Tribal people in India constitute 8.6% of the nation’s total population, numbering over 104 million, according to the 2011 census. The aboriginal ethnic groups (Adivasis) of India are called “scheduled tribes” in the Constitution. The designation covers about 255 such communities. According to the 1971 census their total population stood at nearly 7% of the population.
Seventy-five tribal communities have been identified as ‘particularly vulnerable tribal groups’ in different States of India. They were known as Primitive Tribal communities. They are in need of special programmes for their sustainable development.
The Indian government has been pursuing a policy of not recognising Indian tribes as indigenous peoples. At the United Nations it denied the existence of ‘indigenous peoples’ in India. But, strange enough, India is a signatory to ILO No.107 which advocates protection and integration of indigenous and other tribes and semi-tribes in independent countries. Every signatory is legally bound to honour the identity and rights of indigenous peoples.
Contrary to India’s stand, the Supreme Court of India, in a landmark judgement on 5 January 2011, asserted in clear terms that the Scheduled tribes are indigenous peoples of India. The context was a Special Leave Petition by some accused for acquittal of their conviction for beating and stripping naked a young tribal woman Nandabai of Bhil tribe in Maharashtra. She was beaten and paraded in naked condition on a village road.
The apex court said: “This appeal furnishes a typical instance of how many of our people in India have been treating the tribal people (Scheduled Tribes or Adivasis), who are probably the descendants of the original inhabitants of India, but now constitute only about 8% of our total population, and as a group are one of the most marginalized and vulnerable communities in India characterized by high level of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, disease, and landlessness.” (Crl. No. 10367 of 2010, Kailas & Others; Appellant (s) -versus- State of Maharashtra)
The provisions in the Constitution of India are a tremendous asset for its citizens for freedom, equality, liberty and justice. But the question is how far they are honoured by vested interests, non-indigenous people, and the government itself. The Constitution guarantees to all its citizens freedom of speech (Art. 19), freedom of religion (Art. 25), Right to equality (Arts. 14-17), Right to life and liberty (Art. 21).
In another instance India’s highest court had said: ‘…they have been victimized for thousands of years by terrible oppression and atrocities. The mentality of our countrymen towards these tribals must change, and they must be given the respect they deserve as the original inhabitants of India.’
When will freedom, justice, and equality dawn for the tribals? Education is a sure tool which they must utilize to become aware of their plight, their rights and their needs. Article 14 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that “Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning.
The educated among them should make their less fortunate brethren become aware of the need for development and for searching avenues of progress. Yesterdays’ bows and arrows, sickles and javelins must be replaced by today’s seasoned tools like intellectual acumen, media use, public discourse, organisational capacity, scientific tools of socio-political analysis, proper resource management, rational and scientific outlook, political advocacy and the like. That is a challenge for the tribal community.
The challenge before the non-tribal community is to respect all people as human beings who have the God-given rights of freedom, equality, justice and development!