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India is a land of many languages, each with its distinct script, grammar, vocabulary and literary tradition. In 1917, the Indian National had initiated creation of an organizational structure based on linguistic provinces. After INC’s Nagpur Session in 1920, the principle was extended and formalized with the creation of provincial Congress Committee by linguistic zones. The linguistic reorganization of the Congress was encouraged and supported by among others Lokmanya Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi.
After the bitter partition on the basis of religion the then PM Nehru was apprehensive of dividing country further on the basis of language. Nonetheless, demands for separate state based on linguistic identity got momentum as seen in movements for Ayikya Kerala, Samyukta Maharashtra and Vishalandhra.
The Constituent Assembly in 1948 appointed the Linguistic Provinces Commission, headed by Justice S.K. Dhar, to enquire into the desirability of linguistic provinces especially in case of Andhra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Maharashtra. The Dhar Commission advised against this at that time reason being it might threaten national unity and would be administratively inconvenient. However, to appease the vocal votaries of linguistic states, the Congress appointed a committee, also known as the JVP committee,) in December 1948 consisting of Nehru, Sardar Patel and Pattabhi Sitaramayya to examine the question afresh. In its 1949 report the JVP Committee revoked the seal of approval that the Congress had once put on the principle of linguistic provinces; it argued that the time was not suitable for formation of creation of new provinces.
The demands for separate state on the linguistic basis didn't subside. There were renewed movements aimed at linguistic autonomy in 1948-1949. There was the campaign for Samyukta Karnataka, uniting Kannada speaking spread across the states of Madras, Mysore, Bombay, Hyderabad, Samyukta Maharashtra, Maha Gujarat movement. In case of Punjab, struggle brought together both the factors language and religion (Sikh).