An Issue Of Social Inclusion: A Case Study Of Bediya Tribe Of A Part Of Sundarban Region In West Bengal

Abstract

Culture and society are always dynamic in nature thanks to exposure, invention, experimentation and change in the surrounding environment of the people. Tribal societies in India are also no exception. The Case study on the Bediya Tribe is focussed in the context of stigmatisation and discrimination through three different dimensions: social, political, and economical. Traditionally tribal societies were self-sufficient: they did not feel it essential to interact with mainstream society for their social, cultural and physical existence. This very nature of tribal people kept themselves away from the rest of the society. The intervention policies particularly through education has provoked them to penetrate the mainstream culturally (example of inter-cultural marriages being on the rise) through assimilation process, economically through employment in government sectors and politically by active participation. The Sundarban Region is the study area with focus on blocks of Hingalganj and Sandeshkhali-I of North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Primary data was collected through Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and House Hold Survey (HHS) and Secondary data based on Census of 2001 and 2011: both qualitative and quantitative methods have been applied. This tribe has been purposely chosen as it is the dominant one population wise. Now Bediyas are educated and better off economically; they are working in different Government and Non-Government sectors. They are actively participating in social organizations for furthering improvement in their society. They are commanding in political governance at local level through active participation. Social inclusion is increasing and at the same time exclusion is decreasing through such processes as revealed from the analysis of the data.