May 1 is celebrated as International Labour Day globally. It is the day to recognise the efforts and the struggles of the workers and the working class. The day came into effect after movements erupted in America and Chicago demanding eight hours of working time on a daily basis. Soon it went out of hand and people got injured. That's when multiple socialist groups of Europe came together to observe May 1 as International Labour Day to urge workers to know their rights and protect themselves from getting exploited. However, May 1 also holds immense significance in the landscape of our country due to other reasons. It is celebrated as Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day in India. Here's why.

May 1 is celebrated as Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day; here's why

Post the Indian Constitution came into effect, the country was divided into states based on linguistic boundaries. Bombay was recognised as a state which consisted of people speaking Marathi, Gujarati, Konkani, and Kutchi. This was recognised under the State Recognition Act, 1956. However, soon this led to commotion and distress. Linguistic differences between the people of Bombay shook the sanctity of the state, leading to problems. Movements started which demanded that the state be divided into two – one consisting of people speaking Gujarati and Kutchi, and the other consisting of people speaking Marathi and Konkani. The Samyukta Maharashtra Movement and the Mahagujarat movement started the movements.

As the protests started gaining momentum across the state, Bombay Reorganisation Act was charted out by the Government of India. On May 1, 1960, Maharashtra and Gujarat came to be recognised as two different states.

Hence, every year, May 1 is celebrated as the day when the states were established. Shivaji Park in Dadar, Mumbai celebrates the day with parades and ceremonies, while Gujarat organises the main event at Sabarmati Waterfalls.

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