The February 13 interim order by Supreme Court that ordered the eviction of tribals and forest dwellers may have been stayed after the intervention of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, but it has given a new lease of life and hope to the Bharatiya Tribal Party of reaching Parliament. Spreading its base in southern Rajasthan over the last few years, the newly-emerged party has fielded candidates on four seats in the state: Banswara-Dungarpur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur and Jodhpur. Jodhpur is also the seat where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot is contesting.

But these aspirations and efforts are neither sudden nor unfounded. In the Assembly elections held in Rajasthan last year, the BTP fielded 11 candidates. Two were elected, in Dungarpur district’s Chorasi and Sagwara seats. Encouraged by the results and the vote share they managed to get, the BTP announced it would field candidates for Parliament.

BTP state president Dr Velaram Ghoghra says the party hopes to register its presence in Parliament this election season. “Our candidates are Sansi Lal Roat from Banswara-Dungarpur, BL Sanwal from Udaipur, Amar Singh Kalunda from Jodhpur and Prakash Meena from Chittorgarh. We will regularly raise our demands through rallies, first in Rajasthan and later in Delhi. Why is it that governors and presidents, who are our guardians as per the Constitution, never took up our cause? It’s time they did now.”

Formed by Chotubhai Vasava, a legislator from Gujarat, in 2017, the BTP finds its basis in the rising aspirations and socio-political consolidation of Bhils: a unique sect of tribals dominantly found in adjacent areas of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Its emergence is also based on their 70-year-old demand for a separate state—“Bhilistan”—to be carved out of 22 districts from four states, namely Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Political developments since 2017 indicate that the surge for tribal identity is on the rise.

Their intent was made obvious when the slogan “Jai Bhil Pradesh” resonated in the Rajasthan Assembly when it gathered for its first session in February. It was raised by two BTP legislators: Rajkumar Roat who has won on the Chourasi seat, and Ramprasad Dindor, the MLA from Sagwara.

BTP MLA Ramprasad Dindor says, “Tribal rights are our major motive. For that, it is necessary that separate Bhilistan be formed. This was the slogan we raised in the Assembly on the first day when we took oath. We have reached the platform where our voice can be sent out to the people. We also took our oath in the name of nature because our gods—sun, moon, rivers, mountains, forests—are part of nature.”

The Bhils first tasted success in 2017 when the student wing, Bhil Pradesh Vidyarti Morcha, ensured a clean sweep in colleges across Dungarpur, Sagwara, Banswara, Khairwada and stood in second place in Udaipur by managing to trounce the ABVP and NSUI. Then in the 2018 Assembly elections, of the 11 seats they contested, they secured 12.49 per cent of votes across eight seats falling under the Banswara-Dungarpur Parliamentary constituency—the seat for which they have maximum hope in the upcoming polls. The consolidation of Bhils has consequently made the electoral pitch difficult for both the BJP and the Congress.

These political developments are proof that the surge for the tribal (Bhil) identity is on the rise. BTP MLA Rajkumar Roat says: “All we want are our rights as tribals, as Bhils. We also want reservation within reservation. Out of the 12 per cent reservation to tribals, one community takes up 11 per cent and all other tribals get merely one per cent. This should come to an end.”

But at the same time disenchantment is a result of the disregard for their demands by consecutive governments. The BTP seeks the implementation of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides that the governor has the right to make laws for the development of tribals on the recommendation of the Tribal Advisory Council. It further gives them the right that their traditions and rituals can be followed. But no government has done this.

Their demand for a separate state has also been raised since Independence.

The Fifth Schedule was prominently reiterated at the annual convention of the Adivasi Ekta Parishad, the largest body of tribals, organised in Silvassa on January 14 and 15 January this year. Tribals from across the country had congregated. Prakriti Kharadi, former chairperson of the Tribal Commission Government of Rajasthan, says: “All we want are those rights that are permissible to us under Schedule 5 of the Constitution. When Schedule 6 has been implemented in the Northeast, why not for us?”

The Bhil community is a deciding voter base for 23 Assembly seats of south Rajasthan and three Parliament seats: Udaipur, Banswara-Dungarpur and Chittorgarh. Out of these, 18 Assembly seats are reserved for STs. Bhils being the dominant tribe, both the Congress and BJP field Bhil candidates and, over the years, have spared no effort to capture them. Winners manage to land ministerial berths too, but the community has been dissatisfied. Even the RSS has undertaken intensive outreach programmes through its Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad, but Bhils are now gravitating towards their own party.

It’s a clear indication that Bhils have used the last few years to evolve into a cohesive force, and this has now sounded an alarm bell in the two major political parties of Rajasthan. Their unease was evident in the process of mulling candidates to be fielded on the seats reserved for STs—Bhils fall under this category—as the BTP has eroded into their vote base.

To understand the situation better, it’s necessary to understand who Bhils are, and their historical and cultural significance. How have they been left behind in the march for development?

Who are Bhils and how are they different from other tribals?  

