May 1 : Labor Day, Maharashtra Day, Gujarat Day, Historical Importance

Tomorrow is 1^st May.  1^st May has its own importance.  1^st may is celebrated as Labor Day all over the world to celebrate the social and economical achievement of labor. This celebration is resulted due to labor union movement.

1^st May is also important for Maharashtra and Gujarat state of India. Formation of the western Indian state of Gujarat and Maharashtra happened on this day. Maharashtra state government declared this day as Holiday as Maharastra Day.  I am in Pune, Maharashtra. I am also happy because 1^st may coming on Friday. So I have 3 days to enjoy. J.

Two days back, also my friend was happy about coming 1^st May holiday. I asked him, why its’ called Maharashtra day and importance of it. Then he answered me “Formation of 2 states” and also told me, I don’t know anything more than this. Cool… People are happy because they are getting holiday. People who are belonging outside from Maharashtra can get time to go at home because of long weekend. People who are belonging in different city and working in different city in Maharashtra can also get time to go at home. J So 1^st May is not important for them but 3 days, long weekend, is important. Same situation is in Gujarat too. Most of people are not interested in History, but today is tomorrow’s history. So I like History.

            I also wasn’t know anything except formation of 2 state but I have searched from net and gathered some information about this historical day and showing all events till 1^st May in sequential order.

1.   During British Rule, Western part of India under direct British rule part of Bombay Presidency.

2.   Yr 1937 – The Bombay presidency became a province of British India.

3.   Yr 1947 – India got independency.  India was formatted in different States based on language speaking by local public.  Most of Princely State (Native State or Indian State – not directly administrated by British, rather by an Indian ruler under form of Indirect Rule)  including the Gujarat States and Deccan states were merged with former Bombay province, which was renamed the State of Bombay.

4.   Yr 1956 – State of Bombay was expanding to incorporate Marathawada [Marathi speaking region of Hyderabad State] , Vidarbha [Marathi Speaking region of Madhya Pradesh], Saurashtra [Gujarati Speaking region] and Kutch [Gujarati speaking region]. Also some part of State of Bombay moved to some other state like Kannada speaking region moved to Karnataka [Karnataka was created on 1^st November 1956 under States Reorganization Act ].  So Only one state is in India where Marathi and Gujarati language was used as local language unlike as other state. So people called “State of Bombay” as “Maha Dwibhashi Rajya (The Great Bilingual State)”.

5.   Yr 1960 – In between 1959 -60, Marathi and Gujarati desperately tried to get state based on their language. “The Maha Gujarat Movement” was led by Shri Indubhai Yagnik and “Unification of all Marathi speaking region under one state” was demanded by “Samyukta Maharastra Samiti”.  In early 1960, this movement was violated which partitioned “State of Bombay” into States of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

            State of Bombay had three chief ministers. Balashaeb Gangadhar Kher was first one followed by Morarji Desai and Yashwantrao Chauhan.

***[All Information is gather from/based on Internet / WIKI, Please Corrent me If I am wrong about history in the Post].