Collapse of Adivasi self-governance system in Jharkhand: Need to implement PESA in letter and spirit
During most of the time in history, Adivasis (a lion’s section of India’s tribal communities) had their own federal governance system. These decision-making processes were considered people-centric and democratic, although women were mostly not allowed to participate in such processes.
The administrative systems during the colonial period and elected parliamentary democracy after independence affected this Adivasi governance system to a great extent. As a result, the traditional system disappeared from most Adivasi areas in Jharkhand.
The PESA Act, which was supposed to uphold the traditional decision-making process, has so far not been fully implemented in its true spirit.
“If you talk about governance system in Adivasi villages, we are neither here, nor there,” a villager in Jharkhand’s Ranchi district said.