Welcome dear students! Today we are going to learn about Unification of Karnataka and Border Disputes from Class 7 Social_Science. The land of Karnataka has a history of more than 2000 years. Historically, Kannadigas have lived under different political regimes. After the decline of the Vijayanagar Empire, the areas of Kannada speaking people were scattered under more than 20 different administrations like the Maratha Peshwas, Chieftains, the British, the Sultans, and Nawabs. Due to this separation, Kannadigas felt alienated in their own land. The British divided the land only for the sake of convenience of collecting taxes, and not on the basis of language or culture. In this lesson, we will learn about the various stages of the Karnataka integration movement and the border disputes that arose after unification. By the end of this lesson, you will understand the background and important stages of the Karnataka Unification movement, know about the great personalities who contributed to it, and learn about the border disputes that sprang up after 1956, along with possible solutions. [CHECKPOINT]
Let us explore the historical background to the unification movement. In the ancient work Kavirajamarga, the land of Kannada has been described as having stretched from Cauvery to Godavari. Many Kannada royal dynasties ruled this area. But after the decline of the Vijayanagar Empire, the areas of Kannada speaking people came under many political dispensations. Forces which were politically more powerful at the time reduced Kannada and Kannadigas to subordinate states. After the death of Tippu, the British transferred the Kannada areas to the control of political powers with different languages. Kannadigas experienced the suffering of being forced to live under the Marathas and Nizams with a feeling of alienation. Kannadigas started a movement in order to escape from such a situation and built their own state to have their own administration. This movement is called the Unification Movement. [CHECKPOINT]
The first call for Unification was given by the people of Mumbai Karnataka. The Karnataka Vidya Vardhaka Sangha, started in the year 1890, under the presidentship of R.H. Deshpande, gave the organizational form to the concept of integration. Leaders like Venkata Rango Katti have rendered great service to the cause of integration in the initial stages. Here is a small activity for you. Please collect information about Deputy Chennabasappa who worked hard for the establishment of Kannada schools in the Mumbai Karnataka region. The Unification movement was carried on by Kannada Sahitya Parishat which was started in 1915, and the Karnataka Sabha which was started in 1916. In the Congress session of 1924 at Belagavi, Huyilgol Narayan Rao gave the much needed impetus to the Unification movement by singing a welcome song Udayavagali Namma Cheluva Kannadanadu. The President of the session, Gandhiji, expressed his solidarity to the integration. The Unification movement progressed parallel to the freedom movement, supplementing it. Another activity for you is to make a list of the names of writers who strived for the cause of integration, and to collect more information about B.M. Srikantaiah. [CHECKPOINT]
Let us look at the twenty administrative centres of Karnataka that existed before unification. I will read them out for you so you can visualize the division. First, Madras Karnataka included Ballari, South Canara, Nilgiri districts and other taluks under British Administration. Second, Mumbai Karnataka included North Canara, Dharwad, Vijayapura, Belagavi Districts and other three taluks under British administration. Third, Coorg was under Chief Commissioner Administration under British administration. Fourth, Cantonment Karnataka included Belagavi and Bengaluru, which were military stations or Cantonments under British administration. Fifth, Mysore included Mysore, Mandya, Hassan, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Kolar and Bengaluru under Mysore Province. Sixth, Hyderabad province included Kalaburgi, Bidar and Raichur districts under Hyderabad province. Finally, there were fourteen small provinces. In total, there were twenty administrative centres. [CHECKPOINT]
Daily newspapers, weekly magazines and literary works inspired the unification movement. In Mumbai Karnataka, Mysore province and Coastal Karnataka many newspapers were being published. Let me share the names of famous newspapers. In Bombay Karnataka, the newspapers were Vijaya, Rajahamsa, Kannada Kesari, Karnataka Vaibhava, and Karnataka Vrutta. In Mysore Province, the newspapers were Suryodaya Prakashika, Hitabodhini, Vrittanta Chintamani, and Mysore Herald. The most prominent person who struggled for the progress of Karnataka state, Kannada language and Kannada culture was Alur Venkata Rao. Seeing the sorry plight of Karnataka, he had exclaimed, Where is Karnataka? Who will sew up Karnataka into a single piece which is now like a ragged cloth torn in many places? Who has so much pride in his state? Making Kannada people understand the glory of their land and language was the objective of Venkata Rao. He wrote and published the book Past Glory of Karnataka with his own funds. It was an inspiring book. Hyderabad Kannadigas felicitated him in 1941 and gave him the title Karnataka Kulapurohita, which means family saint. [CHECKPOINT]
