Civics Solution Class 8 Chapter 7

7. Understanding Marginalisation

Facts that Matter

·         The term marginalisation refers to a situation in which an individual or a group of individual is deprived of certain privileges or treated as different from others.

·         Marginalisation is experienced in every sphere of life. Economic, social, cultural and political factors work together to make certain groups in society feel marginalised.

·         The term Adivasi means the original inhabitants.

·         Adivasis have always been in close connection with forests. They are also known as Scheduled Tribes.

·         About 8% of India’s population is Adivasi.

·         There are over 500 different Adivasi groups in India.

·         Adivasi dominated states are Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and the north-eastern states.

·         Adivasis worship their ancestors, village and nature spirits. They have always been influenced by different surrounding religious such as Shakta, Buddhist, Vaishnav, Christianity etc.

·         Adivasis have their own languages, Santhali is one of them.

·         Adivasis are usually portrayed in colourful costumes and headgear. Their dances are also unique.

·         It is the general belief of the people that Adivasis are exotic, primitive and backward. But it is not so in reality.

·         Forests played a very significant role in the life of the Adivasis. Adivasis had deep knowledge of forests. History is witness that big empires heavily depended on Adivasis for the crucial access to forest resources.

·         But today they are considered marginalised communities.

·         The pre-colonial Adivasis were basically hunter-gatherers and nomads. They practised shifting cultivation. Some Adivasis also cultivated in one place.

·         Slowly and steadily they began to migrate because of economic changes, forest policies, etc. Thus, they lost their access to forests.

·         The forest land that once belonged to Adivasis, were cleared for different purposes such as agriculture and industry.

·         According to official figures, more than 50% of persons displaced due to mines and mining projects are tribals.

·         Another recent data shows that 79% of the persons displaced from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand tribals.

·         With the loss of access to forests Adivasis lost their means of livelihood. As a result, they migrated to cities in search of work.

·         In the cities, they lead a very miserable life. Their children are malnourished. They have no access to education.

·         45% of tribal groups in rural areas and 35% in urban areas live below the poverty line.

·         The term minority refers to the communities that are numerically small in relation to the rest of the population.

·         People belonging to majority group may suppress or overpower minority communities. This may lead to their marginalisation. Hence, it is necessary to protect their interest. Our Constitution provides safeguards to them.

·         Muslim community is also socially marginalised.

·         Muslims are 13.4% of India’s population. They have over the years been deprived of the benefits of socio-economic development. They have little access to education. They are deprived of basic amenities like water, electricity. In public employment too they always leg behind to other communities.

·         The government is very active to improve the condition of the Muslim community.

·         It set-up a high-level committee in 2005 to examine the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community in India. The report discusses in detail the marginalisation of this community. It suggest that on a range of social, economic and educational indicators the situation of the Muslim community is comparable to total of other marginalised communities like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled tribes.

·         Muslim customs and practices such as wearing burqa and fez make them different from others. Because of this, they tend to be identified differently and some people think that they are not like the ‘rest of us’. This often becomes an excuse to treat them unfairly.

·         This social marginalisation of Muslims has led to them migrating from places where they have lived.

·         In our countries, there are several more marginalised communities like Dalits.

·         It is quite essential to bring to bring these communities in the mainstream so that they may avail access to rights, development and other opportunities.

Words that Matter

·         Marginalisation: The term refers to the situation in which an individual or a group of individuals is deprived of certain privileges or treated as different from others.

·         Adivasi: It literally means ‘original inhabitants’.

·         Hierarchy: A graded system or arrangement of persons or things. These who find themselves avail the least power.

·         Mainstream: People or communities that are considered to be at the centre of a society.

·         Displaced: People who are forced to move from their homes for some reasons such as construction of dams, etc.

·         Militarised: An area where the presence of the armed forces is considerable.

·         Malnourished: One who does not get adequate food.

·         Ghettoisation: Ghettoisation is a process in which an area or locality is populated largely by members of a particular community.

1. Explain at least three different reasons why groups may be marginalised.

Groups may be marginalised due to the following reasons:

i) They speak different languages

ii) They follow different customs

iii) They are poor

2. Why was Dadu forced to leave his village in Orissa?

Dadu was forced to leave his village in Orissa because the companywallahs took his land for mining iron ore there.

3. List five products that you use at home that come from the forest.

i) Fruit             ii) Timber        iii) Gum           iv) Lac              v) Honey

4. By whom were the following demands being made on forest land?

Timber for construction of house and railways

Forest land for mining

Forest land for agriculture by non-tribal people

Reserved by government as wildlife parks

The demands mentioned above were made by the British government in India. This would affect the establishment of the tribal people. They would be displaced to some other places where they would not get work easily.

5. In your opinion, why is it important that Adivasis should have a say in how their forests and forest lands are used?

Adivasis have been directly affected by the decisions of the government agencies.

6. Why do we need safeguards for minorities?

We need safeguards for minorities in order to protect them from being dominated by the majority.

7. Read the following content carefully:

I live in a Muslim-dominated area. Some days back during Ramzan there was some disturbance that started taking a communal outlook. My brother and I had gone for an Iftar party in the neighbourhood and were dressed in traditional clothes that are sherwani and salwar kameez respectively. On returning home, my brother and I were asked to change our clothes to jeans and T-shirt.

