The document discusses India's policy of creating linguistic states after independence to promote diversity and autonomy. It provides historical context starting from the Bengal Partition Resolution of 1905 up to the States Reorganisation Commission of 1955 which redrew state boundaries along linguistic lines. While linguistic states aimed to minimize conflict, they also led to issues like regionalism, tensions over resources, and demands for newer states. The creation of states based primarily on language was a pragmatic solution but not perfect, as demands for states like Telangana and Vidarbha show language alone cannot address all complexities.

1. Linguistic States: Problems and
Perspectives
 HEMANT A G

2.  . India is not only unique in terms of its
diversity but is also a classic example of a
multicultural, multi-religious state following
a policy of multilingualism. India adopted a
federal form of government after
Independence in order to provide a certain
degree of autonomy to the states to
formulate their own laws and policies which
would help the different linguistic groups to
protect and promote their language and
culture.
 In the Indian federal structure the sub-

3. Creation of Linguistic states
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History
Bengal Partition Resolution of 1905
Montague-Chelmsford Report,1918
The Nehru Committee report of the All Parties
Conference of 1928
the INC -the Calcutta Session of October 1937
-its election manifesto of 1945-46
The Dar Commission,1948(the Linguistic
Provinces Commission)
JVP Committee
The States Reorganisation Commission,1955

4. DR.B.R.AMBEDKAR

“History shows that democracy cannot work in a
State where the population is not homogeneous.
In a heterogeneous population divided into
groups, which are hostile and anti-social towards
one another, the working of democracy is bound
to give rise to cases of
discrimination, neglect, partiality, suppression of
the interests of one group at the hands of another
group which happens to capture political power.
The reason why in an heterogeneous
society, democracy cannot succeed is because
power instead of being used impartially and on
merits and for the benefit of all is used for the
aggrandizement of one group and to the detriment
of another. On the other hand, a state which is
homogeneous in its population can work for the
true ends of democracy for there are no artificial
barriers or social antipathies which lead to the
misuse of political power”.

5. Constitutional provisions
 PART I
THE UNION AND ITS TERRITORY
 1. Name and territory of the Union :
 2. Admission or establishment of new States:
 3. Formation of new States and alteration of
areas, boundaries or names of existing States:

6. Language Policy of India
 LANGUAGE
 Art.343 official language of union.
 Art.345 official language or
languages of a state
 Art.348 languages to be used in
SC&HC.
 Art.351 directives for development
of Hindi language

7. formation of Linguistic states
 Formation-The Linguistic states were formed
specially for two reasons.
The reasons were (i) to make easy the way to the
democracy and
(ii) to remove racial and cultural tensions.
 Legal framework-the States Reorganisation Act of
1956
 States created on linguistic basis

8. STATE REORGANISATION COMMISSION
FACTORS IN
FAVOUR
MINIMUM DEGREE OF
HOMOGENITY
POLITICAL AND
ADMINISTRATIVE
WORK
EDUCATION
INTERNAL
INTEGRATION
FACTORS IN
AGAINST
LINGUISTIC
EXCLUVISM
DOMINANT
LANGUAGE GROUP
UNEVEN
DEVELOPMENT OF
INDIAN LANGUAGES
PLANNING

9. Problems of linguistic states
 Opposition to National official language
 Growth of regionalism

Effect on Center-State Relations
 Socio-Political Growth
 Distribution of resources
 Son of soil theory

10. Consequences of linguistic division of
states
 Regionalism
 Exploitation of people by
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Politicians
Erosion of national feeling
Emergence of regional Political
Parties
Demand for separate states
Threat to sovereignty

12. AndhrapradeshTelangana
Vidarbha: water deprived
Land alienation angers
Bodos
Fight over regional
resources drive demand
for new states
Disunited states of Uttar
Pradesh
Bundelkhand: neglected during
droughts

15. Accepted, this hasn’t solved all problems. But the problems could have been greater
otherwise. One may ask, if creating linguistic states was wise, how demand for smaller states
like Telangana, Vidarbha are cropping up. This only proves that language alone may not be
the deciding factor to match today’s complexity – moreover these demands were initially
based on economic backwardness as against rest of the state; cultural imposition is not the
principal grievance.
Granting genuine demands of separate states will not be detrimental to India; they’ll improve
the representation of the region at national level, dissipate their resentment and reinforce their
commitment to the Indian Union.

16. We are only as strong as we are united, as weak
as we are divided.”