Politics of Tribal Exploitation

The Indian Tribal Communities today are passing through a critical phase in their history. Unrest and discontentment is sweeping through Tribal India. Tribal belts in the country are the richest in natural resources but ironically the tribals are the poorest of the lot. They have become victims of exploitation and negligence. The tribals of Andhra Pradesh are no exception to this general trend. The State has a vast tribal area with more than 2 million tribal population. The Naxalite movement that started in Naxalberi of West Bengal also spread to the tribal areas of Srikakulam district of the State and from there to the other districts like Warangal. Khammam, Adilabad, East and West Godavari. At present the district of Telengana in Andhra Pradesh have become hot beds of extremist activities. Particularly the tribal communities of these areas are very much attracted towards extremism with a belief that their age-long grievances and sufferings would be mitigated. On 21st April 1981 there was a confrontation between thousands of native tribes and the police at a place called Indervelli, Utnoor Taluk. Adilabad District. The author tries to understand the problem in historical perspective, and attempts to answer the questions like, why the economic conditions of the tribes of Adilabad deteriorated? What was the impact of large scale immigration of non-tribals into the area on the socio-economic life of the tribals? Why tribal land is being still alienated despite the existence of land transfer regulations? What type of cleavages exist within the tribal communities? What was the role played and tactics used by the extreme elements in mobilising the tribals for action?

Dr. G. Prakash Reddy (b. 27 August 1940) M.A. Ph.D. is currently professor of Social Anthropology in the S.V. University, Tirupati (A.P.). he started his official career in the Directorate of Census (A.P.). Hyderabad, Registrar General, Govt. of India and Dept. of Anthropology, Andhra University, Waltair. He is the author of 6 books. Two more books are in the press. He has contributed over 40 papers which have been published in national and international journals. He has also completed 5 Research Projects and 3 are in progress. His major fields of interest are Island Studies, Studies on Caste and Religion, Tribal Studies and Man and Environment.