Mumbai: Mumbai indulged itself in celebrations on the occasion of Maharashtra Day on Wednesday. The 64th foundation day of the state was celebrated with great enthusiasm in the city as well as across the state.
May 1 holds great significance in the history of Maharashtra due to its formation from the bilingual state of Bombay. The Sanyukta Maharashtra and Mahagujarat movements demanded separation of Bombay into one state of Marathi and Konkani speaking people and the other state of Gujarati and Kachchi speaking people.
On this day in the year of 1960, the state of Bombay was bifurcated into two states of Gujarat and Maharashtra according to linguistic identity. Maharashtra Diwas celebrations include various cultural events, speeches and parades in different cities of the state. This day also pays tributes to the martyrs who lost their lives in the struggle for a separate state for the Marathi speaking people.
Every year on Maharashtra Day, state government ministers and officials pay their respect at the Hutatma Smarak near the Flora Fountain in Fort, which symbolises the struggle for a separate state. On Wednesday, politicians including chief minister Eknath Shinde, union minister Piyush Goyal and member of legislative assembly Ahsish Shelar, Mihir Kotecha and others also visited the Hutatma Smarak to pay tributes to the martyrs.
Maharashtra governor Ramesh Bais unfurled the national flag and inspected the ceremonial parade at the state celebrations observed in Mumbai, where CM Shinde, government and police officials were also present. Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis attended the Maharashtra Day celebrations at Kasturchand Park in Nagpur whereas deputy CM Ajit Pawar attended the celebrations at the Pune city police headquarters in Shivajinagar.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation celebrated the state’s foundation day with instrumental rendition of various patriotic songs presented by the music troupe of Sangeet Academy of the municipal corporation.
The Election Commission also celebrated Maharashtra Day by organising novel initiatives to spread awareness among people to vote for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. A selfie point was inaugurated by the election commission along with a signature campaign to boost the voter awareness programme. Various non-government organisations across the city organised flag hoisting and cultural programmes to celebrate the foundation day.
