Indigenous people are often relegated to the sidelines and have to face discrimination in the legal systems of countries, making them even more vulnerable to violence and abuse. There are 476 million indigenous people worldwide, spread across more than 90 countries
Niraj Krishna
On December 16, 1946, addressing the Constituent Assembly, prominent Adivasi leader Jayapal Singh welcomed the proposal’s purpose and explicitly outlined Adivasi issues and concerns. He said, ‘The entire history of my people has been filled with continuous exploitation and dispossession by non-tribals in India, marked by rebellion and disorder, and yet, I believe in the words of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. I believe in all your words.’ He said, ‘Now we are about to start a new chapter, a new chapter of independent India where there is equality of opportunity, where no one will be neglected.’
Indigenous people are often relegated to the sidelines and have to face discrimination in the legal systems of countries, making them even more vulnerable to violence and abuse. There are 476 million indigenous people worldwide, spread across more than 90 countries. They are connected to more than 5,000 different indigenous communities and speak more than 4,000 languages. Indigenous people represent approximately 5% of the world’s population, with the majority (70%) residing in Asia.
India’s Adivasis, constituting 8.2 percent of the country’s population, predate the Indo-Aryan migration and are referred to by many anthropologists as Austro-Asiatic-speaking Australoid people. The Central Indian Adivasis are associated with this group. Renowned historian Prof. Nihar Ranjan Ray has described the Central Indian Adivasis as the “original sovereign people of India,” signifying their presence in India before Dravidians, Aryans, and other settlers in the country.
Mahatma Gandhi referred to these communities as Harijans, while B.R. Ambedkar and Jyotirao Phule used the term Dalit. In 1931, the Census Commissioner J.S. Hutton referred to these communities as ‘external castes.’ His argument was that, despite being an integral part of Hindu society, they did not have the same rights as the higher castes among Hindus. Therefore, considering them as a caste outside Hindu society is appropriate.
Ironically, the Constitution of independent India, which envisioned a casteless society for fostering equality among people, was later undermined by politicians who took the oath of the Constitution to operate democratic governance. They not only broke this promise but also intensified and solidified the roots of caste in Indian society.
Today, 76 years after independence, they are enduring the sting of Dalit violence and discrimination. In recent days, news anchor Sudhir Chaudhary mentioned in his report that Hemant Soren has developed a habit of living a luxurious life with charter planes and conveniences. However, things have changed after assuming the Chief Minister’s position. Now, he will have to live in the jungle like a tribal, as they did 30-40 years ago. This will be quite challenging for him. The way prominent media anchors shamelessly use caste indicators and societal indicators to embarrass the creators of the constitution is enough.
We cannot help but provide the example that Lord Rama established equality and harmony in society, showed no discrimination, ate the false berries offered by Shabari, loved Jatayu like a king, and embraced Hanuman. King Rama also stood with the marginalized (tribals) in the war against Ravana; no warrior from the higher caste of Rajput or Brahmin joined the battle. Even Maharana Pratap was supported in the war by the Bhil and tribal communities. The insult of the martyrdom of Siddhu-Kanhu is a disgrace. Through Hemant Soren, the use of caste indicators and societal indicators by the TV anchor to refer to tribals is essentially disrespectful to the legacy of Lord Birsa Munda.
Even seven decades after independence, there is still a discriminatory attitude towards indigenous people in the country. Incidents of oppression against indigenous people continue to be reported through the media every day. Crimes against indigenous people, once highlighted by the media, often fade away after a few days.
Even in the 21st century, there seems to be no decline in the incidents of violence, rape, and caste-based oppression against indigenous and Dalit communities. Government statistics also confirm this fact. Incidents of oppression against indigenous people not only highlight the loopholes in the constitution and laws but also indicate that we still live in a society with discrimination based on caste, class, and gender.
After independence, several laws were enacted to improve the status of Dalits and Adivasis. However, to this day, these laws have not been fully implemented. Our society, dominated by the upper caste, still does not want to grant equal status to Dalits and Adivasis. The dominant society still considers them as servants. Whenever they see a Dalit or Adivasi progressing ahead, it feels like an unexpected event to them. Although the constitution grants everyone the right to equality, the dominant society still does not agree with this idea.
The total population of indigenous people in the world is approximately 48 crore, with about 22 percent of the Adivasi community residing in India. Unfortunately, in India, the questions of self-determination, self-identity, and cultural pride of the Adivasi/Dalit society are still unanswered. The discussion on Adivasi identity is inevitable in a country like India. In reality, it is not just a matter of identity or rights – the relevance of Adivasi identity is evident in various contexts throughout the brief history, ranging from the prosperity to poverty of the Adivasi society.
Whenever the discussion about indigenous people arises, we often find ourselves in a world of imagination that is unfamiliar and fascinating to us. Due to this coincidence, a perception has been formed about them that they are either nature lovers or completely detached from modern civilization and culture. Because of this, that aspect of theirs has been highlighted more. Historians also did not take their struggle for independence seriously. As a result, the British took measures to keep their lives, culture, and social world separate from the rest of society and turned them into subjects of anthropological study.
Indian sociologist M.N. Srinivas says, “If you think that in India, liberation from caste division can be easily achieved, then you are making a big mistake. Caste is a very powerful institution and, before it ends, it can cause a lot of bloodshed.”
