IAS Current Affairs

Birsa Munda and His Legacy

IAS Current Affairs

Birsa Munda and His Legacy 

Source: Indian Express
GS I: Modern Indian History from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present – Significant events, personalities, issues.

Overview

  1. News in Brief
  2. Birsa Munda and His Legacy
  3. The Ulgulan Movement

Why in the News?

June 9, marks the death anniversary of Birsa Munda, one of India’s most celebrated tribal freedom fighters.

News in Brief
  • Recent demand for “delisting” – the exclusion of tribal converts from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list– has renewed attention to Birsa Munda’s legacy and his contribution to Adivasi rights.
  • Several tribal organizations in Jharkhand commemorated Birsa Munda and pledged to protect his legacy.
  • They highlighted his role in defending Adivasi identity, land rights, sovereignty, and cultural traditions against colonial exploitation.
Birsa Munda and His Legacy
  • Born on November 15, 1875 in Ulihatu village (Present day Jharkhand).

    Birsa Munda and His Legacy
    Birsa Munda

  • Belonged to the Munda Tribe – a tribe of nomadic-hunters-turned- farmers who lived in Chotanagpur region in today’s Jharkhand
  • They had to bear the brunt of a series of adverse policies and events of Britishers.

Destruction of the Khuntkatti System and exploitation by ‘Dikus’

  • The Permanent Settlement Act,  enacted in 1793, led to the abolition of “Khuntkatti System”, and transferred the real ownership of land to Zamindars, who were viewed by the tribes as outsiders or “Dikus”.
  • This transformed the traditional land structure of the Munda tribes.

Exploitation through the “Begar system”

  • A system of forced labour, where tribals were compelled to depend on moneylenders for credit, and they replaced their traditional clan councils with courts.

Anti-missionary activities

  • Birsa Munda, at the age of 12 converted to Christianity.
  • Though Munda trusted the missionaries, he quit his missionary school.
  • He opposed missionary influence, since he believed British officials and missionaries worked together to undermine tribal society.
  • Munda soon emerged as a tribal leader and brought people together to fight for anti-missionary and anti-colonial causes.
  • He founded a socio-religious movement known as “Birsait” and was referred to as ‘Bhagwan’ (God) and ‘Dharti ka Abba’ (Father of the Earth) by his followers.

Key Terms

  • Khuntkatti System
        • It is a system of land ownership practiced by Mundas of Chotanagpur, which provides ownership of land among all families of the same clan, who cleared the forest and made land cultivable, without the involvement of landlords.
The Ulgulan Movement (1899-1900)
  • Birsa Munda launched the Ulgulan Movement (Munda Rebellion) in 1899.
        • Ulgulan means “Great Tumult” or “Great Rebellion”.
  • It was one of the most organized and widespread tribal revolts.
  • Objectives
        • End British rule
        • Expel outsiders from their region
        • Restore tribal land rights
        • Establish an independent Munda state.
  • Features
        • Use of weapons and guerrilla warfare
        • Mass mobilization of tribal communities
        • Combined social, religious and political resistance.
  • However, the British were able to halt movement and arrested Munda.
  • It is believed he died in Ranchi jail on June 9 1900, at the young age of 25.
  • Though the rebellion was suppressed, it became a landmark tribal resistance movement.
  • The movement also contributed to the repeal of begar system and led to the Tenancy Act (1903), which recognised the Khuntkatti system.
  • The Chotanagpur Tenancy act later banned the passage of tribal land to non-tribal folks.

The Chotanagpur Tenancy Act

  • Enacted by the British in 1908 after decades of Adivasi resistance (including Birsa Munda’s uprising).
  • To protect customary land rights in Chotanagpur region.
  • The central objective was to prevent the transfer of Adivasi land to non-Adivasis and legally recognizing traditional land tenure system.
  • The act remains one of the strongest safeguards for tribal land in Jharkhand.

Contemporary relevance his legacy

  • The descendants of Birsa Munda’s family have followed Christianity for generations.
  • Opposing the demand for delisting of Christian tribals from the ST list, Budhram Munda, a descendant of the family, argued that Adivasi identity is determined by ancestry and community, not religion.
UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following statements regarding Birsa Munda

  1. He led the Ulgulan Movement against British rule and exploitation by zamindars.
  2. He is popularly known as “Dhatri Aba” among tribal communities.
  3. Birsa Munda advocated the protection of Adivasi identity, culture, and land rights.
  4. The Chotanagpur Tenancy act,1908 completely abolished the private ownership of land in the Chotanagpur region.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 1,2 and 3 only

c) 1,2 and 4 only

d) 1,2,3 and 4

Answer: b) 1,2,and 3

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