Criminal tribes & the raj : ideology of control in colonial India
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Type
Article
Date
31-03-2020
Journal Title
Social Trends
Journal Editor
Roy, Sanjay K.
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of North Bengal
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Saha, A. (31 C.E.). Criminal tribes & the raj : ideology of control in colonial India. Social Trends, 7, 40–52. https://ir.nbu.ac.in/handle/123456789/3548
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Abstract
‘Criminal tribes’, born criminals or ‘Denotified Tribes’ represent a
concept etched onto the minds of people at the time of British rule, varnished
over with legislation and preserved for considerable period. The arbitrary
categorisation was first made by the company raj in 1871 and this dubious
status reigns even today, reducing them to one of the most neglected elements of
Indian society. In India in the late 19th century there existed several wandering
groups akin to gypsies of Europe. There were travelling magicians, traders,
cultivators, pastoralists and forest dwellers. Their so called rootlessness caused
severe headache for the authorities. Not only did their wandering existence
reinforce an economy the East India Company was attempting to replace with
settled agricultural production, but these wanderers might well have proved
themselves indistinguishable from roving bands of thugs. Their desire to feel in
control of this floating population encouraged the production of official
stereotypes like criminal tribes. They have taken recourse to theories of
criminology and social control prevalent in the western world, to justify the
passing of the Criminal Tribes Act 1871, branding for the first time some tribes as
a whole, as criminals. Therefore, in a nutshell, in this essay an effort has been
made to find out the philosophical justification/rationalisation of this notorious
act and its operation
Description
Citation
Accession No
Call No
Book Title
Edition
Volume
ISBN No
Volume Number
7
Issue Number
ISSN No
2348-6538
eISSN No
Pages
Pages
40 - 52