Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti

A political organisation that demanded the creation of a separate Marathi-speaking state out of the then bilingual Bombay state. It was formed in 1956 under the leadership of Keshavrao Jedhe in Pune. The martyrdom of its agitators in April 1960 at Hutatma Chowk led to the creation of Maharashtra state on May 1, 1960. It was the forerunner of the present Shiv Sena party led by Balasaheb Thackeray.