The 1960 Split: Bombay State Divides into Maharashtra & Gujarat

On May 1, 1960, the bilingual Bombay State was dissolved and reorganized into two new linguistic states:

• Maharashtra – for Marathi-speaking regions.
• Gujarat – for Gujarati-speaking regions.

Background: The States Reorganisation Act (1956)

The 1956 Act created states on linguistic lines, but Bombay State was an exception—a forced merger of Marathi, Gujarati, Konkani, and other areas. This sparked intense agitation:

• Samyukta Maharashtra Movement: Demanded a Marathi state with Bombay (Mumbai) as capital. Led to protests, police firing (106 killed at Flora Fountain, 1960).
• Maha Gujarat Movement: Demanded a Gujarati state.

The Compromise

Prime Minister Nehru initially proposed a bilingual city-state for Bombay. The movements rejected this. The central government ultimately agreed to bifurcation:

• Maharashtra received Bombay City (Mumbai) as capital.
• Gujarat received Ahmedabad as capital (later Gandhinagar).
• Border districts (e.g., some talukas of Belgaum) remained disputed.

Legacy

May 1 is celebrated as Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day. The split established the linguistic principle as the dominant basis for Indian state boundaries, though demands for new states (Vidarbha, Saurashtra, etc.) persist.