Lodhas have lived a life of miserable poverty throughout a longer period. Colonial Government had been unresponsive towards their development. The stigma of ‘Criminality’ had detached them from the organised society. Post-colonial India tried to free them from the mark through withdrawal of the Criminal Tribal Act, implemented in 1952. They are presently treated as a Primitive Tribal Group (PTG) and after 2006, it’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). They not only reside in the jungle areas now, but also inhabits in the surrounding deforested areas also and work there as farm labourers. Their major source of livelihood is comprised of various activities like collection of minor forest products (MFPs) for preparing leafy-plates (Donas), leaves for making country-cigars (Bidis), collection of snakes, lizards and other animals for selling them, collection of leaves and other forest food products for home consumption as well as selling the surplus, collection of Tasar cocoons for cash requirement, catching fish and tortoises both for selling and domestic consumption and lastly working as daily labours may be in agricultural field or in other areas.
Though the other people say that Lodhas are very lazy and their degree of aspiration to improve their status is lower. They don’t make any effort to uplift themselves. But the police records contradict these statements. Though they belong below subsistence level, but they are pro-active in the extra-legal activities like robbery, dacoity, theft, burglary etc. in neighbourhood areas. But measures to bring them back in the settled civilized society have not yet been so successful.
The Lodhas are the problem-ridden people though, but their hurdles in the society have not been studied and focused by the administration till now. I have tried to jot down their problems as listed below:
• The tag of ‘Criminality’ has reduced their earning opportunities as well as their social status, position and prestige.
• Their level of subsistence has tiered them to the exploitation position by the neighbourhood communities.
• Surrounding communities have taken much benefits of their disgraceful social status and conditions.
• Frequent torture, harassment, police’s oppression, punishment have broken out their unity of community and leads to emigration for a safer secure life.
• Being not a specialized professional, they don’t get fit into the competitive global economy for their survival.
• Frequent migration (Both territorial and economic displacement) causes livelihood loss leading to lost self-confidence.
Examples of torture, harassment, extortions, murder are plentiful in case of Lodhas as given below:
° Murder of 18 Lodhas at Patina in 1979.
° Murder of 6 and maim of 4 at Gonua in January, 1982.
° 1 murder in Shakpara village in March, 1982.
° 1 murder in Khejurkuti in June, 1982.
° 6 murders in Saro, Baghjhanpa and Chakua villages in June, 1982.
° Double murder at Jhargram-Nunnuni-gerya in February, 1982.
Prasun Sadhukhan, 6th Semester, ARTD
Though the other people say that Lodhas are very lazy and their degree of aspiration to improve their status is lower. They don’t make any effort to uplift themselves. But the police records contradict these statements. Though they belong below subsistence level, but they are pro-active in the extra-legal activities like robbery, dacoity, theft, burglary etc. in neighbourhood areas. But measures to bring them back in the settled civilized society have not yet been so successful.
The Lodhas are the problem-ridden people though, but their hurdles in the society have not been studied and focused by the administration till now. I have tried to jot down their problems as listed below:
• The tag of ‘Criminality’ has reduced their earning opportunities as well as their social status, position and prestige.
• Their level of subsistence has tiered them to the exploitation position by the neighbourhood communities.
• Surrounding communities have taken much benefits of their disgraceful social status and conditions.
• Frequent torture, harassment, police’s oppression, punishment have broken out their unity of community and leads to emigration for a safer secure life.
• Being not a specialized professional, they don’t get fit into the competitive global economy for their survival.
• Frequent migration (Both territorial and economic displacement) causes livelihood loss leading to lost self-confidence.
Examples of torture, harassment, extortions, murder are plentiful in case of Lodhas as given below:
° Murder of 18 Lodhas at Patina in 1979.
° Murder of 6 and maim of 4 at Gonua in January, 1982.
° 1 murder in Shakpara village in March, 1982.
° 1 murder in Khejurkuti in June, 1982.
° 6 murders in Saro, Baghjhanpa and Chakua villages in June, 1982.
° Double murder at Jhargram-Nunnuni-gerya in February, 1982.
Prasun Sadhukhan, 6th Semester, ARTD
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