Understanding Marginalisation

Notebook Handout
Q1. Who are Adivasis? What percentage of India’s population is adivasis?
1.The term originally refers to inhabitants –  communities who lived and often
continue to live, in close association with forests. 8% of the Indian population are
Adivasis. there are around 500 different groups of Adivasis in India. They are not
among a homogeneous population.Most of the Industrial and mining areas of India
are located in the Adivasis area.
2.Orissa is for more than 60 different tribal groups. Also, they are found in states like
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and in the north-
eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Nagaland, and Tripura. 
3.They have a different range of tribal religions like Shakta, Buddhist, Vaishnav,
Bhakti, and Christianity, other than Islam or Hinduism. 
4.Adivasis have their own languages, which were as old as Sanskrit. Santhali was
spoken by a large number of people and had a huge publication
Q2. What does Sachar Committee report tell about the Muslims and how is
economic and social marginalization experienced by Muslims has other dimensions
as well?
Answer:

1. Recognizing that Muslims in India were lagging behind in terms of various

development indicators, the government set up a high-level committee in
2005. The Committee was chaired by Justice Rajindar Sachar, The report
discusses in detail the marginalization of Muslims.
2. It suggests that on a range of social, economic and educational indicators the
situation of the Muslim community is comparable to that of other marginalized
communities like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
3. Muslim customs and practices are different from what is seen as the
mainstream. Muslims may wear a burqa, keeping a long beard wear a fez and
these become ways to identify the Muslims.
4. Because of this, they tend to be identified differently and some people think
that they are not like the ‘rest of us’. Often this becomes an excused to treat
them unfairly, and discriminate against them.

Q3. Economic marginalization and social marginalization are interlinked. Do you

agree? Why?
Yes, the marginalised as a term refers to individuals or groups of people who are
socially excluded on the basis of race, nationality, orientation, etc. They are not able
to avail basic amenities such as healthcare, education, or jobs which creates
economic disbalance. Hence, it leads to no economic development for the minorities,
so they remain backward and considered socially marginalised. 
Q4. Mention any three reasons why Muslims are considered as Minority?
Ans.13% of the Muslim community are marginalised in India.
(a) They have over the years been deprived of the benefits of socio-economic
development, basic amenities, literacy, and public employment.
(b) Muslim customs and practices such as wearing burqa and fez make them
different from others and that is why they tend to be identified differently and are not
like the rest of the Muslims. This often becomes an excuse to treat them unfairly.
This social marginalization of Muslims in some instances has led to their migration
from places where they have lived, often leading to the ghettoization of the
community. 
(c) The literacy rate is 57% of the Muslim population which is the lowest compared to
63% among Hindus, 67% among Sikhs, 71% among Buddhists, 74% among
Christians, and 86% among Jains. For example, according to the data, only 63.8% of
Muslims could get access to electricity in comparison to 65.4% among Hindus,
69.3% among Christians and 91.3% among Sikhs.

Q5. What happens when Adivasis are removed from their lands?
Ans. 1.Losing their lands and access to the forest means that tribals lose their main
sources of livelihood and food.
2.Having gradually lost access to their traditional homelands, many Adivasis have
migrated to cities in search of work where they are employed for very low
wages in local industries or at building or construction sites. They, thus, get
caught in a cycle of poverty and deprivation.
3.45 per cent of tribal groups in rural areas and 35 per cent in urban areas
live below the poverty line. This leads to deprivation in other areas. Many
tribal children are malnourished.
4. Literacy rates among tribals are also very low.
5.When Adivasis are displaced from their lands, they lose much more than a
source of income. They lose theirtraditions and customs – a way of living
and being.