TRIBAL WOMEN IN THE DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL PROCESS A STUDY OF TRIBAL WOMEN IN THE DOOARS AND TERAI REGIONS OF NORTH BENGAL A Thesis submitted to the University of North Bengal For the Award of Doctor of Philosophy In Department of Political Science By Renuca Rajni Beck Supervisor Professor Manas Chakrabarty Department of Political Science University of North Bengal August, 2018 Dedicated To My Son Srinjoy (Kutush) ABSTRACT Active participation in the democratic bodies (like the local self-government) and the democratic political processes of the marginalized section of society like the tribal women can help their empowerment and integration into the socio-political order and reduces the scope for social unrest. The present study is about the nature of political participation of tribal women in the democratic political processes in two distinctive areas of North Bengal, in the Dooars of Jalpaiguri district (where economy is based on tea plantation) and the Terai of Darjeeling district (with agriculture-based economy). The study would explore the political social and economic changes that political participation can bring about in the life of the tribal women and tribal communities in the tea gardens and in the agriculture-based economy. The region known as North Bengal consists of six northern districts of West Bengal, namely, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur and Cooch Behar. There is more than 14.5 lakh tribal population in this region (which constitutes 1/3rd of the total tribal population of the State), of which 49.6 per cent are women. Jalpaiguri district has the highest concentration of tribal population as 14.56 per cent of its population is tribal population whereas Darjeeling has 4.60 per cent of its population as tribal population. The tribal women of these two districts are predominantly engaged as agricultural labourers and tea workers and their economy could largely be termed as subsistence economy. The tribal population in Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling districts has mostly migrated from the central India (popularly known as Chotanagpur) in different historical periods. After the implementation of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act in 1993 the scope for participation of the members of the backward communities, particularly the women of these communities, has significantly risen. In North Bengal there are 717 Gram Panchayats, 61 Panchayat Samities, 6 Zilla Parisads and a Mahakuma Parisad. So far as the representation of the tribal women is concerned, in the GPs there are 479 members, in the Panchayat Samities 72 members, and in the Zilla Parisads and Mahakuma Parisad together there are 21 members. Thus all the panchayat bodies taken together there are as many as 556 tribal women members in North Bengal who would constitute the universe of the present study. Primary data for the study would be collected through an extensive study of (a) the tribal women representatives of various bodies of the local self-governments and of the State legislature, (b) women providing leadership to political organizations and trade unions in tea gardens, and (c) the average tribal women who constitute the voters. The study would be conducted with the help of an exhaustive questionnaire-cum-schedule. We will substantiate the interview method with observation and case study methods. Available data from the secondary sources would also be taken into consideration. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. Acknowledgment i-ii List of Tables iii List of Figures vi Appendices vii Abbreviations vii Map of the Study Area ix-xiii CHAPTER – I : INTRODUCION 1-58 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS 1-10 OPERATIONALISATION 10-58 CHAPTER – II: PANCHYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS AND PARTICIPA- TION OF WOMEN IN TRADE UNIONS OF TEA GARDENS 59-90 73RD AMENDEMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION, 1992 67-80 TRADE UNIONS IN TEA GARDENS OF NORTH BENGAL 81-90 CHAPTER –III: TRIBAL POPULATION AND THEIR PROBLEMS – SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL – A GENERAL SURVEY 91-119 DEFINITION AND MEANING 91-99 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF TRIBES IN INDIA 99-108 STATUS OF EDUCATION AMONG TRIBES 108-119 CHAPTER -IV: TRIBAL WOMEN POPULATION AND NORTH BEN- GAL SCENARIO: DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT AND SOCIO ECONOMIC SETTING- A REGION SPECIFIC ANALYSIS 120-173 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF NORTH BENGAL TRIBES 120-131 BRIEF HISTORY OF TEA GARDENS IN NORTH BENGAL131-153 STATUS AND POSITION OF TRIBAL WOMEN 153-173 CHAPTER – V: POLITICAL DEMOGRAPHY OF MATIALLI AND PHANSIDEWA BLOCK : THE AREA OF STUDY 174-215 MATELLI BLOCK 174-190 PHANSIDEWA BLOCK 190-210 A RETROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN THE DIVERGENT AREAS OF DOOARS AND TERAI REGION 211-215 CHAPTER – VI: TRIBAL WOMEN AND THE DECISION-MAKING: PARTICIPATION PROCESS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL POLITICS: ISSUES, PROBLEMS AND EFFECTIVENESS 216-251 