Santhal Hul and Tenancy Acts of tribal lands

Context

  • Santhal Hul of 1855 was a revolt against imperialism led by four brothers, Sidho, Kanho, Chand, and Bhairav Murmu, along with sisters Phulo and Jhano. June 30 is the 169th anniversary of the beginning of the revolt, one of the first peasant uprisings against British colonial oppression.

    • The Santhals also fought against the upper castes, zamindars, darogas, and moneylenders, described by the umbrella term ‘diku’, in an attempt to safeguard the economic, cultural, and religious aspects of their lives.

About the uprising

  • In 1832, certain areas were delimited as ‘Santhal Pargana’ or ‘Damin-i-Koh’, which comprises present-day Sahibganj, Godda, Dumka, Deoghar, Pakur, and regions of Jamtara, in present-day Jharkhand.

    Santhal Hul and Tenancy Acts of tribal lands
    Pic Credit: The Wire
  • The area was allocated to the Santhals displaced from Birbhum, Murshidabad, Bhagalpur, Barabhum, Manbhum, Palamau, and Chhotanagpur, all areas the Bengal Presidency.
  • While the Santhals were promised settlement and agriculture in Damin-i-Koh, what followed was the repressive practice of land-grabbing and begari (bonded labour) of two types: kamioti and harwahi.
  • The Murmu brothers, who saw themselves as acting on the Santhal God Thakur Bonga’s divination, led around 60,000 Santhals against the East India Company and engaged in guerrilla warfare.

About Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act of 1876 and Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act

  • The Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act of 1876 (SPT Act) enacted by the British, which prohibits the transfer of Adivasi lands (urban or rural land) to non-Adivasis, was the result of the Hul. The land can only be inherited as per the Act, thus retaining the rights of Santhals to self-govern their land.
  • The Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act, (CNT Act) enacted by the British in 1908 a result of the Birsa Movement, allows land transfers within the same caste and certain geographical areas with the approval of the District Collector. This Act also restricts the sale of Adivasi and Dalit land, while allowing land transfers between Adivasi individuals from the same police station and Dalits in the same district.

Source: IE

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