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Loknayak Bapuji Aney and His Struggle for Vidarbha’s Rights

Loknayak Bapuji Aney and His Struggle for Vidarbha’s Rights
Loknayak Bapuji Aney and His Struggle for Vidarbha’s Rights

Madhav Shrihari Aney was one of India’s prominent freedom fighters and statesmen, widely revered for his principled leadership and commitment to regional justice.


Born in 1880 in Wani, a small town in what is today Yavatmal district, Aney’s life intersected with major phases of India’s political evolution. Beyond his national contributions, it was his steadfast pursuit of equal rights and recognition for Vidarbha that defined much of his political journey.


His efforts shaped the early articulation of Vidarbha’s distinct identity within the Indian Union and laid the foundations for its statehood movement.



Early Life and Entry into Public Service


Madhav Shrihari Aney hailed from a family deeply rooted in Sanskrit scholarship. Completing his studies at Calcutta University with degrees in arts and law, he returned to Yavatmal to practice law.


His early career was marked by an uncompromising stance against colonial rule, exemplified when his license to practice was suspended in 1910 due to his writings criticising the British administration.


Aney’s association with Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak influenced his political ideology, orienting him towards a nationalist agenda centred on self-rule and education.


Aney’s efforts in fostering public awareness led to the establishment of Lokmat, a Marathi newspaper aimed at disseminating nationalist ideas.

He became an active participant in the Home Rule League and later the Indian National Congress. His leadership in Vidarbha's provincial politics was cemented when he presided over the Vidarbha Provincial Congress Committee in 1921.



A staunch believer in legislative resistance, Aney joined the Swaraj Party, contesting and winning seats in the Central Provinces and Berar legislature multiple times throughout the 1920s and 1930s.


During the civil disobedience movement, Aney led a forest satyagraha in 1930, protesting British forest policies, which resulted in a six-month imprisonment. His leadership during this period earned him the title Loknayak, or "people’s leader," from the local population.


He continued his legislative work during the 1930s, briefly assuming the role of Acting Congress President in 1933 during a period of mass incarcerations of top Congress leaders.


His stature as a national leader was further affirmed when he was appointed to the Viceroy’s Executive Council in 1941, handling Indian affairs abroad, and later serving as High Commissioner to Ceylon between 1943 and 1947.

After India’s independence, Aney became a member of the Constituent Assembly before being appointed Governor of Bihar in 1948, a position he held until 1952.


Despite these national-level responsibilities, Aney remained focused on regional matters, particularly the future of Vidarbha within the new Indian Union.



Advocacy for Vidarbha’s Distinct Identity


Aney’s concern for Vidarbha predated independence. He recognised the region’s unique cultural, historical, and administrative attributes.


Though Marathi-speaking, Vidarbha had developed separately from western Maharashtra due to its history as part of the Central Provinces and Berar.

Its socio-economic composition, including a significant tribal population and a distinctive administrative setup centred on Nagpur, differentiated it from other Marathi-speaking regions.


As early as the 1920s, Aney proposed that Vidarbha be constituted as a separate administrative unit.


In 1924, he formally moved a proposal in the provincial legislature advocating for statehood for the Marathi-speaking areas of Berar.


His advocacy aligned with the Indian National Congress’s 1920 Nagpur session, which endorsed linguistic reorganisation of states.



The call for a separate Vidarbha found further traction in 1938 when the provincial legislature passed a resolution demanding Vidarbha’s statehood.

As independence approached, Aney and his contemporaries sought to solidify Vidarbha’s position. In August 1947, leaders from Vidarbha and the Marathi-speaking parts of the Bombay Presidency negotiated the Akola Pact.


The pact proposed two separate Marathi-speaking states, one for Vidarbha and one for the western districts. The agreement included a pledge to continue advocating for Vidarbha’s statehood if the two-state solution was not realised.


Aney’s consistent position was rooted in the belief that a smaller, locally governed state would be more responsive to Vidarbha’s developmental needs.


Post-independence, the question of Vidarbha’s status resurfaced during the nationwide states reorganisation exercise.


Aney played a crucial role by submitting a comprehensive memorandum to the States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) in 1954, articulating the historical, administrative, and economic rationale for a separate Vidarbha state.


His arguments centred on concerns about neglect and administrative inefficiency if Vidarbha were merged into a larger Maharashtra.


The SRC’s 1955 report endorsed Aney’s views, recommending the formation of a separate Vidarbha state with Nagpur as its capital. Dr B.R. Ambedkar also supported this proposal, advocating for two Marathi-speaking states for better administration.

Despite these recommendations, political compulsions led to the merger of Vidarbha into Maharashtra in 1960. The Nagpur Pact, a political compromise, promised equitable development for Vidarbha and mandated that one session of the Maharashtra legislature be held annually in Nagpur.


However, the constitutional guarantees envisioned under Article 371(2) to ensure Vidarbha’s balanced development were seen by Aney and others as insufficient safeguards against marginalisation.


Following the decision, Aney intensified his efforts. He was instrumental in mobilising public opinion through the formation of the Nag Vidarbha Andolan Samiti, an organisation committed to the cause of Vidarbha’s statehood. His advocacy remained grounded in constitutional and peaceful means, using parliamentary mechanisms and public discourse to highlight the region’s issues.


In 1959, Aney won the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat as a Congress candidate. By 1962, however, he distanced himself from the Congress and contested as an independent backed by the Vidarbha Andolan Samiti.


His victory in the 1962 general elections was notable for its clear endorsement of the Vidarbha statehood agenda. As a parliamentarian, Aney consistently raised Vidarbha’s concerns, highlighting disparities in resource allocation and development.


He emphasised that while Vidarbha contributed significantly to Maharashtra’s economy through its agricultural and mineral wealth, it lagged in terms of infrastructure and public investment.


Aney’s parliamentary interventions underscored the imbalance, with Nagpur losing its status as a capital and the region’s interests often overshadowed by western Maharashtra’s political dominance. Although the statehood demand did not materialise during his lifetime, Aney’s efforts kept the issue alive and shaped the discourse around regional equity.



Later Years and Continued Impact


Madhav Shrihari Aney’s commitment to Vidarbha persisted until he died in 1968. On the day of his passing, he was announced as a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan for his contributions to India’s freedom movement and public service. Throughout his life, he championed regional development within the framework of national unity, advocating for decentralisation and responsive governance.


Aney’s influence on Vidarbha’s statehood movement continued posthumously. Leaders such as Jambuwantrao Dhote and Vishwanathrao Vishvesrao carried forward the cause in subsequent decades.


Various political organisations, including civil society groups, have repeatedly cited Aney’s arguments while pushing for the creation of Vidarbha state.


Although the Nagpur session of the Maharashtra legislature remains an institutional legacy of his advocacy, demands for separate statehood resurface periodically, reflecting the enduring relevance of the issues he raised.

Institutions named after Aney, such as Loknayak Bapuji Aney Mahila Mahavidyalaya in Yavatmal, and public memorials ensure that his contributions are remembered.


His work in education, literature, and politics has left a lasting imprint on Vidarbha’s socio-political fabric. Contemporary political figures have continued to draw on his legacy, with discussions around Vidarbha’s development often invoking his name and vision.



Aney’s lifelong commitment to Vidarbha was marked by a consistent emphasis on regional identity, equitable development, and constitutional methods.


His efforts highlighted the complexities of state formation in post-independence India and set a benchmark for regional advocacy rooted in democratic principles.


His work remains a reference point for understanding the dynamics of Vidarbha’s integration into Maharashtra and the continuing debates over regional autonomy.


References



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