Discuss the contribution of P.K. Bhowmick in decriminalising the status of the Lodha tribe. (15 Mark

Sonamdas2104 Oct, 2024Education

Important gains in our understanding of some of India's most marginalized populations, particularly the West Bengali Lodha tribe, have been made by renowned Indian anthropologist P.K. Bhowmick. The Lodhas were traditionally classified as a "criminal tribe" because of the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, a colonial decree that declared entire people to be inherited criminals. This status continued until prohibition was lifted in 1952, but the stigma associated with criminal tribes did not go away. The legalizing and subsequent social and economic marginalization of the Lodha tribe was largely facilitated by Bhowmick's research and actions.