Contested Tribes: The Subjectivity of Tribe and State in India

Abstract One of the daunting issues in Indian democracy is the complex relationship between the state and tribes. The relationship is known for its integration policy and affirmative action, which is the largest in the world; on the other hand, it is marred by dispossession, contravention of tribal rights, and sometimes state-sponsored violence. Tribes have diverse experiences of the Indian state, which significantly reflect their histories and traditions. To begin with, the founders of the Indian Constitution held backwardness and isolation from mainstream society as characteristics of tribes. However, those communities designated as Scheduled Tribes by the Constitution included communities that once were what anthropologists call a state society. The idea of a tribe in the post-independence period has become more complex as some ethnic communities associated with dynasties and states in the past are demanding tribal status. This development in the present has come at the cost of ethnic conflicts, intractable identity politics, and overstretched affirmative action policies. This article delves into the contestation of tribality in India, examining the relationship between tribe and state.