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Marginality and Ethnicity: Understanding Autonomy Movement of the Rabha Tribe of Assam, India Dr

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Marginality and Ethnicity: Understanding Autonomy Movement of the Rabha Tribe of Assam, India Dr Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences ISSN 2347-5374(Online) Abbreviated Key Title: Sch. J. Arts Humanit. Soc. Sci. ISSN 2347-9493(Print) ©Scholars Academic and Scientific Publishers (SAS Publishers) A Unit of Scholars Academic and Scientific Society, India Marginality and Ethnicity: Understanding Autonomy Movement of the Rabha Tribe of Assam, India Dr. Monoj Gogoi* Associate Prof. & HoD, Anthropology, Dudhnoi College, Assam, India Abstract: The Rabhas are one of the prominent distinctive Scheduled Plain Tribe of *Corresponding author Assam. The aim of the paper is to critically evaluate the different factors responsible Dr. Monoj Gogoi for forming the basis of the present autonomy movement of the Rabhas. The identity movement of the Rabhas demanding autonomy can be traced back to late eighties, but Article History it remained subdued for a short period after the creation of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Received: 05.04.2018 Council (RHAC) in 1995 by an act of Assam State Assembly. Poor and lackluster Accepted: 17.04.2018 economic development; large scale unabated migration into their land, feeling of Published: 30.09.2018 marginalization and social exclusion; political exploitation and failure of RHAC and creation of BTAD under sixth scheduled of Indian constitution are the prime socio- DOI: economic and political factors that led to the resurgence of the autonomy movement 10.21276/sjahss.2018.6.9.1 among the Rabhas.. This study is based on prolonged field experience as well as close interaction with the people in both personnel and group level. Secondary data were also collected to substantiate the findings of the study. Keywords: Autonomy, Autonomous Council. Tribal Belt and Blocks, Scheduled Tribe, Sixth Schedule. INTRODUCTION Independence, the profound economic and political The tribal population of the state which changes in the wake of independence created a sense of roughly constitutes 16 percent of the total population unease among the tribal population of the region. are socio-economically backward compared to the other Feelings started to grew among the tribal people that if non-tribal groups. The quest for autonomy movement such situation prevails, it will take no time to among the tribal people of Assam can be traced long submerged their culture and tradition by so called back to pre-Independence period. The annexation of the mainstream India. On the other hand, the Government then Assam by British in 1826 through Yandaboo treaty of India initiated a number of measures to deal with the [1], British established their political and administrative feelings of discontentment and discrimination. One of suzerainty over the local people of the region. The the most significant measures in this direction is the Yandaboo Treaty was signed on 24th February 1826 provision of the Sixth Schedule in the Indian between the King of Burma and British in which Constitution for the administration of the tribal areas of Burmese renounced all claims upon and agreed to Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram [3]. In later abstain from all sort of interference with Assam and her period, it was noticed that most of these tribal areas neighbouring states of Cachar and Jaintia. After gaining under the Sixth Schedule provision became separate control over Assam, the British introduced the States, leading to the break-up of Assam into seven ‘Exclusion and Isolation’ [2] policy in name of separate smaller states. Even now, the state of Assam protecting the tribes from the outsiders. Though this has three Autonomous District Councils created under policy was theoretically correct to save the tribes from the provision of Sixth Schedule and six Autonomous the intruders, but in reality, British adopted the policy of Councils under State government act for better Exclusion to facilitate their administration and governance and development of the tribal groups. But exploitation of the tribal areas instead of development. despite conferment of such autonomy, it is notice that Traditionally and geographically, the tribals used to live separateness nursed during the colonial period has in remote and interior parts of the region and fortunately survived and is frequently expressed through various or unfortunately most of these areas are enriched with movements to bolster their demand for autonomy, natural resources. This seems to be one of the prime economic concessions, political representation, and reasons for targeting tribal areas for economic even for independence from the Union. Like many other exploitation in name of development. Following ethnic groups and communities of North East India, Available online: