Consider the following statements about the debate on linguistic states after Independence:
(A) When proponents of linguistic states asked for the promise to be redeemed, the Congress hesitated.
(B) The rank and file Congressmen opposed the redrawing of the map of India on the lines of language.
(C) Vigorous movements for linguistic states arose among Marathi and Kannada speakers.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → A and C only
(A) When proponents of linguistic states asked for the promise to be redeemed, the Congress hesitated. — Correct. After 1947, supporters of linguistic states asked the Congress to keep its freedom-era promise of provinces based on language. The Congress hesitated, because Partition had just shown how a strong group loyalty can divide a country.
(B) The rank and file Congressmen opposed the redrawing of the map of India on the lines of language. — Incorrect. The feature is reversed. The rank and file Congressmen were all for redrawing the map on linguistic lines; the hesitation came from top leaders such as Nehru, Patel and Rajaji.
(C) Vigorous movements for linguistic states arose among Marathi and Kannada speakers. — Correct. Marathi and Kannada speakers started vigorous movements for linguistic states. They were then spread across several regimes, such as the Bombay and Madras presidencies and the princely states of Mysore and Hyderabad.
NCERT (2026-27): “6.2 Regionalism in the Indian Context … “proponents of linguistic states asked for this promise to be redeemed, the Congress hesitated. Partition was the consequence of intense attachment to one’s faith; how many more partitions would that other intense loyalty, language, lead to? So ran the thinking of the top Congress bosses including Nehru, Patel and Rajaji.” “On the other side, the rank and fi le Congressmen were all for the redrawing of the map of India on the lines of language. Vigorous movements arose among Marathi and Kannada speakers, who were then spread across several different political regimes – the erstwhile Bombay and Madras presidencies, and former princely states such as Mysore and Hyderabad. …” |