CONTEMPORARY STRUGGLES OF THE TRIBAL PEOPLES OF INDIA

The paper critically examines the available literature on tribal movem ents. It points out that exploitation of tribals is premised upon the epistemology of individualism which has destroyed their survival base, statist ideology and the nation-building process which threatens thei r linguistic and cultural survival and the capitalist paradigm of deve lopment, which has expropriated natural resources. In this context, th e state has emerged as the chief enemy of tribal people. The paper mak es a case for the right of internal self-determination to tribal regio ns within the state system. The alternative development paradigm would involve struggles against imperialism and domestic reactionary forces , towards the emergence of multiple coexisting civilisations.