Context:
-
On November 15, 2025, Jharkhand marked 25 years of statehood, coinciding with the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, lending deep historical and symbolic resonance.
-
The occasion has prompted reflection on whether the emancipatory vision of the Adivasi-led Jharkhand movement—centred on dignity, autonomy, and justice—has been fulfilled.
Key Highlights:
Roots of the Jharkhand Movement
-
Originated from Adivasi resistance against:
-
Land alienation
-
Cultural erosion
-
Economic exploitation
-
-
Early articulation through:
-
Adivasi Mahasabha (1938)
-
Leadership of Jaipal Singh Munda
-
-
Core demands:
-
Self-rule
-
Cultural recognition
-
Protection of land and forests
-
Post-Independence Trajectory
-
The Jharkhand Party gained political space but weakened after:
-
States Reorganisation Commission (1956) rejected statehood
-
Merger with the Congress
-
-
Movement broadened to include other marginalised communities beyond Adivasis.
Revival through Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)
-
1973: Formation of JMM by Shibu Soren, A.K. Roy, and Binod Bihari Mahato.
-
Shifted the movement’s geography:
-
From forested heartlands to industrial and mining belts (Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Bokaro)
-
-
Integrated:
-
Adivasi identity
-
Industrial labour politics
-
-
Focus expanded to:
-
Land rights
-
Development-induced displacement
-
Exploitation by extractive industries
-
Youth and Student Mobilisation
-
1986: Formation of All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), inspired by Assam’s AASU.
-
AJSU:
-
Revitalised mass mobilisation
-
Took a strong anti-displacement and anti-extractive stance
-
Brought urgency and visibility to statehood demands
-
Gains after Statehood (2000–2025)
-
Tangible improvements in:
-
Roads and connectivity
-
Welfare delivery
-
Literacy, healthcare access
-
-
Increased political visibility of Adivasis in governance.
Persisting Challenges
-
Development-induced displacement due to mining and infrastructure projects.
-
Tensions between:
-
Adivasis and non-Adivasis
-
Competing claims over resources and identity
-
-
Continued:
-
Land alienation
-
Ecological degradation
-
Cultural marginalisation
-
-
Demands for Scheduled Tribe status by several groups remain unresolved.
Critical Reflection
-
Anniversary celebrations risk becoming spectacle, obscuring:
-
Unfulfilled promises of autonomy
-
Structural injustices embedded in Jharkhand’s political economy
-
-
Core dilemma:
-
How to balance industrial development with Adivasi rights and self-governance
-
UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):
GS 2 – Polity
-
Creation of states
-
Federalism and regional aspirations
-
Identity-based political movements
GS 2 – Governance
-
Inclusive development
-
Tribal welfare and rights
-
Displacement, rehabilitation, and justice
Mains Enrichment:
-
Critically examine whether Jharkhand has realised the original goals of its statehood movement.
-
Discuss challenges in reconciling developmental imperatives with indigenous rights in mineral-rich regions.
Prelims Pointers:
-
Birsa Munda and Adivasi movements
-
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)
-
All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU)