Why in news?
Members of the Katkari community, one of Maharashtra’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), announced a two‑day protest near Mumbai to draw attention to landlessness, unpaid wages and long‑standing social exclusion. Their demonstration, called “Aatmakalesh se Aatmanirdhar” (“From anguish to resolve”), seeks recognition and redress from the state.
Background
The Katkari, also known as Kathodi, are an indigenous tribe of the Western Ghats. Historically they lived in forested hills of Raigad and Thane districts and made a living by producing catechu from khair trees, collecting forest products, fishing and practising shifting cultivation. British colonial authorities branded them a “criminal tribe” under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, a stigma that persisted even after the law was repealed. Today the Katkari have been designated a PVTG along with the Madia Gond and Kolam tribes. Census data from 2001 recorded about 285,000 Katkari people, mostly in Maharashtra with smaller numbers in Gujarat, Karnataka and Rajasthan. They speak the Katkari dialect of Marathi and practise Hinduism.
Present circumstances
- Landlessness and labour: Many Katkari families are landless labourers working in brick kilns, charcoal units and farms. Their livelihoods are often insecure and subject to exploitation.
- Displacement and eviction: Rising land prices around Mumbai have led landlords to sell plots, forcing Katkari settlements to relocate. Some hamlets have been fenced off or demolished without rehabilitation.
- Social stigma: Legacy prejudices label the Katkari as criminal and untouchable, leading to exclusion from village life and discrimination in public services.
- Demands: Protesters are calling for recognition of their settlement rights under the Forest Rights Act, payment of pending wages under employment schemes and dignified treatment by authorities.
Significance
- Highlighting PVTG rights: The protest brings national attention to the plight of PVTGs who often fall through the cracks of welfare programmes.
- Land tenure reforms: Ensuring secure land titles and rehabilitation for displaced tribal families is essential for improving their livelihoods and social status.
- Social inclusion: Addressing long‑standing stigma and enforcing anti‑discrimination measures can help integrate the community into mainstream society.
Conclusion
The Katkari tribe’s peaceful protest underscores the gap between legal entitlements and on‑the‑ground realities for India’s most marginalised groups. Addressing land rights, providing fair wages and combating discrimination will be key to ensuring that the Katkari and other PVTGs can live with dignity and security.
Sources: Free Press Journal, Wikipedia