Bhils are an ancient, influential warrior tribe with inherent guerilla tactics and archery skills. They find mention in both the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

In Rajasthan, Banswara was established by Bhil chieftain Bansia Bhil. Dungarpur was established by Dungaria Baranda (Bhil). These erstwhile kingdoms are now districts in Rajasthan. In fact, erstwhile Mewar (Udaipur) kingdom was established by Bhils and the first Rajput king Bappa Rawal was coronated by Bhils. Bhilu Rana also fought alongside Maharana Pratap in the famous Haldi Ghati battle against Akbar.

Where are Bhils found in India?

Bhils are tribals who are found in over 10 states of India. They are classified as Scheduled Tribe in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tripura.

In Rajasthan they are found in the districts of Banswara, Dungarpur, Udaipur, Chittorgarh and Pratapgarh. They are the largest tribe in Rajasthan.

The Bhil community demands that Bhilistan be formed out of 22 districts from four states.

As per the 2011 census, there are 92,38,534 persons belonging to Scheduled Tribes in Rajasthan. This is 12 per cent of the state’s total population. Bhils are almost 40 per cent of the state’s tribal population, while the second largest tribal population is Meenas.

What is the Bhilistan movement?

The Bhilistan movement seeks to establish a separate state of Bhils. This is to be made from areas taken from four states. For this, the path being adopted is to establish Bhils as a political force, a political pressure group that can raise demands which are uniquely their own. They feel their needs and demands have been continuously ignored by subsequent governments and the movement is a manifestation for their urge for identity.

The Bhil community demands that Bhilistan be formed out of 22 districts from four states—five from Rajasthan, seven from Gujarat, five from Madhya Pradesh, and five from Maharashtra. These districts have a dominant Bhil population, a tribe unique to these areas. Historians confirm that in the times of the British, these areas were called “Khan Desh” for the mineral mines in the area. It was also called “Bhil Patti” (strip). They have one language, one gotra, similar food styles, traditions and rituals.

The 22 districts are:

Rajasthan: Udaipur, Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Sirohi

Gujarat: Aravalli, Banaskantha, Bharuch, Navsari, Valsad part of Surat, Panchmahal

Maharashtra: Nasik, Thane, Dhule, part of Pune, Ahmednagar

Madhya Pradesh: Jhabua, Dhar, Barwani, Khargone, Ratlam

What are their demands and issues?

They demand a separate state for Bhils. Their ire is because of the non-implementation of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution. They claim the Tribal Advisory Council is defunct and instead of the Governor, the chief minister is its chairman—so political motivation guides decisions.

The provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, which gives local gram sabhas (community sabhas, not the elected ones) rights of civil courts is also not implemented.

Other issues are they are always clubbed with the SC that are spread across the state. Bhils are tribals and a localised community with particular language and rituals. With no specific identity, they do not get the rights the Constitution provides them. They state that since they make up 12 per cent of the population, the budget allocated for them should be in ratio of their population.

No separate commissioner has been appointed for the Tribal Area Development department. Instead, the charge is held by a divisional commissioner which they state cannot do them justice. Bhils also claim to form 75 per cent of the population in tribal areas where other castes also live. They are upset that in 2013, 50 per cent reservation was given to the general category and five per cent to SCs living in tribal areas. This leaves only 45 per cent reservation for tribals, they state.

In 2015-16, Bhils launched an agitation called Mission 73 that demanded the fragmentation of reservation for STs. They provided data which stated that out of the 12 per cent reservation given to STs, 11 per cent is usurped by the Meena community, leaving the others to make do with the remaining one per cent.

In the last 50 years or so, only two Bhils have been selected as Rajasthan Administrate Service officers. HK Damor was selected in 1974 and Mahavir Kharadi in 1998—and no one else.

History of the demands

During the 1920s, freedom fighter Thakkar Bapa from Gujarat—who is believed to be one of Mahatma Gandhi’s guiding forces—had first given the suggestion to form a state out of Bhil-dominated areas. Thakkar Bapa went on to found the Bhil Seva Mandal.

The slogan “Jai Bhil Pradesh” was given after the 1913 Mangarh massacre, called the Jalianwallah Bagh of Rajasthan. Bhils from Rajasthan and Gujarat led by Govind Guru Maharaj were protesting on the hills of Mangarh for their demands, especially against bonded labour. The British opened fire on them and shot down 1,500 Bhils and injured 900.

The Bhil leaders recently shifted tactics and decided to infuse a sense of pride in their historic icons and the establishment of tribal identity. Birth anniversaries of community leaders and icons are being celebrated with ever-increasing enthusiasm and participation over the last decade. Next they focused on political movements. The Bharatiya Tribal Party was formed in 2017 and the Bhil Pradesh Vidyarti Morcha gave them a foothold in politics.

How did social media help?  

The Bhil movement became a cohesive force over the last few years, consolidating up to the village level across states. Educated youth of the community have taken upon themselves the task of keeping their identity alive through motivation. Clusters of 10-12 villages have been formed where the youth organise motivational sessions and chintan shivirs. They function as orators for lectures on tribal values and traditions.

Further, there are social media groups for interaction and idea exchange. The groups are systematically created with names that specify the state, district and village, and all under the banner of the Bhilistan Tiger Sena founded by Chotubhai Vasava. The use of social media for the consolidation of the community is quite a paradox, as the areas are remote and backward and poverty is rampant.