Gandhian Model of Development and Rights of the Tribes in India

The world today faces a severe crisis in the form of unmanageable inequalities, lack of economic stability and failure of the nation states to respond to the warnings of global ecological imbalances reflected in the form of severe heat, unprecedented rains and floods and extinction of numerous forms of vegetation and animal species. The so called development from barbaric communism of the hunting – gathering man to the gigantic skyscrapers housing cyber cells working on artificial intelligence strengthening the uni – polar world of capitalist and imperial despotism of the western powers, particularly, the United States of America has not provided for a sustainable and peaceful existence of human race on the surface of the earth. The economic depression of the first decade of twentieth century, which was given the softer nomenclature of   ” Economic Slowdown”  exposed the hollowness of the capitalist economic model.

The parallel model of development put forward by the eastern bloc led by erstwhile Union of Soviet Socialist Republics did show hope to many but was not allowed to sustain by the intrigues and conspiracies of the capitalist imperialist forces. Though, there is no doubt that under its pressure the capitalist countries too were forced to adopt some of the features of a social welfare state in the form of numerous schemes of social security.

In between, the emergence of Gandhi on the horizon of Indian political scene brought about a major change in people’s life and their perception of a new India. He not just led the country towards political freedom but also gave a new economic and political thought through his writings, speeches and action. His philosophy was grounded in the essential principles of “Live and let live”. A staunch believer in the principles of Non-Violence, Truth and Justice, Gandhi put forward a model of economic development which was opposed to western model of industrial production and accumulation of wealth through surplus production. He believed in dignity of labour and practiced it in his own life. In his philosophy, villages were to be economically self sustainable and all production had to be done in order to fulfill the needs of the village. Geoffrey  Ashe refers to Mahatma Gandhi’s seminal work Hind Swaraj to put forward Gandhi’s inclination towards rural culture. He says:

‘Editor’ sounds like a complete nihilist.But presently constructive ideas emerge. Instead of copying the west , India should ask herself what she really is , where her true calling lies. The key to recovery of her lost glory is in her ancestral village culture, her almost forgotten cottage industry such as spinning and weaving, and so forth. Her genius is for cooperation; the Hindu -Muslim conflict is artificial. (138)

Gandhi’s Principle of Trusteeship

Gandhi believed that the nation state was just a trustee of the natural and other resources of the country which belonged to the people who were the real masters/ owners of the nation. This principle was known all over the world as a major tenet of Gandhi’s Thought. The idea of collectivism and the collective ownership of resources reflected in the principle of Trusteeship espoused by Gandhi go fully well with the beliefs of all the indigenous communities of the world, known as tribes in India. They too believe in collectivism and treat natural resources as belonging to community. Gandhi believed that villages were the soul of India and that all the needs of the citizens could be fulfilled by the villages. He stressed on making villages autonomous and self reliant. He remarked that all Indians should make it a point of honour to use only village articles, whenever available. Given the demand, there is no doubt that most of their wants can be supplied by the villages. He said that strengthening the village economy would satisfy two important objectives: First, it would provide maximum employment and income to inhabitants, and second, it would generate equality, freedom and justice.

 

Gandhi’ criticism of the Western Civilization

 

Gandhi had an experience of the western civilization. He had seen the functioning of capitalist economy as it operated in England and other countries of Europe. Incidentally, Karl Marx had also examined the capitalist economy as it functioned in England. Both of them reached similar conclusions though they reacted to it differently. Gandhi was opposed to western civilization and the economic system functioning there on the following bases:

1. Evils of Mass Production and Mechanical reproduction- Gandhi was opposed to the very idea of mass production and mechanical reproduction. He believed that all production should be for self use rather than surplus because this surplus leads to consumerism which, he thought was a curse of humanity.
2. Exploitation of Labour- Gandhi believed that Mass Production through mechanized industry is inevitably based on the exploitation of labour. The workers are made to work beyond their capacity to maximize production. The return to the labour in terms of wages is also too meager because the industrialists want to maximize their profit which can be done only by lowering wages.
3. Loss of Dignity of Labour- Since the labour work only for wages, they have no attachment for the work they are doing. They are only a small cog in the machine. The employer too is interested in the work, not in the worker. This brings down the dignity of labour.

1. Production for Greed and accumulation of wealth – In a capitalist economy the production is done for profit and the accumulation of wealth. A producer is not interested in satisfying the needs of the people, but is driven by the greed which can be satisfied by only accumulation of wealth.
2. Increase in Poverty and Erosion of Community – The mechanical mass production causes exploitation of labour and inevitably increases poverty in the society. This leads to rise in conflicts and erosion of community life. Capitalism causes a rise in individualism and is detrimental to a collective happy community based on cooperation.

6. Rise in Consumerism – The entire process of mechanical reproduction creates artificial demands in the economy and people are tempted to buy for ulterior reasons not to satisfy their needs. This brings about a rise in consumerism which is inevitable in a capitalist society.

