Does the Global Indigenous Narrative Apply to India?

Part 2: The historical experiences that shaped the global indigenous movement were very different from India's own civilisational journey.

Part 1 examined the origin of World Indigenous Peoples' Day and the historical circumstances that led to its recognition by the United Nations. In this part, we examine how that global framework has been interpreted in India and why it has become the subject of debate.

Around the world, there are nearly 440 million indigenous peoples (Adivasi), of whom about 110 million are from India. It is therefore natural that Adivasi communities in India should wish to celebrate this global day. At the same time, a growing ideology claims that anyone who questions its observance is an enemy of the Adivasi cause. The truth, however, is that foreign forces seek to exploit these sentiments to weaken national unity under the guise of goodwill.

We, the Adivasi people, are the true custodians of this land and have lived here since time immemorial. Therefore, August 9 is celebrated as the day of reclaiming our rights and restoring our sovereignty. It is presented as the day of our resurgence after foreign Aryan invaders subjugated us and deprived us of our rights. World Adivasi Day is portrayed as a tribute to our identity, our dignity and our enduring bond with this land.

This ideology has influenced not only sections of the public but also the tribal departments of several states, including Maharashtra. As a result, official circulars have been issued encouraging the celebration of this day at the government level.

It is surprising that the world turned its attention to indigenous peoples only towards the end of the 20th century, whereas independent India recognised the rights of its tribal communities through the Constitution itself. From the very beginning, constitutional safeguards sought to protect their dignity and ensure justice. Over the years, various commissions and state governments implemented measures based on the recommendations of the Niyogi Commission, including the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), individual and community forest rights, land acquisition safeguards and forest conservation laws.

The government's role has always been to protect and uplift tribal communities while strengthening the spirit of brotherhood among all Indians. Our tribal communities have traditionally lived in forests and remote regions, preserving their customs and way of life, yet they have always remained an integral part of this nation. Despite differences in language, dress, food and local traditions, India has remained united through its shared history, civilisation and cultural heritage.

We are all Indians. Our tribal and forest-dwelling communities have always been inseparably linked with our religion, our motherland, our history and our culture. Many thinkers around the world, including those associated with the United Nations, have acknowledged that the issue of indigenous peoples does not arise separately in India. The historical circumstances that existed in many other countries do not apply to India.

Therefore, India need not adopt the policies and objectives framed for indigenous peoples elsewhere. Unfortunately, we are still not entirely free from the colonial mindset inherited from British rule. To strengthen their hold over this country, the British spread many falsehoods through education and administration. One of the greatest was the claim that India had never been one nation. They also propagated the theory that Aryans came from outside India, conquered the original inhabitants and destroyed their religion, culture and land.

Although the British failed to understand India, many of these colonial narratives continued even after independence. They found support among sections of the Congress, progressives, the Left, missionaries and other political and social groups. As a result, divisions between urban, rural and tribal communities widened. Separate identities were encouraged, and respect for India's history, traditions, culture and civilisational heritage gradually weakened.

This is why we believe that India's tribal communities cannot be viewed through the same historical lens as the indigenous peoples of countries shaped by European settler colonialism. Our history is different, our civilisational experience is different, and our constitutional approach has also been different. It is this distinction that must be understood before accepting the ideology surrounding World Adivasi Day.

(The writer is a social worker engaged in tribal welfare.  Views personal.)