The contribution of poet Shantakavi was immense in bringing about the awakening among Mumbai Kannadigas. In order to collect funds for the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, he went on singing the song Bedalu kannada dasayya bandiha, Neediramma tadamaadadale from door to door and collected money. Kuvempu’s poems Jayahe Karnataka Maate and Nee mettuva nela ade Karnataka touched the hearts of lakhs of people. Huyilgola Narayan Rao’s poem Udayavagali namma cheluva Kannada nadu became very popular. The first Rashtrakavi or National Poet of Karnataka, Manjeshwar Govinda Pai fought for Kasargod’s inclusion in Karnataka till the end of his life. Many more poets and writers inspired the Kannadigas greatly. More than half a century’s dream of integration became a reality only after the country’s independence, that too in three stages. Let us learn about the first stage, from 1947 to 1948. [CHECKPOINT]
Before 1947, there were two types of states in our country, British ruled Indian provinces and 562 princely kingdoms. The Constituent Assembly, instead of dividing India on the basis of language, divided India into four types of administrative blocks. They were A, B, C and D blocks. According to this, the twenty administrative provinces of Karnataka were reorganized into five divisions. These five divisions were Mumbai, Madras, Mysore, Hyderabad and Coorg. This was the first stage in the Unification of Karnataka. Now, let us move to the second stage in 1953. In 1951 to 1952, the first general elections to the Lok Sabha were held. After the elections, the revolutionary party Akhanda Karnataka Rajya Nirmana Parishat emerged in 1952. This party staged a satyagraha for the Unification, and about 5000 people were imprisoned. The then Chief Minister, Kengal Hanumanthaiah supported this Unification movement. He travelled across the state in connection with Unification. In 1952, an Andhra leader, Potty Sriramulu, demanded formation of the State of Andhra Pradesh and went on a fast for 58 days and later, died. [CHECKPOINT]
There were widespread riots in Andhra. After Sriramulu’s death, Prime Minister Nehru declared that the Central government had decided to create the state of Andhra Pradesh. Accordingly, the State of Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1953. When the state of Andhra Pradesh was created, seven taluks of Ballari district were merged with Mysore province. This was the second stage of Unification. Now, let us learn about the final stage in 1956. After the creation of Andhra Pradesh, there was a demand for reorganizing of India based on languages. The Central government appointed a committee called State Reorganisation Committee to give a report. The President of the committee was S. Fazal Ali and the committee was called Fazal Ali Committee. Other members of this committee were H.N. Kunzru and K.M. Panikkar. This committee gave its report in 1955. Accordingly, the reorganization of states was based on the language and convenience of administration. All the parties of the state accepted and respected the committee report. But, Kannadigas vociferously protested against the inclusion of Kasaragod in Kerala state and suggestions about Ballari district. [CHECKPOINT]
Mysore assembly decided that Ballari should not be separated from Mysore and that the new state should be called Mysore State. Fazal Ali report had recommended that most parts of Ballari be handed over to Andhra State. The Central government accepted the suggestion of the State Reorganisation Committee. The integrated Karnataka State came into existence on November 1, 1956, in the name of Unified Mysore State. The integrated Mysore State had the following districts. First, nine districts from old Mysore, which are Mysore, Mandya, Bengaluru, Kolar, Hassan, Tumakuru, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga and Chitradurga. Second, four districts of Mumbai province, which are Belagavi, Dharwad, Vijayapura, North Canara. Third, Hyderabad province districts, which are Gulburga or Kalaburgi, Raichur and Bidar. Fourth, Coorg district. Fifth, from Madras province, South Canara district, Kollegal taluk, and Ballari, which was included in 1953 when Andhra Pradesh was formed. [CHECKPOINT]
Kengal Hanumanthaiah, the former Chief Minister of Mysore State tried to bring the people of the state together. S. Nijalingappa was the first Chief Minister of Mysore state, formed in 1956. On November 1, 1973, the then Chief Minister, D. Devaraj Urs, named Mysore State as Karnataka State. As the formation of states were done based on the languages, with a national viewpoint, Kannadigas of some border areas had to suffer injustice. Though linguistically they were a majority, as their area had been merged with a state of another language, they became a minority there. Thus, even today, the Karnataka government and Kannadigas have been fighting with the hope of getting these areas back to Karnataka. Mainly, frequent conflicts have been taking place with Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu over these issues. However, the authority to settle these matters rests with the Central government. Here is an activity for you: please collect poems that inspire love for Kannada. [CHECKPOINT]
Let us discuss the dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra. There are many areas in Maharashtra which have a majority of Kannadigas. Among these, Akalkote, South Sholapur and Jat taluks are important. But the main struggle is being fought for Belagavi city. Maharashtra government has been continuously pressurising to make Belagavi its territory. The Karnataka government and pro Kannada organizations have been rejecting Maharashtra’s demands, categorically. Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti has been maintaining that Belagavi and a few other areas should be given back to Maharashtra. In 1966, a one man committee under the Chairmanship of Meherchand Mahajan was appointed by the Central Government to study the border areas between Maharashtra and Karnataka and make recommendations. The Mahajan report recommended that Belagavi should remain a part of Karnataka. The recommendations by the Mahajan report is the ultimate for Karnataka. Upholding the suggestions of the Mahajan report, the Karnataka government has built Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi and is conducting the sessions of the legislature there, once every year. Belagavi remains an integral part of Karnataka. [CHECKPOINT]
