When Matsya Sangh was merged into Vrihat Rajasthan ?
- (1)18th April, 1948
- (2)25th January, 1950
- (3)30th March, 1949
- (4)15th May, 1949
Answer
Why
Correct — option (4), 15th May, 1949.
The Matsya Union joined Rajasthan on 15 May 1949. The Government of India's White Paper on Indian States (1950) prints the agreement: 'As from mid-day of the 15th day of May, 1949', the United State of Matsya was to be integrated with, and become part of, the United State of Rajasthan.
The White Paper explains the delay. Opinion in Alwar and Karauli favoured Rajasthan, but Bharatpur and Dholpur were divided between Rajasthan and the United Provinces. A committee under Shankar Rao Deo found majority opinion in both for Rajasthan, and the Government integrated all four states.
The idea to remember: Greater Rajasthan on 30 March 1949; Matsya added on 15 May 1949.
Why the others are wrong
- (1)18th April, 1948 — 18 April 1948 is the date the second Rajasthan Union, which brought in Udaipur (Mewar), was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru, according to the White Paper.
Matsya was not part of that union. It had been inaugurated as a separate union of four states on 18 March 1948, and it joined Rajasthan only in May 1949.
- (2)25th January, 1950 — 25 January 1950 relates to Sirohi, not Matsya. The States' Merger (Bombay) Order, 1950, reproduced in the White Paper, came into force on that day for listed villages of Sirohi's Abu Road and Dilwara tehsils, which it placed under Bombay.
The White Paper records the decision to merge Abu Road tehsil and part of Dilwara tehsil with Bombay, and to integrate the rest of Sirohi in Rajasthan.
- (3)30th March, 1949 — 30 March 1949 is the date the United State of Rajasthan (Greater Rajasthan) was inaugurated, bringing Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer into the Rajasthan Union.
The White Paper says the question of Matsya was taken up soon after the decision to form that state, and Matsya joined on 15 May 1949.
Concept
Rajasthan was formed in stages from March 1948, each stage adding states to the union formed before it.
The Matsya Union was the separate union of Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur and Karauli, inaugurated on 18 March 1948. The White Paper puts its area at 7,536 square miles, with a population of over 1.8 million.
It stayed outside Rajasthan until 15 May 1949, when the Rajpramukh of Matsya handed its administration to the Rajpramukh of Rajasthan.
RPSC's 2023 syllabus lists "Tribal and Peasant movements in 20th century, Praja Mandal movements in various princely states during 20th century. Integration of Rajasthan."
The agreement kept a door open. Article V said that once conditions allowed, steps would be taken to find out whether the people of Bharatpur and Dholpur wished to stay in Rajasthan or merge with the United Provinces.
Panagariya records that Matsya's Prime Minister, Shobharam, was taken into Hiralal Shastri's Rajasthan ministry after the merger.
Key facts
- The Matsya Union (Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli) was inaugurated on 18 March 1948 (White Paper on Indian States, 1950).
- The United State of Rajasthan, taking in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer, was inaugurated on 30 March 1949.
- Matsya was integrated with Rajasthan 'as from mid-day of the 15th day of May, 1949', under an agreement printed in the White Paper.
- The Shankar Rao Deo committee found majority opinion in Bharatpur and Dholpur in favour of Rajasthan rather than the United Provinces.
- The second Rajasthan Union, with Udaipur, was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru on 18 April 1948.
All dates from the White Paper on Indian States (1950).
Study next
Common traps
- Taking the Greater Rajasthan date for Matsya: the United State of Rajasthan was inaugurated on 30 March 1949, and Matsya joined on 15 May 1949.
- Mixing the Matsya Union's own birth with its merger: it was inaugurated on 18 March 1948 and merged into Rajasthan on 15 May 1949.
- Reading 25 January 1950 as a Matsya date: it is when the order placing part of Sirohi under Bombay came into force.
A question can give a stage of Rajasthan's integration and ask for its date, or give a date and ask which states joined.
A question can also ask for the correct order of the stages, or name the committee that tested opinion in Bharatpur and Dholpur.
Related PYQs
Consider the following statements about Matsya Union’s Prime Minister Shobaram and choose the correct option from below : A. He left his legal profession during the Non-Cooperation Movement. B. He was the member of the Cabinet of Heeralal Shastri.
- (1) Only A is true.
- (2) Only B is true.
- (3) A and B both are true.
- (4) A and B both are false.
Answer(2)
Same union, a different angle. That question tests two statements about Shobaram, Prime Minister of the Matsya Union (RPSC's key: only B, that he was a member of Heeralal Shastri's cabinet, is true); this one asks the date the Matsya Union merged into Rajasthan.
Practice
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which of the following states was NOT part of the Matsya Union?
- (a)Alwar
- (b)Karauli
- (c)Dholpur
- (d)Tonk
Answer(4) — The White Paper lists the Matsya Union as Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur and Karauli. Options (1), (2) and (3) are among those four; Tonk joined the first Rajasthan Union of 25 March 1948. - practice — not a real PYQ
Arrange the following in chronological order: A. Integration of the Matsya Union with Rajasthan B. Inauguration of the Matsya Union C. Inauguration of the United State of Rajasthan including Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer D. Inauguration of the Rajasthan Union including Udaipur Codes:
- (a)B, D, C, A
- (b)D, B, C, A
- (c)B, C, D, A
- (d)B, D, A, C
Answer(1) — B (18 March 1948), D (18 April 1948), C (30 March 1949), A (15 May 1949). Option (2) puts the Udaipur union before Matsya's inauguration; option (3) puts Greater Rajasthan before the Udaipur union; option (4) puts Matsya's merger before Greater Rajasthan.