Adivasi movements played a very important if not determining role in the India’s freedom struggle. Gandhi’s idea of mass mobilization couldn’t have been successful without the active participation of all sections of the Indian society. Adivasi movements were swelled by Gandhian ideology only during the NonCooperation movement. Though Gandhi’s interest in the tribal problems crystallized at a later stage of his life his influence on tribal movements was revealing. His association with Thakkar Bapa and Verrier Elwin also enriched his knowledge about tribal state of affairs. Adivasis started looking at Gandhi as saviour or a saint who could deliver them justice and peace. But Gandhi always supported Adivasi movements in order to give a mass character to his movements. There were some particular demands of the Adivasis that were not supported by Gandhi. Their armed struggle was also against his nonviolent principles. During the latter half of twentieth century movements like Tana Bhagat and Hari Baba were purely influenced by the Gandhian ideology but failed to achieve their goals. Later on Jharkhand movement adopted the character of a nonviolent struggle; here also the fruits disappeared. The present work focusses on the first three movements of the Chota Nagpur Plateau of eastern India during Gandhi’s lifetime and the current movements against forceful displacement by POSCO Vedanta and others in order to comprehend his ideological impact on Adivasi movements of today. The book has critically analysed and evaluated Gandhi’s impact on the Adivasi situation in colonial and postcolonial India. About the Author Debasree De is an Assistant Professor Department of History Maharaja Srischandra College Kolkata West Bengal.