Next, let us look at the dispute between Karnataka and Kerala. The main dispute here is regarding the Kasargod area. Historically, Kasargod was under the reign of the Kannada kings. The provincial king of Keladi, Shivappa Nayaka and others had established their control over this area. Records prove that the Bekal fort was built by the Ikkeri kings. Thus, Kasargod which is culturally connected with Karnataka, is caught in a dilemma. The main reason for this is the recommendation of the State Re Organisation Commission in 1955 to merge Kasargod with Kerala. Many organizations including Karnataka Committee and others were formed to protest against this decision. People of all sections like students, women, government workers and others went on strikes demanding that Kasargod should be given to Karnataka. Even today, this fire of protest is burning bright. Kaiyara Kinhannarai and his associates have kept the struggle to unify Kasaragod with Karnataka alive, through their intellectual and physical efforts. [CHECKPOINT]
Now, dear students, let us solve the exercises together to prepare for your exams. I will read each question and give you the complete answer. Exercise One: Fill in the blank with a suitable word. Question one: The first chairman of Karnataka Vidya Vardhaka Sangha was ________. Answer: R.H. Deshpande. Question two: ________ was called the Karnataka Kula Purohita. Answer: Alur Venkata Rao. Question three: The first Kannada National poet was ________. Answer: Manjeshwar Govinda Pai. Question four: The first Chief Minister of unified Karnataka was ________. Answer: S. Nijalingappa. Exercise Two: Answer in one word or sentence each. Question five: Name the Kannada districts that were in Hyderabad province. Answer: The Kannada districts that were in Hyderabad province were Kalaburgi, Bidar and Raichur. Question six: Name two organizations that contributed to the unification of Karnataka. Answer: Two organizations that contributed to the unification of Karnataka are Kannada Sahitya Parishat and Karnataka Sabha. [CHECKPOINT]
Exercise Three: Answer in two or three sentences each. Question seven: What were the recommendations of the Fazal Ali Commission that the Kannadigas protested? Answer: The Kannadigas protested against the recommendation to include Kasaragod in Kerala state and the suggestion to hand over most parts of Ballari district to Andhra State. The Mysore assembly decided that Ballari should not be separated from Mysore. Question eight: List out the names of the great personalities who fought for unifying Karnataka. Answer: The great personalities who fought for unifying Karnataka include Alur Venkata Rao, R.H. Deshpande, Venkata Rango Katti, Deputy Chennabasappa, Huyilgol Narayan Rao, Gandhiji, Kengal Hanumanthaiah, S. Nijalingappa, D. Devaraj Urs, Manjeshwar Govinda Pai, Kuvempu, Shantakavi, and Kaiyara Kinhannarai. Exercise Four: Write short notes on. Question nine: Alur Venkatrao. Answer: Alur Venkata Rao was the most prominent person who struggled for the progress of Karnataka state, Kannada language and Kannada culture. He published the inspiring book Past Glory of Karnataka with his own funds to make Kannadigas understand the glory of their land and language. In 1941, Hyderabad Kannadigas felicitated him with the title Karnataka Kulapurohita. [CHECKPOINT]
Question ten: Fazal Ali Commission. Answer: The State Reorganisation Committee, also known as the Fazal Ali Commission, was appointed by the Central government to recommend the reorganization of states based on language and administrative convenience. It was chaired by S. Fazal Ali, with members H.N. Kunzru and K.M. Panikkar. The committee submitted its report in 1955, which led to the formation of the Unified Mysore State on November 1, 1956. Exercise Five: Discuss. Suggest solutions for the border disputes between Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra. Take the help of your teacher. Answer: The border disputes can be resolved through peaceful dialogue and mutual understanding between the states. The recommendations of the Mahajan Commission for Belagavi should be strictly implemented, and the Karnataka government must continue to assert its claim through constitutional and legal means. For Kasargod, cultural and historical ties should be highlighted, and a joint committee of both states can be formed to address local grievances. Ultimately, the Central government should mediate impartially to ensure linguistic justice and administrative harmony. [CHECKPOINT]
Finally, let us complete the activities mentioned in your textbook. First, please take a map of India and carefully mark the boundaries of unified Karnataka as they were in 1956. You will see how the districts from Mumbai, Madras, Hyderabad, Coorg and old Mysore came together to form one state. Second, gather with your friends and sing in groups the songs Udayavagali namma cheluva Kannada nadu and Govinda Pai’s Kannadigara tayi. Singing these songs together will help you feel the spirit of unity and pride in our beautiful state. I hope this lesson has helped you understand the long journey of Karnataka unification and the ongoing border disputes. Remember the dates, names, and the brave leaders who fought for our state. Keep revising these points for your exams. Thank you for listening! Keep revising and practicing. Goodbye! [CHAPTER_COMPLETE]