Report of the Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes 1969-70 (Nineteenth Report)

Abstract

Two events have been, more or less, of great significance to the scheduled tribes and scheduled castes during the year 1969-70. One has been the formation of the State of MEGHALAYA on 2 April, 1970, and the other, the encouragement given to tribal and other landless people in various parts of India in the forcible occupation of land. The first event may encourage tribal communities elsewhere in demanding the right of self-determination, while the other has already stimulated landless peasants to seek a solution of their economic difficulties by ‘self-help’ and unconstitutional means. Whether this was encouraged by political parties or not is not of as much importance as the fact that this mood among the agricultural population can be interpreted as an expression of lack of confidence in governmental or constitutional measures.