Denotified tribes (DNTs) are communities or groups that were labelled as “born criminals” by the British government. They were labelled as criminals by the colonial administration because they were repeat offenders.
Evidence from the past
Criminalized
- The Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 was enacted by the British government to bring such tribes under the regime’s control. The tribe as a whole was regarded as criminals.
Shunned in society
- They were shunned by society due of the criminal code. As a result, they became stigmatised, making it difficult for them to come forward.
- Tribes who have been denotified confront a number of challenges.
Illiteracy
- Many tribes are nomadic in nature and live in remote locations with few educational opportunities. This makes their growth extremely difficult.
- Lack of political clout They do not have a large enough population to command political clout. As a result, they’ve gone unnoticed.
There are no advantages to making a reservation.
Because the majority of these groups do not fall into the SC or ST categories, they are unable to take advantage of state-sponsored reservations.
The group’s vulnerability
Locations that are remote
- These tribes live in inaccessible areas, making it difficult for them to integrate with society. They’ve become more vulnerable as a result of it.
There are no government perks.
- These organizations will continue to exist in their rudimentary state if state assistance are not provided. They will not experience significant social or economic development.
As a result, the government established a commission to look after the welfare of these groups, but no concrete progress has been made.
Legacy Editor Changed status to publish April 12, 2022