Demanding Separate Bhil State in India

The Bhil community has been present in India for a long time. It is a group of communities that is mostly present in the western part of India. In India, around 10.6 million people belong to the Bhil community and are the most widespread tribe in India. The Bhil people formed their party, BTP (Bhartiya Tribal Party), won 2 seats in the legislative assembly of Rajasthan and Gujarat each and raised their demand for a new separate  Bhil region in the year 2017. The Bhil community is demanding a new state because of the lack of development in their area and the ignorance of the government. 

Separate Bhil region

When BTP won 2 seats in the legislative assembly of Gujarat and Rajasthan, they raised a demand for a separate Bhil region or state. This new Bhil state will form by joining the southern part of Rajasthan, the eastern part of Gujarat, the northern part of Maharashtra, and the western part of Madhya Pradesh. According to BTP, the new state will have 10 districts from Rajasthan-( Udaipur, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Sirohi, Banswara, Jalore, Barmer, Rajsamand, Pali, and Chittorgarh), 16 districts from Gujarat-( Panchmahal, Dahod, Godhra, Dang, etc.), 7 districts from Madhya Pradesh-( Ratlam, Alirajpur, Jhabua, Petlawad, Dhar, etc.) and 6 districts of Maharashtra-( Nashik, Dhule, etc.). In total, the new Bhil state will have 39 districts. 

Most widespread tribe in India

The Bhil are the most widespread tribe in India. According to the reports of 2013, the Bhils were the largest tribal group in India. Bhil people are present in the western part of India and speak bhil languages (Marathi, Gujarati, and Sindhi). Around 10.6 million Bhil people live in India, and half of them, around 5 million bhil people, live in Madhya Pradesh, 4.2 million in Gujarat, 4.1 million in Rajasthan, 2.5 million in Maharashtra. A small number of bhil people live in states like Karnataka, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. The Bhils are classified as a Scheduled Tribe in Andhra Pradesh, Gujrat, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Tripura.

History of Bhils:

Bhils are an Adivasi ethnic group in western India. During the colonial period of India, the Bhils are designated as a criminal tribe. During the colonial period, the locals tortured the builders for no reason. In 1871, an act was passed. Criminal Tribes Aich noted that Bhils could be randomly picked up and tortured by the colonial authorities. This act characterised many tribes as criminals just because they participated in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The past of Bhils was full of struggles. They were forced to pay high taxes and do forced labour. When Bhils were protesting against high taxes, the jagirdars of Mewar called the British political agents to suppress the protest. 1500 Bhils were shot dead. The year 1908 during their struggle period. 

Culture of Bhils:

 The term bhil is used to describe those living in the forests and hills of Rajasthan. These people used bows and arrows as their primary weapon in the past. Bhils have a unique and rich culture. This follows the Hindu religion. Bhils are divided into several territorial divisions with several different lineages and clans. The subdivision of Bhils, Bhilala, is known for its beautiful Pithora paintings. The girls in the Bhil tribe wear Ghoomar during traditional folk dances.

The diet of bhil people is maise, onions, garlic, and chillies. Because Bhils are tribal people, they used to scavenge food from forests like fruits and vegetables. The traditional dresses for men are Pagri, Dhoti, and Angarkha, and women used to wear Ghagra Choli.

Why demand a separate Bhil state: 

The Bhils living in Rajasthan, Gujrat, and Madhya Pradesh demand a separate Bhil region. The Bhils want the migrant people of the Bhil community to be brought back to their original place. These people also say that the tribal communities have the first right to natural resources. The state president of BTP, Dr Velaram Ghoghra, said that forming a new state will help them protect the Bhil culture, traditions, and dignity. But the leaders of political parties like Congress and BJP have different views. They say that one should not demand a new state based on caste, religion, or community.

Conclusion

In India, around 10.6 million people belong to the Bhil community. The Bhil people formed their party, BTP (Bhartiya Tribal Party), won 2 seats in the legislative assembly of Rajasthan and Gujarat each and demanded a separate Bhil region in the year 2017. The Bhils want a separate state because The Bhils want the migrant people of the Bhil community to be brought back to their original place. The term bhil is used to describe those living in the forests and hills of Rajasthan. During the colonial period of India, the Bhils were designated as a criminal tribe.