   Tribal Collectivism and Gandhian Trusteeship

The tribal society is built around the philosophy of collectivism in which everyone becomes a part of everyone else’s life in all moments of need, joy and pain. The resources spread around in nature are not any one individual’s resources but belong to all members of the community. Every production activity is directed at fulfillment of the needs of the individual and the community. This brings them close to the concept of trusteeship propounded by Gandhi. Unlike the model  developed and adopted by the Indian state  on the line of western industrial development , the tribal people  in India can better identify themselves with the Gandhian Economic model. The state needs to act as trustee of natural resources and allow the tribal people to lead an unhindered life based on their tradition of collectivism.

Tribal Population In India

As per Census 2011, tribal people in India constitute 8.6 percent of the total population of the country. It was 8.2 percent according to Census 2001. 705 groups are identified as tribal across 30 states. The number was 461 before 1990. Among them, 75 groups have been identified as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) from 17 states.  The first list of tribal Peoples was prepared in 1931 on the basis of primitiveness. In 1935 the list was prepared looking into backwardness, and during 1950 and 1956 both primitiveness and backwardness was taken into consideration for enlisting tribal communities in the country. A large concentration of tribal communities is found in the central provinces of India, the middle belt and the north-eastern states. About 92 percent of the tribal people in India live in rural areas.

Gandhi’s focus was on the village. This directly relates to the tribal population since they live in rural areas and the biggest problem they face is that of displacement due to development projects or forced migration in search of employment. If villages become self sufficient and autonomous, the tribal people will be the biggest beneficiaries.

Constitutional Provisions for Scheduled Tribes

 

The constitution of India is based on the principle of equality. It is a fundamental right of the people. But the constitution has also realized the fact that some communities of the country have suffered inequality, discrimination and backwardness due to some historical reasons. These communities have been identified and given special treatment so that they may also come at par with the rest of the population. Some of the important provisions in the constitution of India are summed up by R.K.Ramdhyani in his book Citizens Guide to Our Constitution and Government:

• Article 366 (25) defines Scheduled Tribes
• Article Article 342 lays down the procedure for specification of Scheduled Tribes
• Article 15(4): State could make special provision for tribal advancement (can’t be challenged in courts)
• Article 19(5): Creates exceptions for tribal areas under “Fundamental Right of free movement and residence (to safeguard encroachment and their fragile habitat)

Article 164: Offers a separate Tribal Ministry in the states of MP, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and    Jharkhand (having substantial tribal population)

• Articles 330, 332 and 334 : Regarding reservation in legislative bodies Article 335: Claims of SC/ST members will be considered while making appointments to services and posts regarding the affairs of the Union or State.
• Article 338: Special Officer (appointed through the President) 338 A : National Commission for Scheduled Tribes
• Article 339 (1): Provision for the appointment of a Commission to set up the administration of Scheduled Areas and also the welfare of the Scheduled Tribes.
• Article 371(A, B, C): Special measures and provisions within the state of Maharashtra and Gujarat (371), Nagaland (371 A), Assam (371 B) and Manipur (371 C)
• Provisions within the 5th and 6th Schedule (71-73)

Dr.M.C. Jain Kagzi in his book Constitution of India states, ” According to Article 15(4) the members of the scheduled tribes enjoy special rights. The state can make special provisions for their advancement of education amongst the tribes and for the development of their social conditions.” (1080)

Other Legal Provisions

Besides these specific provisions there are more legal provisions in the form of Acts of Parliament, Rules and amendments made from time to time to safeguard the interest of the tribes of India. Among these provisions  like Panchayat (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996; the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006; and Land Transfer Regulations in Schedule V (Tribal) Areas are important. However, some provisions relating to land acquisition by the state and the Ruling of the honourable Supreme Court of India about the evacuation of tribal population from the lands they had been living on for centuries have raised serious concern among the tribal people and their supporters.

Issues of Tribal Development

 

Tribal people are still the weakest section of Indian society. They have lived a life of seclusion for centuries and have remained content in their natural habitat meeting their needs from the natural resources found in abundance in their surroundings. As the western industrial development took momentum in the country, their habitat was approached by the state and private capitalists for the natural resources like timber, minerals, forest produce, wild life and even water. The building of dams, wild life sanctuaries, missile testing ranges, firing ranges and military establishments forced the tribal people to evacuate their homeland and move out to the periphery of forests and then finally to the towns in search of employment. The present day problems of the tribal population can be summed up in the following points:

1. To check the plunder of natural resources- The indigenous peoples of the world inhabiting nearly seventy two countries face the problem of plunder of natural resources, grabbing of forest land, community land, pastures and forest produce. The plunder of natural resources has led to several wars as well. The states as well as the corporate, often unite to drive away the tribes to encroach upon their habitat and take away the resources lying there. This is attempted to facilitate mass production for increasing profit and thus help capital formation.

Gandhi’s vision of economy did not support centralization of resources and mechanical mass production.

