Second reorganisation of Punjab, 1966

The first partition and reorganisation of Punjab took place in 1947, of which we all know. The brutal division has over million horrifying stories to share. But there did occur a second reorganisation, a rather silent and non-violent one, two decades later in 1966. And it occurred as a wave of linguistic division was flowing in the country soon after independence. Andhra was the first one to form a separate Telugu speaking state, followed by many others making every major language having its separate state in the country. For majority Tamil speaking, it was Madras (later, Tamil Nadu), for majority Kannadigas it was Mysore (later, Karnataka), for majority Malayalam speakers it was Kerala, Maharashtra for majority Marathi speakers and Gujarat for majority Gujarati speakers. But in Punjab, which had already been partitioned, the tensions seem to linger between Punjabi and Hindi speaking population. 

But Punjab wasn't the only state here that was created out of reorganisation. The Princely States in the central region of the undivided East Punjab was clubbed into PEPSU - Patiala and East Punjab States Union (created in 1948) that comprised of the following: 

1. Faridkot
2. Patiala
3. Jind
4. Kapurthala
5. Nabha
6. Malerkotla
7. Nalagarh

And Punjab in the 1950s and 60s consisted of the following districts: 

1. Gurdaspur
2. Kangra
3. Amritsar
4. Ferozepore
5. Ludhiana
6. Jullundur
7. Hoshiarpur
8. Ambala
9. Karnal
10. Rohtak
11. Hissar
12. Pataudi
13. Gurgaon
14. Loharu
15. Dujana

While the Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh had the following areas:

1. Chamba
2. Bashahr
3. Mandi
4. Suket
5. Bilaspur (a separate state between 1947 to 1953)
6. Sirmur
7. Simla
8. Baghal
9. Mahlog
10. Dhami
11. Bhajji
12. Keonthal
13. Kumharsain
14. Balsan
15. Jubbal
16. Tharoch
17. Baghat

The districts of Hissar, Rohtak, Pataudi, Gurgaon, Loharu and Dujana were predominantly Hindi speakers with Ambala having a mixed Hindi and Punjabi population. And so, in 1966, these Hindi regions were clubbed together to form the state of Haryana and the remaining region in the north was rearranged to form Punjab, with Kangra district merged with the fragmented Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh. A temporary state of Bilaspur that was created in 1947, was merged already to Himachal in 1954, hence now the Indian side of divided Punjab was grouped under Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. And then, the question of capital arose as Simla, that served as the capital of East Punjab, was now part of Himachal Pradesh. A new city, Chandigarh, was carved out of Ambala district in 1953. It has served as the joint capital of Haryana and Punjab since then and continues to do so today. Although there have been several discussions about Haryana having a new capital, no concrete steps have been taken so far.

This, was the administrative politics post independence. Now here starts a little more turbulent politics of Punjab that stemmed even before partition or the demand of Pakistan.

In the early 1900s, the Muslim population in undivided Punjab was numerically dominant but lagged behind the Hindu and Sikh communities in terms of education, public service, and electoral representation. The Sikhs, on the other hand, held significant importance economically and educationally. Their enlistment in the British Indian Army also gave them considerable military prominence. This led to the first calls for the territorial reorganization of Punjab to create a separate region for the Sikh community. The demand gained momentum after the Congress party agreed with the Muslim League on separate Muslim electorates at its Lucknow session in 1916 and later with the establishment of the Akali Party in 1920. However, the idea of a reorganized Punjab for Sikhs never materialized during this period. It was not until 1966 that Punjab was reorganized, creating a Sikh-majority state, which some argue fulfilled the long-standing demand for a distinct Sikh state.

The second reorganisation of Punjab in 1966 marked a turning point in India's journey of linguistic arrangement, addressing long-standing cultural and regional aspirations. While it fulfilled the demand for a Sikh-majority state, it also exemplified the delicate balance required to maintain national unity amidst diverse identities. The reorganization not only reshaped the region's political and administrative landscape but also laid the foundation for the distinct trajectories of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Ultimately, it underscores the importance of inclusivity and adaptability in India's federal structure, ensuring that the voices of its people find representation within the framework of a united nation.