Globalisation: The Plight of Tribal People in India – An Analysis

“Globalization is a double – edged sword. It is a controversial process that assaults national sovereignty, erodes local culture and tradition and threatens economic and local stability.”       - Robert J. Samuelson The impact of globalization on the indigenous communities is manifold, and often they are ones most negatively affected. Under globalization, it is the tribal indigenous areas that have had to face the attacks of massive development projects. The Constitution of India makes special provisions for socio-economic and educational development of these groups. The open market policy of the Indian government has resulted in increased privatization, huge layoff of labour, rise of corruption and heavy debts on the nation. The benefits of development touted under globalization have not reached the poorest sections of the society. The disparity between the rich and the poor has widened. It is disturbing impact on family and the drastic erosion of traditional social life is a social main concern. In the globalised situation, it is the market and not community which is the focal player. The influence of Powerful transnational lobbies made pressure on the governments. These leads to transfer control over resources from tribal’s to private and global industry, stakeholders, legitimate governments like India allowing themselves to undergo Constitutional changes to the detriment of their constituent communities. All laws and policies relating to Scheduled Areas, the land transfer regulations, the Forest Act, the Environment protection Act, the Land Acquisition Act are all under immediate threat of repeal, dilution or amendment,. While these laws clearly portray the need for protection of people and resources the new policies call for exploitation of resources at the cost of tribal people. These contradictions between law and policies are leading to industrial lobbying for the amendment of the laws and the very tampering of the Constitution.