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Model Answer:

Tribal population and culture constitutes an inseparable facet of Indian culture. The British saw tribes as obstructions to their control over land, forests and its resources, commerce. In the Criminal tribes’ act of 1871, they notified such tribes as criminal tribes, which hence could be openly prosecuted and punished by the administration.

Denotified and Nomadic Tribes:

• The term, ‘Denotified and Nomadic Tribes’, can be traced to the Criminal Tribes Act (CTA) of 1871
• The colonial government notified nearly 200 tribal communities to be hereditary criminals, cementing their social identity as outcasts and subjecting them to constant harassment by the administration
• After India gained Independence, these tribes were ‘de-notified’ from the list of Criminal Tribes, and, hence, the term
• Fifteen crore individuals, better known as the Denotified Tribes (DNT) of India, continue to be considered ‘criminal by birth’
• The CTA allowed for close supervision and control over the mobility of the tribes which were notified by the provincial governments
• The Act was amended in 1897, 1908 and 1911 to give sweeping powers to the authorities, some as draconian as allowing the state to remove any child of the age of six and above from its ‘criminal’ parents
• Along with the introduction of laws such as the Forest Acts and the Salt Tax Act, the British threw a noose around the the lives of DNTs using stringent regulations
• It is only in independent India that the need was felt to shift the collective burden of criminality to the individual, which led to the CTA being repealed and the Habitual Offenders Act (HOA) being enacted in various States
• Not all States enacted it, Currently, a variant of the HOA Model Bill as proposed by the Union Government then stands enforced in 10 States across the country, having been enacted in many more
• However, the HOA functioned as a mere extension of the CTA

Why there is no change in sufferings

• Nomadic and semi-nomadic communities continued to face harassment at the hands of law enforcement agencies
• Certainly, the mere repeal of the CTA could not change the mindset of government officials or members of society
• The fact is that even in the 21st century, DNTs continue to face ostracisation by society at large
• Given their centuries-old tradition of constant movement, they often do not possess any residential proof, which leaves them out of the majority of the government’s developmental schemes
• Those deemed eligible for such schemes were randomly grouped under the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or Other Backward Classes categories
• As a result, most members of the DNTs continue to be out of the orbit of steps being taken to end discrimination
• The blot of belonging to a criminal tribe still prevails which makes it difficult for DNTs to get jobs leading to poverty.
• Lack of formal credit facilities to DNTs also act as hindrance to start their own business.
• Improper/lack of implementation of schemes and increase incidents of diseases such as diarrhoea, jaundice etc has increased out of pocket expenditure leading to poverty.

Steps taken to end discrimination

• The first National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-nomadic Tribes (NCDNT) was constituted in 2003 and reconstituted two years later under the chairpersonship of Balkrishna Renke, which submitted its report in 2008
• The recommendations found an echo in the Idate Commission, constituted with the similar mandate in 2015, and currently withholding public release of its report
• The NCDNT report clearly recommends repealing the various HOAs

Why More Steps Are Needed:

• The latest Idate Commission report has noted that post-independence policies for these communities have been mostly “symbolic reparations”, with post-liberalisation policies alienating them further from their land and occupations.
• So far the issue of nomadic tribes and denotified tribes (NTDNT) was limited to academic discussions or social activism
• Even after various recommendations and steps taken by various governments, most members of the DNTs continue to be out of the orbit of steps being taken to end discrimination.

Way forward

• A mere repeal of the law will not address their need for establishing society-wide changes to gain access to political-social-economic welfare
• Thus, the repeal of the HOA has to be accompanied by a slew of legal reforms to address the multitude of issues DNT communities face
• Their unique lifestyle requires positive affirmation and development policies that cater to their long-standing and overlooked needs
• Reservations as available to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should be extended to denotified, nomadic or semi-nomadic tribe categories.
• Government should get a “tent to tent” survey done within the next six months and also a community-wise census so as to gather specific data about 1,500 nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes and 150 denotified tribes.
• A Minimum Land Holding Act should be put in place to guarantee land to these tribes in case they want to settle down and engage in agriculture.
• Suitable training should be provided to these tribals to develop their existing skills and develop livelihood options.
• It should be the duty of the government to be proactive and reach out to the DNTs since the latter would understandably refrain from seeking state help

There is immediate need to take comprehensive decision about welfare actions for DN tribes all over the country followed by the right spirit of implementation. These people must get representation in various political and administrative setups. National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic & Semi-Nomadic tribes must be proactive in its work to bring successful social inclusion of these people. So called Denotified tribes holds the inherent diversity of India that form the common heritage of the nation.