India’s Tribal Movements: Unity in Diversity

Tribal movements are prominently located in the ‘tribal belt’ of middle India, encompassing tribal groups like the Santhals, Hos etc., which raised the concerns of tribal people.

There are two major regions in India related to tribal movement i.e. Chotanagpur region and North-eastern region.

While various tribal groups across the country share common issues, the distinctions between them are equally significant. Each tribe’s unique identity and challenges contribute to the diversity of tribal movements.

Tribal Movement in the Chotanagpur/Jharkhand Region: Centuries of Aspirations and Resistance

• The Jharkhand region is a notable example of tribal movements with a history spanning over a hundred years. 
• Echoes of Aspirations: The movements in this region reflect the long-standing struggles and aspirations of tribal communities.
• Genesis of Resistance: Birsa Munda, an Adivasi leader, led a significant resistance against British rule.
  • His enduring legacy as a symbol of the Jharkhand movement lives on through tales and songs, keeping his struggle’s spirit alive in the region.

Causes: Literacy, Leadership, and Economic Justice

• Role of Literacy and Documentation: Christian missionaries in south Bihar played a key role in promoting literacy among the Adivasi population, empowering them to document and share their cultural heritage. 
• This collective exploration fostered a unified ethnic consciousness and a shared Jharkhandi identity.
• The Emergence of Adivasi Intellectual Leadership: The educated Adivasis securing government jobs led to the emergence of a middle-class Adivasi intellectual leadership, which actively advocated for a separate state both nationally and internationally.
• • Antipathy Towards Dikus: The region was hostile to “dikus” (migrant traders and moneylenders) who took advantage of its riches, creating economic inequities.
• Industrial and Mining Exploitation: Industrial and mining projects disproportionately benefited “dikus,” exacerbating Adivasis’ sense of injustice.

Result: Uniting for Change and Statehood

• Galvanizing Collective Action: The amassed grievances and shared experiences of marginalisation galvanised collective action. 
• The Enduring Struggle: Fused with a unifying Jharkhandi identity, eventually triumphed in carving out the separate state of Jharkhand from south Bihar in the year 2000.
• Key Issues: The issues against which the leaders of the movement in Jharkhand agitated were:
  • Large Irrigation projects and firing range etc, on acquired land,
  • Survey and settlement operations held up and camps closed down.
  • Collection of loans, rent and cooperative dues, These issues were resisted;
  • Forest produce was nationalised, which they boycotted.

Cause of Tribal Movement in The North Eastern Region: Unease to Autonomy Struggle

• Initial Unrest after Post-Independence: Tribal Movement in State Formation

• • State Formation and Tribal Unease: Post-independence, the Indian government’s state formation process sparked unease across major hill districts, particularly among tribes. 
  • Assimilation Concerns: These tribes, cherishing their distinct identity and traditional autonomy, were apprehensive about being assimilated into Assam’s administrative structure.

• Ethnic Resurgence as a Coping Mechanism: Change in Tribal Consciousness

• • Cultivating Ethnic Consciousness: The blossoming of ethnic consciousness in the region emerged as a mechanism to navigate the new realities brought about by encounters with a formidable alien system. 
    • Having long remained insulated from the mainstream Indian milieu, the tribes had preserved their unique worldview and socio-cultural institutions with minimal external influence.

• Shift from Secession to Autonomy: Tribal Movements’ Evolution

• • Initially, there was a leaning towards secession among the tribes; however, over time, this inclination transitioned to a quest for autonomy within the ambit of the Indian Constitution, marking a significant shift in the tribal movements’ trajectory.

• Core Concerns Binding Tribal Movements: Forest Rights, Identity, and Equality

• • Alienation of Forest Lands: A salient issue uniting tribal movements across different regions is the alienation of forest lands, making ecological concerns central to these movements. 
  • Identity Crisis and Economic Inquality: Additionally, cultural matters pertaining to identity and economic issues like inequality are integral to tribal movements, indicating a confluence of traditional and contemporary social movement themes in India.

Blurring Lines Between Old and New Social Movements: Tribal Movements in Flux

• Beyond Boundaries: The intertwined nature of ecological, cultural, and economic issues in tribal movements reflects a blurring distinction between old and new social movements in India. 
• Navigating Tradition and Modernity: The tribal movements encapsulate a blend of traditional concerns (like land alienation) and modern issues (like identity and constitutional autonomy), epitomizing the complex, evolving nature of social movements in the post-independence era.