CHAPTER- VII: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 252- 272 BIBLIOGRAPHY 273-312 APPENDIX 313-336 QUESTIONNAIRE 337-339 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The completion of the present study made me obliged to number of persons, without whose liberal and generous assistance, the work would not have been complete. At the onset, I must acknowledge my gratitude and appreciation to my supervisor Professor Manas Chakrabarty without whose active and constructive guidance it would not have been possible to bring forth my Ph.D thesis. I want to acknowledge his constant and encouraging endevour aimed towards a better completion of this thesis. He has been a source of constant support and guidance which has resulted in this study of mine. I want to pay my sincere gratitude to Professor Manas Chakrabarty for all the pains that he has taken despite his hard schedule towards formulation of my thesis paper. I would also sincerely like to thank the various tribal women respondent who took the time and energy to respond to my numerous queries. So many ancillary persons who contributed in providing me with various statistical datas (vis-à-vis the datas contributing to numerous statistic) deserve a special mention. My prolong stay in the tea gardens of Dooars and interactions with grass root tribal women population in Terai makes me indebted to numerous personalities, without whose personal contributions, this study would not have been possible. I would also like to acknowledge UGC for standing by me and encouraging me to carry forward with this research project. The staff in the library of Centre for Women Studies, NBU, deserves a special acknowledgement for bearing with me and keeping the doors of their library open for me always. I would also like to pay my acknowledgment to the members of the printing press who have made an earnest endeavor to get this study of mine ready within the stipulated period of time. i Special mention has to be made of the still serving Labour Welfare Officer (LWO)of Chalsa Tea Garden, Mr. Rahul Sharma, who always took a special effort to arrange meetings with the tribal tea garden workers. I remain extremely indebted to Rina Ekka, Ex-member of Ghoshpukur Gram Panchayat, for her whole hearted support during the course of my studies in Terai region. Without her valuable support, it would not have been possible for me to actively interview so many of the tribal women representatives of the area. The head of my present institution under which I am employed, deserves a special mention for giving me the professional space towards completion of this project. I further express my whole hearted gratitude to my brother-in-law Mr. Joydeep Dutta who despite residing in Singapore has supported me by giving computer related inputs. Without the extensive and meaningful support of my husband, Dr. Shubhdeep Dutta, it would not have been possible for me to successfully complete this study of mine. A Special thanks is also due to my mother and my parent-in-laws who have constantly encourage me during every step of this study. Without their wholesome encouragement it would not have been possible for me to complete this study. And how can I forget the mention of my little son Srinjoy, who despite his small age has smilingly sacrificed the company of his mother; the driving force for him being the fact that his mother is doing Ph.D. Numerous evenings which he has had to spend in solitude, deprived of his mother’s company, bear testimony to his unhinged support for my cause. _______________________ Dated: (Renuca Rajni Beck) ii LIST OF TABLES ___________________________________________________________________________ ___Sl No. Table No. Heading Page No. __________________________________________________________________________________________ ___ 1. 2.1 Women representation in the Panchayati Raj Institutions 65 2. 2.2 Percentage of Women Representation in Panchayat Raj Institutions 68 3. 2.3 Women’s Participation in Panchayati Raj Institutions Before 1985 and After 1995 68 4. 2.4 Particulars of Panchayati Raj Institutions in all tiers of West Bengal (As on 2003) 69 5. 2.5 Category of District wise Gram Panchayat Members in West Bengal 69 6. 2.6 District wise distribution of numbers of the members in the Zilla Parishad (as on 1998) 70 7. 2.7 Reservation pattern of the office of Sabhadhipati, Sahakari Sabhadhipati, ZP. 71 8. 2.8 District wise distribution of numbers of the members in the Panchayat Samitis 72 9. 2.9 Reservation pattern of the office of Sabhapati, Panchayat Samiti West Bengal, 1998 72 10. 2.10 Reservation pattern of the office of Sahakari Sabhapati, Panchayat Samiti WB, 1998 73 11. 2.11 Reservation pattern of the office of Pradhan, Gram Panchayat, West Bengal, 1998 73 12. 2.12 Reservation pattern of the office of Upa Pradhan, Gram Panchayat, WB, 1998 74 13. 2.13 Result of Panchayat Election, 2003 in West Bengal 74 14. 2.14 Lump grants to Zilla / Mahakuma Parishad for Scheduled Castes 2000-2001 75 15. 2.15 Lump grants to Zilla / Mahakuma Parishad for Scheduled Castes 2000-2001 76 16. 2.16 Major Trade Unions in North Bengal Tea Zone 82 17.