Why was Jharkhand separated from Bihar?

Even Jharkhand and Bihar both are Hindi states, geographically near and was same state earlier, there was always cultural, political, geographical and economical differences.

Jaipal Singh Munda, Indian Hockey captain and member of Constituent Assembly, was the first leader who demanded Jharkhand as a separate state before Independence of India. This demand was rejected by Simon commission, 1929. After Independence of India, first Prime minister Nehru rejected this by saying there will be no ‘faarkhand’ (Divided land).

In 90s, Shibu Soren led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha made mass movement for Jharkhand. Later BJP supported the formation of Jharkhand along with Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand. President K. R. Narayanan approved the Bihar reorganization bill in 2000, and Jharkhand came into existance as 28th state of India.

Difference between Bihar and Jharkhand

1. In Bihar all of languages belong to Indo-aryan languages group, where as in Jharkhand, Dravidiana and prehistoric Austroliod languages are also spoken. For example Kurukh is a dravidan language, where as Santhali language is in the Munda subfamily of Austroasiatic languages.

Name of days in Santhali

( Image credit: Know the "Days and Months" in Santhal )

2. Jharkhand is compromised of 26% tribles, where as in Bihar it is nearby to 1% only.

 

3. In history, Bihar consists of well developed provinces Magadh, Mithila and Bhojpur, where as Jharkhand was homeland of different tribes and buffer region between Magadh and Kalinga.

4. Jharkhand is mainly plateau, where as Bihar is in Ganga plain.

Patratu Valley, Jharkhand

(Image credit: Dainik Bhaskar)

5. Jharkhand is industry and mines oriented state, where as Bihar is mainly agriculture oriented.

Jamshedpur Tata steel plant