Now when everything is fine I wonder what was the reason that we were asked to change our clothes and why I didn’t find it odd. Were our clothes giving away our identity and is that identity linked to all kinds of fears and discrimination?

Ainee A. Farooqi

This is an essay written by a child around your age. What do you think she is trying to convey?

People in society are very keen to hide their identity in order to avoid any tension. Some typical dresses signify some particular communities. Such dresses become their identity. At the time of communal tension, people try to avoid such dresses so that they cannot be targeted by the opposing group.

Questions from textbook

Let’s Recall

1. Write in your own words two or more sentences of what you understand by the word ‘marginalisation’.

The word ‘marginalisation’ refers to a situation in which an individual or a group of individuals is deprived of certain privileges or treated as different from others. Marginalisation can be experienced in every sphere. Several factors are there which make certain groups in society feel marginalised. These factors are economic, social, cultural and political.

2. List two reasons why Adivasis are becoming increasingly marginalised.

i) Adivasis love to lead their life in their own way, without any interference from the others.

ii) They usually resist changes or new ideas.

3. Write one reason why you think the Constitutions safeguards to protect minority communities are very important.

The Constitutions safeguards to protect because they are numerically small in relation to the rest of the population and therefore they may be dominated by the majority communities.

4. Re-read the section on Minorities and Marginalisation. What do you understand by the term minority?

The term minority refers to communities which are numerically small in relation to the rest of the population.

5. You are participating in a debate where you have to provide reasons to support the following statement. ‘Muslims are marginalised community’. Using the data provided in this chapter, list two reasons that you would give.

Two reasons are:

i) Muslims are deprived of basic amenities such as water, electricity, etc.

ii) They have little access to education.

6. Imagine that you are watching the Republic Day Parade on TV with a friend and she remarks, ‘Look at these tribals. They look so exotic. And they seem to be dancing all the time.’ List three things that you would tell her about the lives of Adivasis in India.

Three things about the lives of Adivasis in India:

i) They love to wear colourful dresses.

ii) They are very close to forests.

iii) They have their own languages Santhali is one of them.

7. In the storyboard you read about how Helan hopes to make a movie on the Adivasi story. Can you help her by developing a short story on Adivasi?

Adivasis live in close association with forests. They earn their livelihood through forests. They love to live in their traditional style. They usually resist changes or new ideas. Their life is very simple and they want very limited things. Since they are very close to nature, they enjoy a very healthy life. Dancing is an important part of their life. They love to dance collectively on festive occasions.

But new developments disturbed their life. They got displaced as a result of which they lost their access to forests. This created the problem of livelihood among them. They ultimately migrated to cities where they got engaged in local industries or at building or construction sites to earn low wages. In cities, they are bound to live a very hard life.

8. Would you agree with the statement that economic and social marginalisation are interlinked? Why?

Yes, I do agree with the statement because economic condition of a man affects his social status. His social recognition is assessed by his economic base.

More Questions Solved

1. Multiple choice questions

Choose the correct options.

i) Tribals are also referred to as……….

a) Adivasis      b) Muslims      c) Dalits           d) Untouchables

ii) In which one of the following states we don’t find Adivasis?

a) Orissa          b) Gujarat        c) Madhya Pradesh     d) Kerala

iii) The Adivasi language which is the largest number of speakers is……

a) Khasi           b) Manipuri     c) Santhali      d) Gondi

iv) Niyamgiri hill located in Kalahandi ditrict in Orissa is inhabited by this Adivasis community…………..

a) Bhills           b) Dongarria Konds   c) Kolis             d) Gonds

v) The percentage of Muslim children attending Madarsas is…………

a) 4                  b) 66                c) 30                d) 100

2. Fill in the blanks:

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words to complete each sentence.

i) Muslim women are an important part of the women’s movement in India.

ii) In the north-east, the lands of Adivasis remain highly militarised and war-torn.

iii) Adivasis practise a range of tribal religions that are different from Islam, Hinduism and Christianity.

iv) 45 percent of tribal groups in rural areas and 35 percent in urban areas live below the poverty line.

v) Muslims are 13.4 percent of India’s population.

3. True or False

State weather each of the following statements is True or False.

i) Muslims do not have equal access to basic amenities like water, electricity, etc.            True

ii) Adivasi children are mostly malnourished.            True

iii) Adivasis are modern people who love to live in big buildings in the cities.         False

iv) Around 40% of India’s population is Adivasi.         False

v) We find hierarchy system in Adivasi societies.      False

vi) Muslim customs and practices are sometimes quite distinct from what is seen as the mainstream. True

4. Matching skills

Match the items given in ColumnA correctly with those given inColumn B.

                  A                                                              B

i) Adivasis                                a) Scheduled Tribes

ii) The Sachar Committee       b) Examined social, economic and educational status of the Muslims                                                          Community in India

iii) Minorities                          c) Safeguards are needed to protect them

iv) Orissa                                 d) Home to more than 60 different tribes groups

v) Important mining and

    industrial centres                e) Located in Adivasi areas

5. Very short answer type questions

1. How many different Adivasi groups are there in India?

There are over 500 different Adivasi groups in India.