http://saspjournals.com/sjahss 1716 Monoj Gogoi., Sch. J. Arts. Humanit. Soc. Sci., Sept, 2018; 6(9): 1716-1720 Rabhas are also demanding autonomy within the state generating avenues to the tribal youths. Except of Assam under the Sixth Schedule provision of the agriculture, no other sources of income are available for Indian Constitution. the Rabha people. It can be justified that unemployment is one of the causes that has abetted the growth of Rabha is one of the major plain tribe of Assam ethnicity and identity among the Rabhas. The Rabha with rich cultural heritage and tradition. According to Hasong area is endowed with numerous natural Census 2001 the total population of the Rabha tribe is resources such as tropical forests, timber, rubber, silk, 277517 and they are mainly concentraded in Goalpara, jute and various horticultural products. Some of these Kamrup, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Nalbari, natural bounties have been already exploited by Udalguri, Darrang and Sonitpur districts of Assam. scrupulous traders while others are yet to be harnessed. Beside these, they are also found in some pockets of Hundred crores of rupees were pump into the area for Garo Hills of Meghalaya, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar several decades in the name of development, but most districts of West Bengal and some areas of of them are siphoned off by scrupulous officers, Bangladesh[4]. The quest for the autonomy of the contractors and politicians through their unholy nexus. Rabhas can be traced back to 1987 when a section of As a result, the economic development has been lop- the Rabha leaders supported the demand of All Bodo sided. The region continues to remain mainly Students Union (ABSU) for creation of a separate tribal agricultural and less than forty per cent of the state in the Southern part of Brahmaputra called geographical area is under cultivation. The prospects for Nilachal. But their demand never took the form of an modern industries are not bright, as there is a lack of organised movement and did not last long. The demand local or regional markets. It is observed that most of the for a separate state for the Rabhas within the state of Rabha inhabiting areas lacks basic infrastructural Assam emerged during late nineties and since then it facilities, forcing them to live in extreme misery and has passed through several phases. The first phase for destitute. As a result the growth of modern sector failed the autonomy movement of the Rabhas came to an end to bring changes in increasing the standard of living of with the creation of Rabha Hasong Autonomous the tribal people. Thus, it can infer that the sluggish Council (RHAC) in 1995. After the formation of the economic growth, poor infrastructure, lack of market RHAC, the movement remained subdued for a short accessibility, restricted land market and under period. Consequently dissatisfied with the powers and utilisation of the natural resources of the region have functions of the RHAC, the Rabhas resumed their plagued not only the economy of the region, but it is second phase of movement with great intense and also acting like a catalytic agent to increase the feelings momentum for greater autonomy demanding of marginalisation and discontentment among the constitutional safeguards under Sixth Schedule of Rabha tribe, fuelling the demand of autonomy. Indian constitution. Presently, after election of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council in 2013, the movement Migration and Land alienation for the inclusion of RHAC under Sixth scheduled is Being very near to the state capital on one end gradually resurfacing, but in a slow momentum. The and adjacent to the Bangladesh porous border on the aim of this paper is to critically evaluate the different other, the region is witnessing regular migration of underlying factors that led to the emergence of the people from within and outside the country. It is autonomy movement among the Rabhas. In this paper, observed that many areas of tribal belts and blocks five core factors viz., low level of economic which were created for protecting the tribal people were development, large scale migration and land alienation, mostly occupied by non-tribal groups. The forest which feeling of marginalization and isolation, political is part and parcel of tribal livelihood started to dwindle exploitation and failure of RHAC and creation of and became the settlement areas of the immigrant BTAD under Sixth Schedule of Indian constitution have Muslim population. This unabated influx of the been identified that led to the resurgence of the migrants and consequent undermining of the economic movement for the autonomy among the Rabha tribe. interests of the native population changed the demographic composition of the region, eventually Low level of economic development leading to political tension. The fear of losing one's own Absent of proper development plan for homeland
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