Rajasthan: Tribal community up in arms, demands new state 'Bhil Pradesh'

The Rajasthan tribal community has called for a meeting on Thursday to demand the creation of a new state called 'Bhil Pradesh', a demand which the state government has already rejected.

The tribal society has demanded to form the new state by combining 49 districts of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. There is also a demand to include 12 districts out of the old 33 districts of Rajasthan in the new state.

A tribal leader said that thousands of tribals will attend the meeting from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra and will be held at Mangarh Dham in Banswara.

The state authorities have put restrictions around the Mangarh Dham and also snapped the internet in the area.

Tribal Regional Development Minister Babulal Kharadi said that a state cannot be formed on the basis of caste.

"If this happens, other people will also make demands. We will not send a proposal to the Center. Those who have changed religion should not get the benefit of tribal reservation," the minister said.

However, the new tribal party BAP has intensified the campaign to make the case for a separate tribal state. They want to strengthen their organisation by taking along tribals from other districts and states.

Banswara MP Rajkumar Roat from BAP said that the demand for 'Bhil Pradesh' is not new and the BAP has been raising this demand strongly.

"After the mega rally, a delegation will meet the President and the Prime Minister with the proposal," MP Roat said.

He said that more than 35 organisations of the 'Bhil Pradesh' community from across the country are active regarding the program.

He said that the demand to implement the fifth schedule in the TSP area (areas including entire southern districts of Dungarpur, Banswara and Pratapgarh and some parts of Udaipur and Sirohi) at the local level and to give reservations to the tribal society in proportion to the population is also a major issue which will be discussed in today's meeting.

The tribals have also demanded to include Banswara, Dungarpur, Barmer, Jalore, Sirohi, Udaipur, Jhalawar, Rajsamand, Chittorgarh, Kota, Baran, Pali in Bhil Pradesh in their new state. Similar demands are made for states like Gujarat, MP and Maharashtra.

(With inputs from IANS)