This time, on 25 January (Saturday), the state level ‘full statehood day’ function of Himachal Pradesh will be celebrated in Baijnath of Kangra district. The function will be presided over by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu can make many announcements while addressing the function. The eyes of the government employees and pensioners of the state will also be fixed on his address. It is worth mentioning that on 25 January 1971, amidst snowfall, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had announced the full statehood of Himachal from the Ridge ground.
In Frame: Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, CM, Himachal Pradesh
At that time, many organizations were also against the full statehood of Himachal. Despite this, after a long struggle, Himachal was given the status of statehood. Then Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar became the first Chief Minister of Himachal. Himachal Pradesh came into existence as a Chief Commissioner Province on 15 April 1948, a full eight months after the independence of the country, as a result of the merger of 30 small and big hill princely states. Mahasu, Mandi, Chamba and Sirmaur were given the status of separate districts. At that time, the area of Himachal Pradesh was 10,451 square miles and the population was 9,83,367. In the year 1950, Himachal was given the status of ‘C’ state and provision was made for the formation of the Legislative Assembly.
In March 1952, Dr. Parmar took oath as the first Chief Minister of this state and formed his three-member cabinet. In July 1954, Bilaspur was merged into Himachal and made it the fifth district of the state. After the implementation of the ‘States Reorganization Act’ in 1956, the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly was abolished on 31 October 1956 and a Territorial Council was formed in its place. On November 1, 1956, Himachal Pradesh became a Union Territory. In the year 1963, the ‘Government of Union Territories Act’ was passed and on July 1, 1963, the Territorial Council was converted into Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly. As a result, Dr. YS Parmar became the Chief Minister for the second time.
1966: Punjab States Reorganization Act was passed and Kangra, Una, Hamirpur, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Shimla, Nalagarh, Kandaghat, Dalhousie etc. areas were included in Himachal. This increased the area of Himachal to 55,673 square kilometers. After this, geographical, social, cultural and linguistic reunification took place but the state was yet to get the status of a full state.
December 1970: Parliament passed the ‘State of Himachal Pradesh Act-1970’
25 January 1971: The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi herself came to Shimla and announced the grant of full statehood to Himachal in front of thousands of Himachali’s gathered at the historic Ridge ground here. When this announcement was made, snow was falling on the Ridge ground. In this way, Himachal Pradesh became the 18th state of India.
