What are the main causes of tribal revolts in India during British rule?
Indian tribes revolted against the Britishers, as soon as the British established their control over Western India. In Maharashtra the hilly tribes offered stiff resistance to the British rule. Ramoshis, Bhils, Kolis and many other tribal people revolted against the rule of East India Company. The tribal uprising was the resistance against the Zamindar, moneylenders and the British rule. There are many factors that led to the tribes to revolts against the British rule:
1) The tribes were not happy with the growing influence of the British in their own area of influence. From many years they had been living peacefully with the nature. The Mughals and the Deccan kingdoms hardly interfere in their day to day life. However the British desire of exploiting the natural resources made them rebel and stand of against the government.
2) Most of the tribes like Ramoshis and Kolis attacked moneylenders. Their chief aim was to teach lesson to the moneylenders who uses to cheat poor ignorant tribal. The moneylenders had protection of the British government. So naturally they got evolved against the British rule.
3) The British wished to create a monopoly over forest. Unlike Indian ruler, the British could not understand the attachment of the tribes to their original inhabitance. They lived in hilly regions and forests. They lived in harmony with the nature. They didn’t like the British attitude of exploitation of natural wealth for the sake of their material development. The tightening of British control over their forest zones, creation of reserved forests and attempt to monopolize forest wealth made the tribes rebellious.
4) The British disrupted the traditional economic set up. They devoid the tribal people of their traditional economic set up and hence the tribal were forced to serve as menial labours and miners. They were instigated against British by the hostile personalities like Vasudev Phadke, Trimbak Dengle and Umaji Naik.
The revolt normally began when the tribes felt oppressed and had no other way but fight. The tribes organized themselves for an armed resistance. These tribal people though no match for the modern military might of the British rule, their struggle against the colonial power, provided inspiration to the other people.