2. Name any four states where Adivasis are in great numbers.

Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.

3. How are Adivasi societies most distinctive? Give one point.

There is often very little hierarchy among them.

4. How are Adivasi usually portrayed?

They are usually portrayed in Stereotypical ways in colourful clothes, headgear and through their dancing.

5. What do we usually think about Adivasis?

We usually think that Adivasis are exotic, primitive and backward.

6. What is the population of Adivasis in Assam?

There are 70 lakh Adivasis in Assam.

7. How is Niyamgiri viewed by Dongarria Konds?

Dongarria Konds, an Adivasi community, view Niyamgiri as the sacred mountain.

8. Why are Muslims considered as a marginalised community in India today?

It is because in comparison to other communities, they have always been deprived of the benefits of socio-economic development.

9. How are Muslims usually identified?

Muslims are usually identified by their burqa, long beard and fez.

10. Which factor leads to ghettoisation of the Muslim community?

Social marginalisation of Muslims leads to ghettoisation of this community.

11. What is commonly believed about the Muslims?

It is commonly believed that the Muslims prefer to send their children to madarsas.

12. What reality is brought in light by the Sachar Committee?

Only 4% of Muslim children are in Madarsas, whereas 66% attend government school and 30% private schools.

6. Short answer type questions:

1. What do you know about Adivasis?

The term Adivasi means original inhabitant. This community has close relation with forests. They depend on forests for everything. They cannot think a life without forests. About 8% of India’s population is Adivasi. Adivasis are found in states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra, Assam, Manipur etc. There are over 500 different Adivasi groups in our country. Only Orissa there are more than 60 different tribal groups. Adivasi societies are also most distinctive because there is often very little hierarchy among them. They practise their own tribal religions, different from Islam, Hinduism and Christianity. They have their own languages, which are as old as Sanskrit. Santhali is one of the languages which has the largest numbers of speakers.

2.How are Adivasi stereotyped?

Whenever we talk about Adivasis, their fixed images come into our mind. We have a fixed impression about them. We believe that they are exotic, primitive and backward. Their colourful costumes, headgear, dancing and typical life style often give an impression that they lack advancement. We also believe that they are resistant to change or new ideas. This stereotyping about the Adivasi community leads to their discrimination and marginalisation.

3. Describe various reasons that forced Adivasis to move from their lands.

Various reasons are given below:

i) More than 50% of Adivasis got displaced due to mines and mining projects.

ii) Huge tracts of Adivasis’ lands have gone under the waters of hundreds of dams that have been built in independent India.

iii) In the North-east, their lands remain highly militarised and war-torn.

iv) India has 54 national parks and 372 wildlife sanctuaries covering 1, 09,652 sq km. These are areas where tribals originally lived but were evicted from.

4. What happened to Adivasis when they lost access to their traditional homelands?

After Adivasis lost access to their traditional homelands i.e. forests, they became pampers. They faced the problems of livelihood and food. Hence, they migrated to cities in search of work. They got employment there but against very low wages. This made their life miserable. They caught in cycle of poverty and deprivation 45% of tribal groups in rural areas and 35% in urban areas live below the poverty line. Their children became malnourished in dearth of adequate food.

5. Why are Muslims considered to be a marginalised community in India?

Muslims are considered to be a marginalised community in India because in comparison to other communities, they have always been deprived of the benefits of socio-economic development. Most of the Muslims do not avail even basic amenities of life such as water and electricity. They live in kutcha houses. They have little access to education and public employment. Thus they always lag behind in terms of various development indicators.

Their customs and practices are sometimes quite distinct from what is seen as the mainstream. Some not all Muslims may wear burqa, sport a long beard, wear a fez and these become ways to identify all Muslims. All these lead to their marginalisation.

7. Long answer type questions:

1. Describe marginalisation in context of the Adivasi and Muslim communities.

Adivasi Community

In the pre-colonial period, Adivasis ruled the forest areas. They were hunter-gatherers and nomads living by shifting agriculture and also cultivating in one place. But as the development and urbanisation took place, forests were cleared off. This affected the life of Adivasis badly. They had to migrate to cities in search of work. They also lost their power. They were now marginalised. Now they had to work in plantations, at construction sites, in industries and as domestic workers. They had no longer direct access to the forest territories. They lost their domain, and were compelled to lead a very miserable life in the cities. Their children are malnourished. They have little access to education. 45% of tribal in rural areas and 35% in urban areas are bound to live below poverty line.

Muslim Community

Muslims are considered to be a marginalised community in India today because in comparison to other communities, they have always been deprived of the benefits of socio-economic development. Most of the Muslims do not avail basic amenities like water and electricity. They are bound to live in kutcha houses. There is little education among them. They have little access to public employment.

Other factors that make them marginalised are their customs and practices. Some not all Muslims may wear a burqa, sport a long beard, wear a fez and these become way to identify all Muslims. Because of this, they tend to be identified differently. Often this becomes an excuses to treat them unfairly and discriminate against them.