The Question of Giving a Democratic Direction to Jharkhandi Identity

The Question of Giving a Democratic Direction to Jharkhandi Identity

*Introduction*

The Jharkhand movement has been one of the longest and most significant people’s movements in India. It was not merely a movement demanding a separate state, but a broad mass struggle for the rights over water, forests, land, culture, and the rights of local communities. After the formation of the state of Jharkhand, it was expected that the political, economic, and cultural direction of the state would develop in accordance with the original aspirations of the Jharkhand movement. However, the experience of the last 25 years shows that the fundamental aspirations of the people have not been fulfilled.

Today, the question of Jharkhandi identity is being debated from the streets to the legislative assembly. The 1932 Khatiyan Bill passed by the Assembly — which provides that persons or their ancestors recorded in the land records of 1932 or earlier shall be considered local residents, and also includes provisions for identification of landless persons through the Gram Sabha — is still pending for Presidential approval. Whereas no President can keep a bill pending indefinitely. The Honorable Supreme Court has also delivered judgments in this regard.

One cannot expect constitutionally consistent conduct from the BJP government. The argument that if a domicile policy is implemented it would violate citizens’ rights under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution is incorrect. The Constitution itself provides special opportunities for historically marginalized communities, so that those left behind in the process of development can achieve proper advancement, as is already extended to socially and educationally backward groups.

Thus, the issue of Jharkhandi identity has become a matter of political debate in Jharkhand. But it is equally important to understand what political direction Jharkhandi identity should take. Will it remain limited only to identity politics, or will it become the basis for a broader program of democracy, social rights, economic justice, and people’s participation?

The Historical Basis of Jharkhandi Identity

Jharkhandi identity has been shaped through a long history of struggles. On this very date, 30 June 2026, while we are sitting in this workshop, Sidhu-Kanhu Hul Day is being observed with great respect in Jharkhand and other tribal regions of India.

This day commemorates the historic Santhal Hul Rebellion of 1855 against British colonial rule and the exploitation of landlords. Similarly, great leaders such as Birsa Munda and Tilka Manjhi, along with many others, fought to defend land, community, and dignity.

The purpose of these struggles was not merely to protect cultural identity but also to establish people’s rights against exploitation and injustice. Jharkhand is not just a geographical unit; it is a socio-political community built through shared history, shared struggles, and shared aspirations. It includes Adivasis, Moolvasis, Dalits, backward communities, minorities, farmers, workers, miners, women, and youth.

The Present Crisis

Today Jharkhand is facing multiple crises. Despite being rich in mineral wealth, a large section of the population continues to suffer from poverty, unemployment, and insecure living conditions.

In recent years, the corporate-driven development model has strengthened corporate control over water, forests, and land. For major minerals that are handed over by the central government to private companies, royalty rates are generally fixed at only one or two percent of their sale value, and state governments sell mineral resources to private corporations at extremely cheap rates. Various taxes collected from these mineral resources are taken by the central government, while only a very small share reaches the state treasury.

There is also controversy over the non-implementation of rights guaranteed under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.

A large number of youth are forced to migrate outside the state for employment. The crisis in education and healthcare services is continuously deepening. Lack of public investment, capital flight, and privatization have made access to basic services increasingly difficult for poor sections of society.

The economic burden on women has increased. Microfinance and non-banking financial companies are visibly exploiting rural, tribal, and indigenous women on a large scale. Communal polarization, social division, and weakening democratic institutions are also major challenges before the state.

Thus, for democratic forces, Jharkhandi identity means not only cultural democracy but also ensuring that the benefits of development generated from mineral wealth, water, forests, and land reach local communities. Development should not aim at corporate profit but public welfare.

A major demand in recent times is the inclusion of a separate Adivasi Religion Code column in the Census. This is fully constitutional and must be implemented.

All India People’s Front and other political groups that have formed the national Employment-Social Rights Campaign believe that Jharkhandi identity should move in a democratic direction aimed at securing identity along with people’s rights.

This includes protecting laws such as the 1932 Khatiyan, land rights, Chotanagpur Tenancy Act 1908, Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act 1949, recognition of the Adivasi Religion Code, people’s rights over water, forests, and land, employment, education, healthcare, women’s economic security, and reducing social inequality.

The Employment-Social Rights Campaign also believes that there is a need for a significantly larger budget for education, employment, healthcare, pensions, housing rights for landless people, and development of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Hindu-Muslim extremely backward communities, and women, so that groups increasingly excluded from the mainstream of society can become the foundation of inclusive development and democracy.

It is undeniable that our country does not lack resources, and its people are not behind any nation in knowledge, science, technology, or production.

To protect the country’s economic sovereignty, it has become necessary to regulate and control capital movement so that black money can also be curbed.

For public welfare, development of marginalized communities, prosperity, and peace, it is necessary to impose adequate taxation on the wealth of big corporate houses. It should also be noted that ordinary citizens, especially salaried workers, often pay more income tax than large corporations.

Therefore, corporate taxation should be increased.

The Employment-Social Rights Campaign has decided that the central slogan of our movement shall be:

“Tax Corporates – Guarantee Employment!”

Under this, a 9-point agenda for Jharkhand has been prepared, on which our state unit has already been running campaigns.

We hope that this workshop will strengthen that campaign and that this movement will emerge as a major political force in Jharkhand.

9-Point Agenda of the Ongoing Campaign in Jharkhand

1. Guarantee the right to employment, education, healthcare, pensions, and residential land for the landless.

2. Include Adivasi Religion Code and caste column for Other Backward Classes in the Census. Implement the Forest Rights Act.

3. Implement a domicile policy in Jharkhand and establish Khatiyan-based local employment and recruitment policy.

4. Make the Justice Rohini Commission Report public and create a separate reservation quota for Extremely Backward Classes.

5. There is a huge imbalance in Jharkhand’s deposit-credit ratio. Stop the large-scale outflow of people’s bank deposits from the state.

6. Stop economic exploitation by chit fund companies and microfinance companies.

7. Provide low-interest loans to women in self-help groups, youth, and entrepreneurs for establishing enterprises.

8. Impose taxes on corporate houses and billionaires, and increase expenditure on public welfare.

9. Stop plunder and privatization of natural resources and protect the environment.

Date: 30 June 2026

Akhilendra Pratap Singh

Founder Member, All India People’s Front

(Paper presented at the National Workshop organized in Ranchi on 29–30 June 2026)