Maharashtra Day marks the formation of the state of Maharashtra from the division of the Bombay State on 1 May 1960. As the country's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and Home Minister Sardar Vallabhai Patel were against the idea of a separate state, agitations built up and tensions flared on November 21, 1955, when the police fired the demonstrators at Flora Fountain in Mumbai
The day is commonly associated with parades and political speeches. Mumbai Traffic Police in its traffic notification said, on May 1, 2023, the Maharashtra Day parade is being organised at Shivaji Park ground, Dadar in Mumbai. In order to carry out smooth functioning of the parade, traffic regulation and control needs to be made on all adjoining roads around Shivaji Park ground from 06.00 hrs. to 12.00 hrs
Maharashtra Day falls on May 1 and is a public holiday. Maharashtra was formed on May 1, 1960, under the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960. The Act was enacted by the Parliament on April 25, 1960
The state of Maharashtra and Gujarat were formed after the Sanyukta Maharashtra Samiti were part of a movement to divide the Bombay State into two states; one composed of areas where people primarily spoke Gujarati and Kutchhi and the other where people primarily spoke Marathi and Konkani
It is called Maharashtra Divas because May 1 is Labour Day around the world. It was the mill workers and the masses who led the movement. It was specifically named Maharashtra Day to identify with a worker’s movement and not as a linguistic movement
Various public and private events to celebrate this day are held in the traditional way. In Mumbai, the police have banned flying activities around Shivaji Park in Dadar ahead of Maharashtra Day on May 1
Schools, offices and companies under the jurisdiction of the state and central government observe a holiday on Maharashtra Day
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