2. To check the displacement of Tribal people- The tribal people have immense knowledge and skills which they derive from their natural habitat. Settled in their habitat, they can survive braving the vicissitudes of nature. But once displaced from their own habitat they become orphaned since they do not have the skills or even the language to survive in an alien cultural atmosphere.
3. To ensure the implementation PESA, FRA and other legislative provisions-Panchayat (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996; the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006; and Land Transfer Regulations in Schedule V (Tribal) Areas are some of the provisions which are designed to safeguard the interest of the tribal people. The implementation of these legal provisions needs to be ascertained.
4. To ensure implementation of RTE and conservation of tribal languages and culture- The Right to Education Act is a very effective tool to help the weaker sections of the society. Moreover it is provided in the Act that the medium of instruction up to primary level should be the mother tongue of the learner. The biggest obstacle in the path of education of the children of the tribes is the medium of instruction. Most of the tribal languages are spoken in so small groups that there is no reading material available in that language. Therefore , the day a tribal child approaches a school he is forced to switch the code from his mother tongue to an alien language which he doesn’t understand. This demotivates him/her and often tribal children drop out. Gandhi was of the firm opinion that all education of children should be in the mother tongue.
5. To ensure reservation in admissions and employment in private institutions and industries

besides government institutions and Public Sector Enterprises- The constitution of India  has provided for reservation for scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes. Because of the shift from a social welfare state to a Laissez Faire state and the adoption of the policy of Liberalization, privatization and Globalization, the state sector is shrinking giving way to massive expansion of private sector. If the policy of reservation is to be impleted in its true spirit, it has to be implemented in private sector as well.

Sarvodaya – the Essence of Tribal Philosophy

 

 

Gandhi used to say that nature has everything for human needs but not for their greed. He focused on the aspect of distribution of resources and believed that one must try to minimize his/her needs so that enough is left for others. He gave the concept of ” Sarvodaya” meaning thereby the emancipation of all. He advocated the  principle of Sarvodaya which he said, is the only way to allow sustenance of all natural species including the homo sapiens and other animal and plant life. Sarvodaya cannot be realized without practicing austerity and embracing  poverty voluntarily. That is what is  aparigraha. Gandhi himself strongly recommended the ‘principle of non- possession’ or aparigraha for attaining sarvodaya.

In the view of Gandhi non-possession is allied to non-stealing. A thing not originally stolen must nevertheless be classified as stolen property if we possess it without needing it. Possession implies provision for the future. A seeker after truth, a follower of the law of love, cannot hold anything against tomorrow. God never stores for the morrow. He never creates more than what is strictly needed for the moment… The rich have a superfluous store of things which they do not need, and which are therefore neglected and wasted; while millions starve to death for want of sustenance. If each retained possession only of what he needed, no one would be in want and all would live in contentment.

This thought is deep rooted in tribal life. They do not believe in accumulation for future. In fact, this thought is even becomes a basis of their criticism. The employers try to abstain from employing tribal people saying that they are happy go merry kind of people who would not worry for their future needs and would not care for work if their present needs are fulfilled. A good thought becomes a cause of their unemployment.

 Gandhi’s Initiatives for Tribal Development

 

Gandhi led a crusade against the menace of untouchability and called it a blot on Hindu society. There are innumerable steps that he took for the emancipation of the untouchables. He even gave them a new name ” Harijan” which tried to free them from the stigma attached with their nomenclature. In Gujarat he initiated some steps for the up lift of the tribal people also. He knew that education is a very effective means of social transformation. He initiated Ashram Shalas, residential schools for tribals in rural areas to spread education and spirit of freedom in the rural and tribal areas of the state. He sent  his colleague and follower Thakkar Bapa to work in the tribal regions and work for their emancipation. Though the state Tribal Development Department runs Ashram Shalas in 14 tribal districts of Gujarat to prevent drop-outs among the tribal children today, they are low on the priority of the government as they lack sufficien staff and infrastructure to meet the objective they were set up for.At present, there are 452 primary Ashram Shalas, 87 Uttar Buniyadi schools (secondary) and 10 Uchhatar Buniyadi (higher secondary) Ashram Shalas in Gujarat. In all, 549 Ashram Shalas have 69,995 students at present.(Ashram Shalas – Gandhian Initiative for education of Tribal Children,                    KapilDave, Indian Express, Gandhinagar, Sun Apr 08, 2012)

Works cited

Ashe, Geoffrey.(1968) Gandhi: A Study in Revolution, P. 138 Asia Publishing House, New Delhi

Kagzi, Dr.M.C.Jain.( 1984) Constitution of India,P.1080 Metropolitan Book Company Co.Pvt. Ltd.New Delhi

Ramdhyani, R.K.(1963) Citizens Guide to Our Constitution and Government,Atma Ram and Sons, Delhi

Dave, Kapil.(2012) “Ashram Shalas – Gandhian Initiative for education of Tribal Children”,                    Indian Express, Gandhinagar, Sun Apr 08, 2012