The Colonial Origins of Jharkhand Movement: Land and Adivasi Solidarity

Abstract

The colonial attempt to convert lands and properties into revenue zones alienated a large number of tribal people in India dependent mainly on agriculture and forest resources. Consequently they were forced to leave their original Khuntkatti land and migrate to other places. The simmering discontent among the tribes found expression in a series of uprisings throughout the subcontinent and also got articulated in mainstream political movements. Jharkhand Movement was one of the oldest among them. This paper specifically focuses on how the colonial perception of land and tribal use of common property conflicted and became a major issue in the making of the Jharkhand Movement