constituent assembly of india debates (proceedings)- volume vii

[Annexure VII]
To
DEAR SIR,
THE CHAIRMAN,
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APPENDIX D
FINAL REPORT
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON MINORITIES, etc.
This is our final report written after our visit to Bihar and the United Provinces. It relates to the
partially excluded areas of these provinces and the excluded areas of the Punjab in respect of all of which
the recommendations contained in our interim report were provisional. Certain general recommendations
have also been added.
2. With reference to Bihar we confirm the constitutional proposals already made by us in to to.
BIHAR
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 (see
statement appended), 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
organised and vocal and they are found to take prominent part in local and political organisations. The
other striking feature of this area is the feeling common among educated tribals and shared by nontribals
inconsiderable measure that Chhota 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 Chhota
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
Honourable 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.