Rajasthan

• 19 Jul 2024

Tribals Demand for Bhil Pradesh

Why in News?

Recently, The Rajasthan tribal community has demanded for the creation of a new state called 'Bhil Pradesh'.

Key Points

• The tribal society is demanding the creation of a new state by merging 49 districts from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.
  • Additionally, there is a request to incorporate 12 districts from the previous 33 districts of Rajasthan into the new state.
• Thirty-five organizations, including Adivasi Parivar, the largest group in the Bhil community, organized a huge rally.
  • Tribal people from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra were also gathered for the meeting held at Mangarh Dham in Banswara.

Bhil community

• The Bhil are one of the largest tribal groups, living in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.
• The name is derived from the word ‘billu’, which means bow.
• The Bhil are known to be excellent archers coupled with deep knowledge about their local geography.
• Traditionally, experts in guerrilla warfare, most of them today are farmers and agricultural labourers. They are also skilled sculptors.
• Bhil women wear traditional saris while men are dressed in long frocks and pyjamas. The woman put on heavy ornaments made of silver, brass along with rosaries of beads and silver coins and earrings.

Rajasthan Citizenship Camps for Minority

Why in News?

The Rajasthan government is going to organize special camps to grant Indian citizenship to minority refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

Key Points

• The rules and procedures for granting Indian citizenship to minority refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have been simplified. District collectors are now authorized to issue citizenship certificates.
• According to the sources, 2,329 people have been granted citizenship in the state from 2016 to 2024.
  • A total of 1,566 applications are pending at present. Of these, Intelligence Bureau reports are awaited in 300 cases.

Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019

• The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955.
• The CAA provides citizenship on the basis of religion to six undocumented non-Muslim communities (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians) from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who entered India on or before 31^st December, 2014.
• It exempts the members of the six communities from any criminal case under the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Passport Act, 1920.
  • The two Acts specify punishment for entering the country illegally and staying here on expired visas and permits.