Maru Pradesh

Maru Pradesh मरुप्रदेश
Proposed state of India
Country	India
Capital	Jodhpur
Districts	Jalore district Balotra district Barmer district Sanchore district Sirohi district Didwana Kuchaman district Hanumangarh district Jaisalmer district Bikaner district Jhunjhunu district Jodhpur district Jodhpur Rural district Nagaur district Pali district Phalodi district Anupgarh district Sikar district Neem ka Thana district Churu district Sri Ganganagar district Beawar district
Area
• Total	213,887 km^2 (82,582 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	28,132,949
• Density	130/km^2 (340/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Marwari Hindi English
• Regional	Bagri Punjabi Shekhawati
Largest cities	Jodhpur Jalore Bishangarh Bikaner Balotra Bhinmal Sujangarh Nokha Sri Ganganagar Churu

Maru Pradesh is a geographical, cultural, social, economic, political and linguistic region of the Thar Desert in the Northwest India.^[1] It is also a proposed state in India with its proposed capital being Jodhpur, the Central city of Maru Pradesh.^[2][3] It would be carved out from the state of Rajasthan.^[4][5][6] The proposed state would consist the districts of Jalore, Balotra, Barmer, Sanchore, Sirohi, Didwana Kuchaman, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Jodhpur Rural, Nagaur, Pali, Phalodi, Anupgarh, Sikar, Churu, Sri Ganganagar, Beawar.

History

When Rajasthan was being formed, Jodhpur and Bikaner states strongly opposed the merger of Rajasthan, and both states favoured creating a desert state. It is said that the then ruler of Jodhpur, Hanwant Singh, went to the first Lok Sabha wearing a black turban in protest against the merger into Rajasthan.

Following this, in 1953, Pratap Singh, the former Minister of Bikaner State, protested against the merger of Rajasthan and Bikaner not being constituted as a desert state. He named the protest Bikaner Bandh.

In 1956, when new states were formed, many memoranda were also given, and the government ignored the international border, citing security. From time to time, voices in different parts arose in support of the proposed Maru Pradesh.

Former MP Swami Keshavanand not only voiced his opinion but also wrote in his book, Marubhoomi Seva, that the entire development of this desert will happen only when this desert becomes a separate state.

Gumanmal Lodha started this movement in Jodhpur and became an MP from Pali District.

In 1998, Former Maharaja Gajsingh of Jodhpur said that this desert would be developed by becoming a desert state.

Amrit Nahata, MP from Barmer, the author Dilsukh Rai Chaudhary Sikar, Chandra Prakash Deora of Jodhpur, former foreign minister Jaswant Singh, and others also voiced protests.

When Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee created three new states in 2000, former Chief Minister of Rajasthan Bhairon Singh Shekhawat wrote a letter saying that creating Maru Pradesh would support the development of the entirety of Rajasthan and the internal security of the country.

In 2014 Sona Ram, a former MP from Barmer also raised the demand for the development of the desert. Similarly, Congress leader Rameshwar Lal Dudi, Bhadra former MLA Suresh Chaudhary, and MP and RLP leader Hanuman Beniwal have also expressed support for Maru Pradesh.

In 2018 Hanuman Singh Khangata and BJP Leader Gajendra Singh Rajpurohit Tunkliya said that a separate state is our need and now the time has come to protest. Rajpurohit said that no matter who the government is, we will take the movement forward. He informed about the outline of the movement of the Maru Pradesh Morcha and said that after the announcement of the visit of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, the Morcha will also take out the Maru Pradesh Yatra and will make the public aware. ^[7]

Demographics

Per the Census 2011 data, the total population of the proposed state is 28,132,949.^[8]

Religions in Maru Pradesh
Religion			Percent
Hindus			86.62%
Muslims			10.02%
Sikhs			2.57%
Jains			0.61%
Others			0.18%

References

1. "गहलोत को मात देने के लिए क्या मोदी खेलेंगे मास्टर स्ट्रोक ? चुनावी साल में मरूप्रदेश के चर्चे के मायने समझिए".
2. "Rajasthan: Separate Maru Pradesh demand gains momentum | Jodhpur News". The Times of India. April 16, 2018. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
3. "Marupradesh - Small State-Developed State-Marupradesh". marupradesh.org. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
4. "Marupradesh: Small State Developed State". Jaaibir Godara. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
5. "नए राज्याें की संभावनाओं पर मरू प्रदेश के गठन की मांग भी बढ़ी | On the possibilities of new states, the demand for formation of Maru state also increased. - Dainik Bhaskar".
6. "कंवला के हुकम गढ़ में मरु प्रदेश निर्माण मोर्चा की मरू प्रदेश की मांग को लेकर बैठक में चर्चा | Discussion in the meeting regarding the demand of Maru Pradesh Nirman Morcha in Hukam Garh of Kanwala - Dainik Bhaskar".
7. "पृथक प्रदेश की मांग के साथ निकलेगी मरु प्रदेश यात्रा". 15 April 2018.
8. "Maru Pradesh Census". 28 October 2021.

Further reading

• Rajput Sbha bahwan, Marwad. "General Secretary of the morcha Kesar Singh Rathore said that the development of this region was not possible unless there was a separate Maru Pradesh for the focused development aspect of the region".
• "maru-pradesh-yatra-will-be-extract-with-demand-for-separate-state". m.khaskhabar.com/news.
• "छोटे राज्य तेजी से करते हैं विकास, इसलिए मरू प्रदेश बनाने की मांग". www.bhaskar.com.
• "मरू प्रदेश की मांग को लेकर ट्रेडर्स एसो. भवन में सभा आज". www.bhaskar.com/.
• "Raj group raises demand for marupradesh". www.business-standard.com/.
• "Demand for new desert state gathers steam in rajasthan". www.indiatoday.in. 13 January 2009.
• Maharaja, Gajsingh (3 July 1998). "Former maharaja demands Maru Pradesh state". m.rediff.com/. Retrieved 5 May 2021.