Tana Bhagat community

Why in News?

Members of the Tana Bhagat community in Jharkhand are protesting a proposed national highway project under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, alleging that it threatens their ancestral lands, forests, religious sites, agricultural livelihoods, and community spaces in a Scheduled Area protected by special constitutional safeguards.

Who are the Tana Bhagats? 

• The Tana Bhagats are a socio-religious reform movement that emerged among the Oraon Tribe of the Chotanagpur region, primarily in present-day Jharkhand.
• The movement was founded and led by Jatra Bhagat in 1914.
• It began as a movement against:
  • British colonial rule
  • Oppressive taxation
  • Exploitative landlord (zamindari) practices
  • Social and economic injustices faced by tribal communities

Key Features of the Tana Bhagat Movement

Anti-Colonial Resistance

• The movement represented a form of organized tribal resistance against British authority and exploitative revenue policies.
• Followers refused to pay certain taxes and challenged colonial administrative practices.

Gandhian Influence

• Over time, the movement became closely associated with the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi. Tana Bhagats embraced: Non-violence (Ahimsa), Truth (Satya) and Peaceful protest methods.
• They are known for wearing white clothes and white caps, carrying the Indian tricolour, participating in national movements through non-violent means.

Social and Religious Reforms

According to tribal scholars and Sarna tradition practitioners, the movement promoted:

• Abstinence from alcohol consumption.
• Rejection of animal sacrifice.
• Greater social discipline and community cohesion.
• Ethical and spiritual reform within tribal society.

Constitutional Significance of the Issue

• Many villages affected by the proposed highway lie within Scheduled Areas, which enjoy special protections under:
  • Fifth Schedule of the Constitution
  • Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996
• These provisions seek to safeguard tribal land rights, cultural identity, traditional governance systems, and community resources.

Source: IE