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dated October 7, 1955: Nehru's call for unity

Addressing a huge gathering of citizens of Bangalore from the Central College Diamond Jubilee Pavilion on October 6, Prime Minister Nehru made an impassioned appeal to the people of the country to maintain unity. Referring, in particular, to the language policy of the Government of India and the report of the States Reorganisation Commission, he asked the people to consider these two questions in a calm and dispassionate manner and act in a democratic way. The freedom which India had won, thanks to the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, should be preserved and all should so work that India, a country with a great culture could be kept mighty in thought, mighty in culture and mighty in its peaceful service to humanity. He said that whenever he came to South India he felt the difficulty as to what language he should speak in. He asked the gathering to indicate by a show of hands as to how many understood English and how many Hindi. The majority voted for English and, as a compromise, the Prime Minister said he would speak in English for a time and then in Hindi.

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