The Rajasthan tribal community has once again demanded the creation of a new state called Bhil Pradesh which has already been rejected by the state government earlier. The demand for a new state has come from breaking parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. According to the sources, the community has been demanding the formation of a new state including 49 districts from the above-mentioned states. Not only this, they also require to include 12 districts out of the old 33 districts of Rajasthan in the new state.In between this, Maneka Damor, the founder member of the Adivasi Parivar Sanstha, while speaking at a public gathering insisted the tribal women not follow the instructions of pundits. She said, “Tribal families do not apply sindoor, do not wear mangalsutra. Women and girls of the tribal society should focus on education, according to one the video clips shared by Tribal Voice.Tribal families do not apply sindoor, do not wear mangalsutra. Women and girls of the tribal society should focus on education. From now on, everyone should stop fasting. We are not Hindus : Maneka Damor, founder member of the Adivasi Parivar Sanstha pic.twitter.com/DjQHjegnI1— Syed Rafi - నేను తెలుగు వాడిని. (@syedrafi) July 18, 2024Recently, by-elections were held from Bagidora assembly seat of Banswara district in which Bharat Adivasi Party candidate Jaikrishna Patel won by 52,000 votes. During that time, he announced to the media that we were demanding and would create a separate Bhil state. MP Rajkumar Roat also asserted the state. And soon after winning the election, during the oath-taking ceremony, Rajkumar Roat raised the slogan of Jai Bhil Pradesh Jai Johar in the Parliament.In response to this, tribal minister Babulal Kharari has said that small states are effective for development. However, it is not right to demand separate states based on caste. Due to this, people of different castes and societies will start demanding separate states. The social fabric will start deteriorating, as per sources.Why these kinds of demands are raisedIt is important to note that this likely stems from the aspirations of the Bhil tribal community for greater political representation, cultural preservation, and socio-economic development. Bhil Tribe: The Bhil tribe is one of the largest tribal groups in India, primarily inhabiting regions of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. They have a distinct cultural identity and have historically faced socio-economic challenges.Statehood Demand: Tribals often advocate for separate statehood to ensure that their unique needs and concerns receive focused attention from governments. This includes issues related to land rights, education, healthcare, and overall socio-economic development.Political Representation: Creating a separate state would potentially empower the Bhil tribe politically, enabling them to have a greater say in policy decisions that affect their communities directly.Administrative Feasibility: Breaking existing states like Rajasthan and Gujarat to form Bhil Pradesh would require careful consideration of administrative boundaries, economic viability, and demographic distribution.Meanwhile, it is important to understand that India has a long history of reorganizing states based on linguistic and sometimes ethnic lines to promote regional development and governance efficiency. Examples include the creation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh from Madhya Pradesh.Any proposal to create a new state involves complex negotiations, constitutional amendments, and consensus-building among various stakeholders, including political parties, affected communities, and state governments.
