The Jharkhand Movement

Jharkhand, the land of forest, named by the people of the neighboring plains, had been a safe haven of the indigenous peoples until the sixteenth century when the process of central state formation began to grow out of the nontribal matrix in the region. The states that emerged then fell under the direct influence and control of the great empires of successive periods that encroached upon the resources and lives of the indigenous peoples. They disrupted their egalitarian social system and their culture based upon a symbiotic relationship with their environment, forcing the indigenous people to retreat to even more inhospitable regions to rebuild their social structure. However, they were never able to fully escape the ever-increasing boundaries of the state, which eventually stripped the Jharkhand of its resources and left its people peasants. The modern Jharkhand movement, a continuation of the peoples' resistance to the encroaching state, has been widely covered in the media and academic circles. Various analytical reports, academic interpretations and political explanations, often holding contradictory views, have been published over a period exceeding the last five decades. The production of such a huge corpus of literature shows the strength of the movement, and the immense significance of the issues. Containing contributions by leading social scientists and activists, this volume furthers the discourse on the relationship between mainstream nationalism and the indigenous identity often termed ethnicity, as it relates to the nation state. In doing so, it helps civil society understand the relevance of autonomy and identity of the indigenous peoples of the country as a whole. Thebasic line of inquiry concerns the issues (dispossession from life supporting resources of land, forest, water and identity), the main cause (internal colonialism) and the remedy (provision of autonomy).

The separate state of Jharkhand was a dream of all. A layout had been made of how it would be. How did this come about? Who made the sacrifices? Where were the people tortured? How many lost their lives? The reason for this book to be written was to document the sacrifices of these people who created Jharkhand. It is a tribute to keep alive their memory and contribution. The book deals with stories of these unsung heroes in six sections. The first highlights the tragedy of those killed by the police. Also those who were caught in cross-firing. The second section comprises stories of revolutionaries who became victims of the mafia and thugs. The third section throws light on the role played by the non-tribal revolutionaries. In the fourth section, the stories are dedicated to the role of women in the Jharkhand Movement. The fifth section discusses about the Role of All Jharkhand Student Union (AJSU). The sixth section brings forth the plight of those who died due to lack of treatment, of natural causes or in accidents. They, however, played a major role in the Movement. It also mentions those who are living and carrying on the good work.

This Book Is A Study Of The Gradual Transformation Of The Jharkhand Movement Into A Broad-Based Ethnic Movement Involving Economic And Cultural Issues Affecting The Indigenous Groups. The Appendices Include Unpublished Documents, Cliffings, Leaflets, Memoranda Etc.

Contributed articles presented at the National Conference organized by Department of History, Mahila College, Chaibasa on 7-8 March, 2008 sponsored by UGC Eastern Regional Office, Kolkata.