Question

Why was formation of linguistic states inevitable after independence?

Answer 1

In 1948, the government appointed a commission under S K Dhar, a judge of the Allahabad High Court, to examine the case for the reorganization of states on the linguistic basis. It favoured reorganization on the basis of administrative convenience rather than linguistic considerations. In December 1948, Congress appointed another committee under Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabh Bhai Patel and Pattabhi Sitaramayya (known as the JVP Committee) to examine the issue afresh. The committee, in a report submitted in April 1949, dismissed the idea of reorganization on a linguistic basis. In 1953, the government was forced to create a separate state of Andhra Pradesh for Telugu-speaking people following the long-drawn agitation and death of Potti Sriramulu after a hunger strike for 56 days. This led to the demand for the creation of states on the linguistic basis from other parts of the country and on December 22, 1953, Jawaharlal Nehru announced the appointment of a commission under Fazl Ali to consider this demand. While accepting Commission’s recommendations, the government divided the country into 14 states and 6 union territories on a linguistic basis under the States Reorganization Act 1956.