At Mangarh Dham, tribal leaders decried social media sloganeering and demanded serious action for statehood, cultural dignity, and administrative equality, saying Bhils deserve recognition, not tokenism at election time.
BY PC Bureau
Like Manipur, tribal communities in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra are once again voicing their long-standing demand for a separate state—Bhil Pradesh—citing decades of neglect, exploitation, and political marginalisation.
On Friday, thousands of tribals gathered at Mangarh Dham in Banswara, a sacred site for the Bhil community, under the banner of the Bhil Pradesh Mukti Morcha, to assert their right to a separate state comprising 43 tribal-dominated districts from the four states.
Addressing the Bhil Tribal Conference, Master Bhanwarlal Parmar reminded the audience that this demand has persisted for over 70 years. He criticised the community’s overreliance on social media activism, stressing the need for grassroots mobilisation to address growing marginalisation, such as the situation in Kumbhalgarh and the dilution of tribal rights in Gujarat.
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Kantibhai Roat, another key speaker, urged tribal groups to engage with the state administration on their own terms—calling for meetings with the SP or Collector to happen on the community’s jajam (traditional carpet) rather than from a position of subordination. Roat also encouraged the gathering to embrace tribal identity, maintain discipline, and stay away from alcohol and tobacco to build a more cohesive movement.
#BhilPradesh is a demand of Scheduled Tribes divided in tribal dominated areas of Rajasthan, Gujarat, MadhyaPradesh and Maharashtra. The government of India should fulfill the demand of Bhil Pradesh for the protection and upliftment of the tribal community. #हमारी_मांग_भीलप्रदेश pic.twitter.com/qSD9OyAbEn
— Vikas Rathod (@VikasRathod28) July 15, 2025
Parmar reiterated that Bhil Pradesh Sandesh Yatra, active since 2020, has submitted over 150 memoranda to authorities demanding statehood.
However, the movement drew sharp criticism from BJP leader Rajendra Rathore, who called a recently circulated map of Bhil Pradesh “treasonous” and accused Rajkumar Roat, the Independent MP who released it, of trying to divide Rajasthan and mislead tribals for political gain.
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Roat hit back, accusing Rathore of using unparliamentary language and disrespecting the legacy of leaders who had once supported the creation of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand. He defended the map, saying it reflects the Bhil community’s unique identity, language, and customs.
