2. With reference to Bihar we confirm the constitutional proposals already made by us in toto.
We consider it necessary in addition to refer to certain matters connected with the administration of this, the largest compact block of territory comprising any excluded area in India, which came to our notice during our tour. To begin with, the Christian section of the tribals, though small in number, is educationally and economically far in advance of the non-Christian tribals. The demand for education among the non-Christians is said to be negligible and this presumably is the result of their economic backwardness which makes it necessary that children should assist their parents in earning their livelihood. There are however allegations that the Christian teachers and educational officials encourage only Christian children, and as a good number of the schools are run by Christian missions, the non-Christians lack facilities for education. The Christians again appear to be much better organized and vocal and they are found to take prominent part in local and political organizations. The other striking feature of this area is the feeling common among educated tribals and shared by non-tribals in considerable measure that Chota Nagpur has little share in the administration commensurate with its area, population and industrial importance and is being neglected by the Government which is made up of elements interested mostly in the rest of Bihar. Certain non-aboriginal witnesses have expressed their views of the neglect of Chota Nagpur in no uncertain terms and suggested that the ameliorative measures claimed by the Government are purely defensive action prompted by the separation movement. Even when the Government is supposed to be resident at Ranchi, it is given as concrete proof of their lack of interest that they are mostly absent on tour in areas other than Chota Nagpur in which they are interested. Dr. Sinha has also stated that the present Government has yet to do something “to capture the imagination of the people” and that under the present practice “the Hon’ble Ministers stay for a very short period at Ranchi-at their own will and convenience and do not usually visit so much the aboriginal areas as they do those of the other three divisions of Bihar”. We have referred to these statements not because we are in agreement with them or with a view to adjudicating on them but purely as indicative of the local atmosphere. Dr. Sinha has referred to the absence of the aboriginal element in the Ministry and has recommended reconstitution.
The extreme expression of the discontent prevalent in Chota Nagpur is the separatist movement which demands the formation of a new Province of Jharkhand out of the partially excluded area. This movement is sponsored at present by the Adibasi Mahasabha containing a very large advanced or Christian element but in Singhbhum and in the Santhal Parganas also, a good proportion of non-Christians seem to have been affected by it. To borrow Dr. Sinha’s words it is “capturing the imagination” of the tribals. Unmistakably also the movement is gaining sympathy among the non-aboriginals; and even if it be partly due to mere local ambition, the virtual exclusion of tribal elements from the Cabinet has undoubtedly contributed much to it. We have already held in our interim report that the question of the formation of a separate Province is not for us to tackle but we would invite the attention of the Provincial and Central Governments to the separation movement, which seems to be gaining strength, as a symptom of the discontent which is simmering in varying intensity among all sections of the Chota Nagpur population. At the same time we have noticed that the Cabinet of the Bihar Government and such an eminent public man as Dr. S. Sinha oppose the separation movement on the grounds very well shown in the brochure of Dr. Sinha. We have also received a number of telegrams from these areas saying that they thoroughly disapprove of the separatist movement.
We are inclined to the view which seems to be shared by Dr. Sinha also, that there should be adequate association of the people of the partially excluded areas, particularly the tribals, in the different branches of the administration including the Cabinet and that there can be neither satisfaction nor adequate progress until it is done. In short, the problem of administration in this tract must be dealt with not only by economic and educational improvements but also by remedies which recognize its political and psychological aspects; and we would lay the maximum emphasis on the urgency of action in both these directions.