Role of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in the United Maharashtra Movement

Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution and a staunch advocate of social justice, played a significant yet often underappreciated role in the movement for a United Maharashtra. His deep understanding of Indian society, federalism, and linguistic identities made him a critical figure in shaping the debate around the reorganization of Indian states on linguistic lines, particularly in the context of Maharashtra. Though he passed away before the state of Maharashtra came into being in 1960, his contributions laid a strong intellectual and political foundation for the demand for Samyukta Maharashtra (United Maharashtra).

1. Dr. Ambedkar’s Role in the Dhar Commission (Linguistic Provinces Commission)

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Perspective on the Dhar Commission

Background: The Dhar Commission (1948)

After India gained independence in 1947, there was growing public demand for the reorganization of Indian states on linguistic lines. Several linguistic communities wanted their own states to preserve their language, culture, and identity. Responding to this, the Government of India appointed the Linguistic Provinces Commission in June 1948, headed by Justice S.K. Dhar, to examine whether India should reorganize its states on a linguistic basis.

Main Findings of the Dhar Commission

• The commission rejected the idea of linguistic reorganization of states.

• It argued that administrative convenience, national integration, and economic efficiency were more important than linguistic or cultural identities.

• The commission feared that linguistic states could promote regionalism, weaken national unity, and fragment the newly independent nation.

• It recommended reorganizing states based on administrative efficiency, not on the basis of language.

Dr. Ambedkar’s Reaction and Critique of the Dhar Commission

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar strongly disagreed with the conclusions of the Dhar Commission. Though he was not formally part of the commission, he offered a robust intellectual response through his speeches and, most importantly, in his 1955 book titled “Thoughts on Linguistic States.”

Key Points from Ambedkar’s Perspective

1. Support for Linguistic Reorganization

• Ambedkar believed that language is the basis of culture and collective identity, and hence linguistic states were natural and just.

• He emphasized that democracy functions better when the people of a state share the same language, which fosters a sense of kinship, simplifies administration, and enables better public participation.

“One language can unite people, and one state for one language can ensure effective administration.”

— Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

2. Democracy and Communication

• He argued that communication between government and people is a cornerstone of democracy, and linguistic uniformity enhances this communication.

• People are more likely to understand laws, rights, and responsibilities when governance is conducted in their native language.

3. Rejection of Dhar Commission’s Fear of Balkanization

• Ambedkar dismissed the fear that linguistic states would lead to the disintegration of India.

• He cited examples from other federal nations like the United States and Switzerland, where regional and linguistic diversity was managed without compromising national unity.

“The real danger to India’s unity comes not from linguistic states, but from ignoring the cultural aspirations of its people.”

4. Critique of “Administrative Convenience” Argument

• Ambedkar critiqued the Dhar Commission's preference for administrative convenience over democratic principles.

• He believed that efficiency without legitimacy was dangerous for a democratic nation.

• To him, respecting linguistic identities was not just an administrative issue, but a moral and democratic obligation.

5. Vision of Federalism

• Ambedkar’s federal vision for India included strong states with cultural coherence, governed by a strong centre.

• He believed linguistic reorganization would strengthen federalism by creating stable, homogeneous units with strong cultural bonds.

Legacy and Impact

Ambedkar’s ideas gained wide acceptance among linguistic movements across India, including the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement, Andhra Movement, and others. His arguments laid the intellectual foundation for the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, which officially reorganized Indian states along linguistic lines.

2. Dr. Ambedkar’s Views on Language-Based States

Dr. Ambedkar firmly believed that language should be the primary criterion for the formation of states in India. He argued that language is not merely a means of communication but a symbol of identity, culture, and emotional integration. In his speeches and writings, particularly in "Thoughts on Linguistic States", he clearly supported the idea of reorganizing Indian states on linguistic lines to ensure social harmony and administrative efficiency.

Ambedkar saw the formation of Maharashtra as a natural and just outcome of the linguistic principle. He criticized the Congress party's ambivalent stand on this issue and held that denying people a linguistic identity was tantamount to suppressing their democratic rights. 

3. Conversation Between Dr. Ambedkar and Prabodhankar Thackeray

An important and lesser-known aspect of Dr. Ambedkar’s involvement in the United Maharashtra Movement was his interaction with Prabodhankar Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, the prominent social reformer and father of Balasaheb Thackeray. Both leaders were deeply committed to the cause of a unified Marathi-speaking state.

