A world list of books in the English language.

Adivasi movements played a very important, if not determining, role in the India’s freedom struggle. Gandhi’s idea of mass mobilization couldn’t have been successful without the active participation of all sections of the Indian society. Adivasi movements were swelled by Gandhian ideology only during the Non-Cooperation movement. Though Gandhi’s interest in the tribal problems crystallized at a later stage of his life, his influence on tribal movements was revealing. His association with Thakkar Bapa and Verrier Elwin also enriched his knowledge about tribal state of affairs. Adivasis started looking at Gandhi as saviour or a saint, who could deliver them justice and peace. But, Gandhi always supported Adivasi movements in order to give a mass character to his movements. There were some particular demands of the Adivasis that were not supported by Gandhi. Their armed struggle was also against his non-violent principles. During the latter half of the twentieth century, movements like Tana Bhagat and Hari Baba were purely influenced by the Gandhian ideology, but failed to achieve their goals. Later on, the Jharkhand movement adopted the character of a non-violent struggle; here also the fruits disappeared. The present work focuses on the first three movements of the Chota Nagpur Plateau of eastern India during Gandhi’s lifetime and the current movements against forceful displacement by POSCO, Vedanta and others, in order to comprehend his ideological impact on Adivasi movements of today. The book has critically analysed and evaluated Gandhi’s impact on the Adivasi situation in colonial and post-colonial India. Please note: Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute print edition in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The 50 years old Jharkand movement appears to have won a new lease of life ever since Union Home Ministers S.B. Chavan's fatuous remarks abotu a separate state within the constitutional framework of India. One of the longest surviving movements in India despite setbacks, the cause it espouses- the emancipation of Adivasis from the yoke of upper-class non-Adivasis, has helped strengthen its survival instincts. It has, over the years, suffered greatly due to fragmentation politicking, factionlism and inter and tribal-non tribal divides. Teh tribes and backward castes who inhabit the Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana areas have been victims of an exploitative social system ever since colonial times. This naturally led to great and deep-rooted resentment and gave birth to the demand for a separate state for the tribals.