Gujarat, India: On April 4, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Chaitar Vasava demanded a separate state for the tribal population in Gujarat and three neighbouring states called ‘Bhil Pradesh.’ He said, “History tells us that there was a separate state called Bhil Pradesh. But after independence that state was divided and its parts were merged into different states such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra,” speaking to reporters.
Chaitar Vasava claimed that the rights of tribal people were being snatched away. He claimed that in the Kevadia area of Gujarat’s Narmada district, thousands of acres of tribal land were given away to others for various projects. He said, “As a result, tribals of the area, who were the real owners of the land, are now reduced to working as labourers for Rs 280 per day.”
“Since our rights on our Jal, Jungle and Jamin (water, forest and land) are being snatched away, we are again raising this demand for a separate Bhil Pradesh,” he added.
Responding to Chaitar Vasava’s demands, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and tribal leader Mansukh Vasava said that Chaitar Vasava’s demand would create anarchy and friction between the tribal communities and non-tribal communities. He said, “This demand will create anarchy in many areas. It will also create friction between tribals and non-tribals, which will eventually affect the implementation of developmental projects in tribal areas.”
“Other tribal leaders also tried to revive this movement afterwards but they too received lukewarm response because majority of the population does not support it,” he added. Furthermore, he claimed that the leaders demanding a separate state should instead draw the government’s attention towards the problems with existing schemes and how such schemes can be implemented properly.
Bharatiya Tribal Party’s (BTP) founder and former MLA Chhotubhai Vasava raised the demand for a separate tribal state earlier. Chaitar Vasava noted that a delegation headed by Chhotubhai Vasava had handed over a memorandum demanding a separate tribal state to the then-President of India Pratibha Patil.
