1960. Under the Bombay Reorganisation Act, Maharashtra and Gujarat were divided and both states attained statehood.