In various informal and public forums, Dr. Ambedkar and Prabodhankar Thackeray expressed solidarity over the issue. Their conversations reflected a mutual understanding that a linguistic and cultural unity was essential for the socio-political upliftment of the Marathi people. While Ambedkar came from a background of Dalit social reform, and Thackeray from Brahmin social reform circles, both agreed on the imperative need for a Samyukta Maharashtra with Mumbai (then Bombay) as its capital.

According to historical sources, they discussed how the inclusion of Mumbai was not just a matter of economic or geographic claim but a cultural and emotional necessity, since Mumbai was the heart of Marathi theatre, literature, and commerce.

4. Dr. Ambedkar’s Political Stand on United Maharashtra

Dr. Ambedkar was politically active through his party, the Scheduled Castes Federation and later the Republican Party of India (which was formed posthumously). He consistently supported the demand for a United Maharashtra, encompassing Marathwada, Vidarbha, and Mumbai.

He criticized the Congress Party and Nehru government for trying to isolate Mumbai from Maharashtra under the pretext of making it a separate autonomous city or union territory. Ambedkar viewed this as an attempt to undermine the democratic aspirations of the Marathi-speaking populace.

In 1955, in one of his last major speeches, Ambedkar stated:

“If Maharashtra is to be weakened by removing Bombay, then the whole idea of linguistic states becomes meaningless.”

This was a strong political statement that aligned him with the aspirations of the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti, though he maintained a distinct ideological position.

5. Writings and Speeches of Dr. Ambedkar on Language-Based States and United Maharashtra

Dr. Ambedkar’s seminal work "Thoughts on Linguistic States" (1955) remains one of the most detailed intellectual contributions on this subject. In this book, he argued:

• The formation of linguistic states would strengthen Indian unity, not weaken it.

• A multilingual state would breed administrative alienation and social disintegration.

• He strongly supported Maharashtra with Mumbai as its capital, dismissing the idea of a bilingual Bombay state or a union territory status.

In his speeches delivered at public rallies and conferences, Dr. Ambedkar often invoked the right to self-determination for linguistic communities. He said that denying Mumbai to Maharashtra would be like denying oxygen to the lungs of the Marathi people.

He also stated that Vidarbha and Marathwada must not be kept out of Maharashtra, as these regions were culturally, historically, and linguistically connected to the Marathi identity.

Conclusion

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s role in the United Maharashtra Movement was pivotal—intellectually, politically, and emotionally. Though he did not live to see the official formation of Maharashtra in 1960, his ideas and leadership profoundly influenced the movement's direction and objectives. His advocacy for linguistic states, his resistance to the separation of Mumbai, and his conversations with leaders like Prabodhankar Thackeray reflect his vision of an inclusive, democratic, and culturally rooted federal India.

In the chronicles of Maharashtra's formation, Ambedkar remains an essential architect, not just of the Constitution, but of Marathi linguistic identity and unity.

References

1. Ambedkar, B.R. (1955). Thoughts on Linguistic States. Mumbai: Government Central Press.

2. Zelliot, Eleanor. (2005). Ambedkar's World: The Making of Babasaheb and the Dalit Movement. Navayana.

3. Keer, Dhananjay. (1971). Dr. Ambedkar: Life and Mission. Mumbai: Popular Prakashan.

4. Thackeray, Prabodhankar. (2000). Pancha Vancha. Mumbai: Maharashtra Rajya Sahitya Sanskruti Mandal.

5. Banhatti, G.S. (1997). Life and Work of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers.

6. Government of Maharashtra. (2010). Samyukta Maharashtra Chalval: Ek Aitihasik Drushtikon.

7. Omvedt, Gail. (1994). Dalits and the Democratic Revolution. Sage Publications.

8. Lok Sabha Debates (1955). Statements made by Dr. Ambedkar on linguistic reorganization.

9. Articles and Documents

   1. Thoughts on Linguistic States – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
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   2. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Thoughts on Linguistic States of India – Dr. Suresh Kishan Bhadarge
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   3. Why Ambedkar Demanded “One State, One Language”
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   4. Rethinking ‘One State, One Language’: Reading Ambedkar's “Maharashtra as a Linguistic Province”
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   5. Dr. Ambedkar’s Final Speech in Constituent Assembly
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   6. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Writings and Speeches Vol. 1
      Read Online

   Videos

   1. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar – Thoughts on Linguistic States
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   2. Thoughts on Linguistic States Part 1 (2) – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
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   3. Dr. Ambedkar Writings and Speeches Vol. 1–22 (Official Government Archive)
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