ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

Articles by N RajaramSubscribe to N Rajaram

Denotification of the Rathvas as Adivasis in Gujarat

The Gujarat government recently issued an order denotifying the Rathvas as a tribe ostensibly because their school records show them to be Hindus. The government's argument is that the Rathvas cannot be adivasis if they are Hindus. What makes the move ominous is that the Chhota Udepur region inhabited by the Rathvas is mineral-rich and laws that protect adivasi rights come in the way of corporate exploitation of these resources. The order could also set a precedent to threaten adivasis elsewhere who protest against the loot of natural resources in their areas.

Politics and Cotton Co-operatives in Central Gujarat

Factions in Gujarat's patidar-dominated cotton co-operatives subordinate their political interests to the co-operatives' business interests. The distribution of a co-operative's income tends to become a bone of inter-faction contention. The state government has a big say in cotton co-operative politics.

Back to Top