Addressing the nation after his inauguration, President Murmu talked about his journey from a small tribal village in Odisha to Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Draupadi Murmu, who was sworn in as India’s 15th President on Monday, made new history by becoming the country’s first tribal and second woman to hold the country’s highest constitutional post.
Addressing the nation after his inauguration, President Murmu talked about his journey from a small tribal village in Odisha to Rashtrapati Bhavan. He also mentioned the four tribal revolutions, which strengthened tribal participation in the freedom struggle.
Santal revolution
On June 30, 1855, over 10,000 Santals were mobilized by their leaders Kanho Murmu, Chand Murmu, Bhairab Murmu and Sidho Murmu to revolt against the East India Company, protesting the oppression of revenue officials, zamindars and corrupt racketeers.
An important event in tribal history, referred to as ‘Chandal Hul’, took place in the village of Poknatih in present-day Jharkhand. After their outright revolt, the Santals took up arms to resist the imposition of East India Company laws.
The seeds of this lasting rebellion were sown in 1832. The East India Company created the Domin-e-Kho region in the forests of the Rajmahal Hills and invited the Chandals to settle there. Over the years, the Santals found themselves at the receiving end of the exploitative practices of the British.
Baika Rebellion
In many recent interpretations, the Baikka Mutiny of 1817 at Khurda, Odisha is referred to as the “original” first war of Indian independence. A military unit traditionally recruited by the kings of Odisha – the Baikkas – rebelled against the British colonial rulers, mainly for dispossession of their land holdings.
Prior to the rebellion, the British deposed and exiled the Kurta king in 1803, and then began introducing new revenue settlements. For the Baikas, who were engaged in defensive service, this disruption cost them both their estates and their social status.
About 400 Gonds from the Kumusar area came down against the British and the revolt was triggered. Bakshi Jagabandhu Pityadar Mohapatra Paramarbar Rai, a high-ranking military commander of the exiled Khurda king, led an army of Baikas to join the rising of the Gonds.
Baikas set fire to government buildings at Banapur, killed policemen, looted the treasury, and wrecked a British salt agent’s ship at Silica. They then proceeded to Gurda and killed many British officers.
Over the next few months, the Baikas fought bloody battles at many places, but the British Army gradually crushed the rebellion.
Bakshi Jagabandhu’ escaped to the jungles and remained in hiding from the British till 1825, when he finally surrendered under negotiation.
Cole Rebellion
The tribal people of Chota Nagpur revolted against the British in 1831. Here again the impetus was the gradual acquisition of tribal land and property by non-tribals with the help of new land laws.
Dissatisfaction with the economic exploitation of the natives led to an uprising led by Buddha Bhagat, Joa Bhagat and Madara Mahato. The Gols’ were joined by other tribes like Hos, Mundas and Orans.
The tribals fought with traditional weapons, but the colonial forces defeated them with their modern weapons. The uprising spread to areas like Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Palamau, Manbhum and lasted for almost two years. It mainly targeted colonial officials and private landowners.
Bill rise
After the British penetrated into the Bhil region of Maharashtra’s Khandesh region, the tribes retreated in 1818, fearing exploitation under the new regime. The revolt was led by leader Sevaram and brutally crushed using British military might.
The uprising broke out again in 1825 as the Bills sought to take advantage of the setback suffered by the British in the First Anglo-Burmese War.
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