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Haryana - History

The origin of the demand of Haryana State can be visualised in its historical perspective. Due to emotional participation in the 1st war of Independence by the Haryanvis, a spirit of vengeance was smouldering in the hearts of the British rulers. Haryana functioned as an adjunct to Delhi and practically remained anonymous till the First War of India's Independence in 1857. When the rebellion was crushed and the British administration was re-established, the Nawabs of Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh, Raja of Ballabgarh and Rao Tula Ram of Rewari of the Haryana region were deprived of their territories. Their territories were either merged with the British territories or handed over to the rulers of Patiala, Nabha and Jind.

Hence Haryana region was tagged with the Punjab in 1858 as a political punishment to the people of this region. “Of course, it was their political isolation but they were still more related socially and culturally to the people of Delhi and the Western U.P.I”. They had lost political boundaries but they maintained the cultural ties of Roti and Beti.

Perhaps, it was due to the repressive policy of the British Government that no significant development was made in the region in the sphere of education, trades, industry, means of communication and irrigation. Consequently it remained backward socially, educationally, economically and politically throughout the 19th century. With the change of capital from Calcutta to Delhi on December 12,1911, the Haryana region was further isolated. In 1920, certain changes in Delhi district were suggested. The Muslim League also suggested the extention of the boundaries of Delhi with the inclusion of Agra, Meerut and Ambala Division in it. A similar demand was made to Sir.J.P. Thomson, the Commissioner of Delhi by the people.

In 1928, all parties conference at Delhi again made a demand for extention of the boundaries of Delhi. Some prominent leaders of Haryana like Pt. Neki Ram Sharma, Lala Desbandhu Gupta and Sri Ram Sharma met Gandhi ji and requested him that the districts of Haryana region be merged with Delhi. In 1931, at the Second Round Table Conference, Sir Geoffrey Corbert, Financial Commissioner of the then Punjab Government and Secretary of the Indian Delegation to the Round Table Conference,suggested the reorganisation of the Punjab boundaries and the separation of the Ambala Division from Punjab. He argued, “historically Ambala Division was a part of the then Hindustan and its inclusion in the province of the then Punjab was an incident of British rule.”

Though from 1857-1966 Haryana had remained administratively as a part of Punjab. The region had remained depressed, and largely neglected so that linguistically and culturally, the people of Haryana had continued to maintain their own sepaate identity.

With the re-organization of Punjab on 1 November 1966, Haryana was made into a full-fledged state. Under the Chairmanship of Sardar Hukam Singh (the then speaker of Lok Sabha) a parliamentary committee was appointed to examine the demand for linguistic reorganization. The committee submitted its report on 18 March, 1966. On 21st March, 1966 Gulzari Lai Nanda, ( The then Home Minister ) announced in Parliament, that the Government, had accepted in principle the reorganization of the State of Linguistic basis. On 18 April, 1966, a three man boundary commission headed by Justice Shah of the Supreme Court was appointed for the purpose. The commission submitted its report on 31 May, 1966, recommending division of Punjab.

Polling was held on 17 February 1967 and Congress was returned to power with an absolute majority, winning 48 out of the 81 seats. Of the remaining seats, the Jana Sangh secured 12, Swatantra 3, Republicans 2 and independent 16. The Socialist and left parties were completely routed and independents constituted the second largest group in the Assembly. Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma became the Chief Minister for the second time. This time his position was so strong that there was practically none to oppose him.

In the March, 1977 Lok Sabha elections, the ruling Congress Party could not secure a single seat. It got only 17.95 percent of the total votes polled, as against 70 percent secured by the Janata Party. On 30th April, 1977, the Congress ministry in Haryana was dismissed and president's rule was imposed.

In Haryana the election to the State Assembly in 1982, the competition was essentially between Charan Singh's Lok Dal and the Congress(I). In the 90 member Assembly, the party position was : Congress (I) 36 seats; Lok Dal 31 seats, BJP 6 seats; Congress (j) 3 and Independents 12 seats. Thus the key to power lay with the independents, who had won 12 seats.