Question

After Independence, why was there a reluctance to divide the country on linguistic lines?

Answer 1

Yes, there was reluctance to divide the country based on linguistic lines although Congress had promised to create provinces for each major linguistic group

• However, Partition of the country based on religion created bitter experiences.
• Despite the efforts of Gandhi and other leaders, freedom was given to two nations.
• Millions of people had lost their lives due to riots between Muslims and Hindus which took place during the partition of the nation.
• Due to the pain and sufferings endured during the partition, the leaders of the nation did not want further division of the nation based on language.
• Hence, after independence the Congress was against the creation of linguistic states and did not honour its promise given before the independence.
• The demand for creation of provinces based on languages did not receive support even from Nehru and Deputy Prime Minister Vallabhbhai Patel.
• Marathi speakers, Malayalam and Kannada speakers were disappointed.
• However, the strongest protest came from the Telugu speaking districts of Madras Presidency.
• When Nehru was campaigning for general elections in 1952 he was met with protests for the creation of a separate Andhra state.
• Potti Sriramulu died on 15 December 1952. He had fasted for fifty-eight days. This resulted in complete chaos in the entire state of Andhra.
• Hence the Central Government was forced to create Andhra Pradesh on 1st October 1953.
• As a result, other states were also carved out based on language