Indigeneity, Development and the Post-colonial State in Jharkhand

Jharkhand has long been a land of struggle and contestation for the Adivasi people. Their movements have taken different forms over time and have been understood in many ways. From the early days of British rule, the region saw strong opposition to colonial authority, and this spirit of resistance continued after Independence, though the focus of the struggle kept changing. The idea of a separate Jharkhand state first appeared in the early twentieth century and carried forward into post-colonial India, finally becoming a reality in 2000, though in a compromised existence. Yet, the central concerns that gave rise to the Jharkhand movement, both under colonial rule and in independent India, were never fully addressed. After 1947, with the push for developing the country and uplifting its impoverished population, large areas of land and displacements were taken over for industries and projects. These experiences often found expression in protests against outsiders and in the continuing demand for domicile policies. This paper explores how the idea of identity in Jharkhand has been shaped through the interaction between the state and the notion of indigeneity, tracing this relationship from the colonial period to post-colonial India.