Nagpur News: Nagpur MP Vilas Muttemwar has raised the separate Vidarbha demand In Lok Sabha with a well-studied and accomplished facts which drew the focus from all members who heard him in rapt attention.
“The demand of statehood for Vidarbha is that of restoration unlike other such demands for statehood. Vidarbha demand is not a reaction to the announcement of Telangana but it is the oldest one as would be evident from the fact that the proposal of a separate Vidarbha state has been studied and recommended by various authorities and committees set up by the Government and the Congress party, internally for more than 125 years.
In 1888, British administration had recommended the formation of a separate state of Vidarbha to the then British Viceroy. The Montegue-Chemsford Reform in 1918 had supported the demand of separate Vidarbha consisting of Marathi speaking districts of the then CP and Berar. The demand for separate Vidarbha state was whemently supported by the Congress leaders in their 1918 AICC session held in Madras and also in 1928 session held in Nagpur. Again in 1938 Assembly of Central Provinces and Berar, a resolution in favour of separate Vidarbha was passed. Even the Constitutional Review Committee, the Dar Committee as well as the J.V.P. Panel consisting of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and Pattabhisitaramaiah formed in 1948 had unanimously justified for the formation for statehood for Vidarbha. Later, in 1955 the States Reorganization Commission consisting of Justice Fazal Ali, Mr. Pandit Kunzru and Mr. Panniker had unanimously recommended the creation of a separate State of Vidarbha as it would be financially viable, geographically homogeneous entity. The developments and the occurrences of events over the years fully justify the restoration of an independent state of Vidarbha.
These historical facts cannot be disputed and statehood to Vidarbha cannot be denied on the basis of the logic that the people in Vidarbha have not resorted to violent agitations to press their demands. On the contrary people of Vidarbha have followed the footsteps of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi to peacefully and democratically put forward their demand with the firm belief that it would be acceded to by the Government on the basis of sound justification and merit. Considering that this region remained most economically backward because of lack of resource allocation, good governance and micro-management of local problems, the demand for restoration of Vidarbha state has become all the more imperative.
I would urge upon the Government to pay heed to the long standing demand of restoration of Vidarbha state and be carved out simultaneously with the Telangana State.
