Linguistic Provinces Committees 1948, States Reorganisation Committees

Set up in 1948 after demands of separate states of Karnataka, Andhra, Maharashtra and Kerala.

Chairman: S.K. Dar

Members: Panna Lal, Jagatnarain Lal

Secretary: B.C. Banerjee

Predictably, its report dated December 10, 1948, recommended that linguistic reorganisation of provinces “is not in the larger interests of the Indian nation"

JVP Committee:

However due to pressure from the public to revive the case of reorganization of the States, the All India Congress Committee in 1948 at Jaipur constituted the JVP Committee. The JVP (Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhabhai Patel and Pattabhi Sitaramaiah) Committee recommended "to postpone the formation of new provinces for a few years, so that we might concentrate during this period on other matters of vital importance and not allow ourselves to be distracted by this question"

The JVP report contained a perceptive analysis of the situation. Two of its sentences reflect the committee’s own difficulties as well as the dilemma racking India. “We feel that the present is not an opportune moment for the formation of new provinces.” Yet, the members also believed that “if public sentiment is insistent and overwhelming, we, as democrats, have to submit to it, but subject to certain limitations in regard to the good of India as a whole”. The supporters of linguistic provinces knew a half-open door when they saw one. They publicly welcomed the JVP report and continued to press their claim.

The foundation for the second significant happening of the century, and first one after the Independence of the country, was laid on 22nd December 1953 with Jawaharlal Nehru's announcement in the Parliament of the Constitution of the States Reorganization Commission.

The Resolution of the Government of India relating to the reorganization said that

"The language and culture of an area have an undoubted importance as they represent a pattern of living which is common in that area. In considering a reorganization of States, however , there are other important factors which have also to be borne in mind. The first essential consideration is the preservation and strengthening of the unity and security of India. Financial, economic and administrative considerations are almost equally important, not only from the point of view of each State, but for the whole nation".4

The four principles that the State Reorganization Commission followed are:

1) Preservation and strengthening of the unity and security of India;
2) Linguistic and cultural homegeneity;
3) Financial, economic and administrative considerations; and

4) Successful working of the national plan