Tribal and civilian revolt were a reaction to an alien unfeeling administration. Elucidate with reference to the British tribal policy in Bengal and Eastern India in 19th century.
Ans: At the time of British advent, India was having a thick forest cover and mostly inhabited by the tribals who had an association of harmonious sustenance with nature. But with the increase of the British commercial interests, the tribal way of life and their relationship with the forest got
affected.
Causes:
● The tribals’ mainstay were shifting agriculture(Jhum, podu, etc), hunting, fishing and the use of forest produce. There were restrictions imposed on the use of forest produce, on shifting agriculture and on hunting practices. This led to loss of livelihood for the tribals.
● The British introduced a large number of outsiders - moneylenders, traders and revenue farmers as middlemen among the tribals who took possession of tribal lands and put the tribals in a web of debt.
● The tribals became bonded landless agricultural labourers under the new economic system.
● Tribal society was traditionally egalitarian compared to mainstreamsociety. With the coming of the non-tribals or outsiders (called dikus) and the notion of private property in tribal land, this changed.
● A Forest Department was set up in 1864 by the government mainly to control the rich resources of Indian forests. The Government Forest Act of 1865 and the Indian Forest Act of 1878 established complete government monopoly over the forested land.
● The work of the Christian missionaries also led to social upheaval in tribal society and this was also resented by them.
Examples:
● Kol Mutiny (1831) - Chhotanagpur: Large scale transfers of land from Kol headmen (Mundas) to outsiders like Sikh and Muslim farmers.
● Santhal Uprising (1855) - Rajmahal Hills: Santhals alongwith their leaders Sido and Kanhu resented the oppression by outsiders(dikus) - revenue officials, police, moneylenders, landlords.
● Munda Ulgulan (1899 - 1900) - Chhotanagpur: Mundas alongwith their leader Birsa Munda revolted against the destruction of their system of common land-holdings by the intrusion of
jagirdars, thikadars (revenue farmers) and traders moneylenders.
Thus, the tribal uprisings were basically against the unwelcome intrusion, and a fight for their identity and independence. Although they fought valiantly but given the military and modern artillery of the Britishers , they were not able to face them for long and eventually faced catastrophic repressions. But they instilled in people the spirit of immense courage and sacrifice.
Answer by SANJIT RAJ
Ans: At the time of British advent, India was having a thick forest cover and mostly inhabited by the tribals who had an association of harmonious sustenance with nature. But with the increase of the British commercial interests, the tribal way of life and their relationship with the forest got
affected.
Causes:
● The tribals’ mainstay were shifting agriculture(Jhum, podu, etc), hunting, fishing and the use of forest produce. There were restrictions imposed on the use of forest produce, on shifting agriculture and on hunting practices. This led to loss of livelihood for the tribals.
● The British introduced a large number of outsiders - moneylenders, traders and revenue farmers as middlemen among the tribals who took possession of tribal lands and put the tribals in a web of debt.
● The tribals became bonded landless agricultural labourers under the new economic system.
● Tribal society was traditionally egalitarian compared to mainstreamsociety. With the coming of the non-tribals or outsiders (called dikus) and the notion of private property in tribal land, this changed.
● A Forest Department was set up in 1864 by the government mainly to control the rich resources of Indian forests. The Government Forest Act of 1865 and the Indian Forest Act of 1878 established complete government monopoly over the forested land.
● The work of the Christian missionaries also led to social upheaval in tribal society and this was also resented by them.
Examples:
● Kol Mutiny (1831) - Chhotanagpur: Large scale transfers of land from Kol headmen (Mundas) to outsiders like Sikh and Muslim farmers.
● Santhal Uprising (1855) - Rajmahal Hills: Santhals alongwith their leaders Sido and Kanhu resented the oppression by outsiders(dikus) - revenue officials, police, moneylenders, landlords.
● Munda Ulgulan (1899 - 1900) - Chhotanagpur: Mundas alongwith their leader Birsa Munda revolted against the destruction of their system of common land-holdings by the intrusion of
jagirdars, thikadars (revenue farmers) and traders moneylenders.
Thus, the tribal uprisings were basically against the unwelcome intrusion, and a fight for their identity and independence. Although they fought valiantly but given the military and modern artillery of the Britishers , they were not able to face them for long and eventually faced catastrophic repressions. But they instilled in people the spirit of immense courage and sacrifice.
Answer by SANJIT RAJ
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