SAHEB

To know more of SAHEB’s qualities of strength and fortitude one has to go back to the years of the agitation over linguistic states. It was probably the most critical period of his life which was going to decide his political future. The states reorganization in November 1956 brought into being bilingual Bombay State. This was done in the face of a widespread agitation for separate States of Maharashtra and Gujarat which had a strong impact on the minds of the people. After the report of the States Reorganization Commission was published in October 1955 there was a general feeling of frustration among the people and the agitation took the shape of a popular movement in Maharashtra and Gujarat. It started right from the day of the publication of the report and went on up to the actual formation of the bilingual Bombay State. Morarji Desai who was the Chief Minister of the earlier Bombay State attempted to deal with the movement on the basis of sheer strength. The movement went on unabated and the more it was sought to be suppressed the more violent it became.

By the time the question of leadership of the bilingual Bombay State came up opposition o Morarji Desai had become all too vehement, particularly in Maharashtra. SAHEB took over the Chief Minister of the bilingual Bombay State in these trying circumstances when the future looked bleak and ominous. The leadership of the state in such times was like sitting on the top of a volcano. In the years tat followed SAHEB adopted a technique of his own which he could use with remarkable success. It was a technique of firmness and abundant tact. Such was the fury of the storm which the agitation over the linguistic state had raised that any other lesser man in his place would have been swept off his feet and completely lost his way. SAHEB not only survived this crisis but rode on it to the position of being the most revered leader of Maharashtra since Lokamanya Tilak as many now describe him.