Comment on the growing assertion of tribal community for autonomy in India. (UPSC CSE Mains 2019 - Sociology, Paper 2)
Tribes are becoming conscious, both socially and politically, of maintaining and preserving their ethnic and cultural identity and also of protecting themselves against exploitation by dikus (outsiders). They have stressed their political solidarity. This may, however, result in a new form of ecological cultural isolation. Tribes have generally taken such steps due to their economic backwardness and a feeling of frustration.
Factors
- Schemes for tribal development are being implemented. These are five year plans, tribal sub-plans, tribal welfare blocks, special multipurpose area schemes etc.
- Tribal movements against their eviction and extermination from the forest lands in the name of development are the major factors behind the assertion of tribal identities. Narmada Bachao Andolan is one of the examples of tribal movements.
- Many tribal identities today are centred on ideas of resistance and opposition to the overwhelming force on non-tribal world.
- Many states in North-East including Manipur or Nagaland are with tribals whose civil liberties have been limited under special laws in which they have been declared as disturbed areas. State repression is provoking rebellions which has been taken a heavy to on the economy, culture and society of the North-Eastern States.
- In states like Jharkhand and Chattisgarh, tribals still are powerless because autonomy is not given to larger structures.
- Educated middle class is emerging among tribal communities. Thus, different base are growing for the assertion of tribal identity.
The Bhuria Committee report, submitted in 1996, brought within the scope of village governance, stress of participatory democracy, viz, tribal community control over its surrounding natural resources like water, forests, land etc, tribal community management of village conflicts and administration of law and order, planning and implementation of development programmes along with accountability of bureaucracy to the tribal community. In short, the report provided the tribal people a chance to govern their own lives and shape their destiny.
To integrate the tribes with the mainstream, special economic opportunities are offered to them. it is “assimilationist” model of the tribe’s integration with non-tribals. The “isolationist” model would not be much relevant today in the face of rapid changes in Indian society on the other hand. Despite vast changes taking place in India, tribal consciousness has been strengthened mainly to project tribes as distinct components of Indian society. Industrialization in the tribal belt in Jharkhand Gujarat, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh for example, has promoted both tribal consciousness and integration with the non-tribal sections in the region. The demand for autonomy by tribals has originated from their fear of loss of cultural autonomy and of exploitation.
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