Mumbai, May 1: While the whole world is celebrating Labour Day, there are different colours of celebrations in Maharashtra and Gujarat as both the states are celebrating its foundation day. The day plays an important role in the history of both the state as on this day Maharashtra and Gujarat were formed in 1960.
The history says that India was divided into about 600 princely states and provinces, during the British rule. The regional movement ‘the Samyukta Maharashtra Andolan’ demanding the separate Marathi-speaking state started agitations and protest, during the mid of the 1950s.
Due to this, the Indian Parliament passed the ‘Bombay Reorganization Act’ to divide the multilingual state of Bombay into Gujarat and Maharashtra serving Ahmedabad and Bombay as their respective capital. The first Maharashtra Day began to observe in 1960 when at last legislation came into effect.
Gujarat state was officially formed in the year 1960 after the idea for the state of Gujarat surfaced in the year 1928 in a magazine called Kumar. K M Munshi, Writer and freedom fighter first suggested a concept called Mahagujarat. The suggestion was made in a meeting during the Gujarat Sahitya Sabha which was held in Karachi in the year 1937. The map of Gujarat has first seen in a magazine ahead of a poem by Devshavji Parmar titled ‘Uthtrishta Jagrat’.
Today, President Ram Nath Kovind has extended his warm greetings to both states who are celebrating its foundation days.
PM Narendra Modi also has greeted Maharashtrians and Gujaratis on the occasion of Sthapana Divas
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavs visited Hutatma memorial and gave floral tributes and also wished Marathis on Maharashtra Divas saying “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Maharashtra, Gyanoba-Tukoba’s Maharashtra, Knowledge, speed and progress’ Maharashtra, Happy Maharashtra Day!”
Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijat Rupani extended his wishes saying, “'Gujarat' is not only a geographic identity, it is 'consciousness'. Let us suppress this 'consciousness' in the presence of Gujarat. Happy Greetings on the Day of Gujarat!”