Conclusion

the criminal tribes act was passed by the colonial government as early as 1871, arbitrarily and unjustly against some of the aboriginal tribes, castes and even a section of the Muslims of India. This Act was enacted by the colonial government with a view to control some turbulent and criminally proclaimed sections of the population. By gradual modifications, this Act was consolidated in the year 1924. The Madras Presidency repealed the Criminal Tribes Act in 1947 and Bombay in 1949. The All India Criminal Tribes Enquiry Committee in 1949 evaluated the problems of criminal tribes and recommended India-wide repealing of the Act. Henceforth, people belonging to these criminal groups were recognized as denotified communities. To check the criminal tendencies of these criminal tribes, the British government started several settlements and entrusted the task of their management to voluntary agencies like the Salvation Army, American Baptist Mission, Chief Khalsa Diwan, Deo Samaj and Arya Samaj. In addition to these, the Adimjati Sevak Sangh was also put in-charge of the management of some settlements. These bodies have been assisting the government in the moral uplift of the so-called criminal tribes. After the repeal of the Act, the so-called criminals were freed from the stigma of criminality. The Backward Class Enquiry Commission (1995) appointed by the Government of India suggested ameliorative measures to enable these communities to turn over a new leaf and make them good citizens. The social experience of the denotified tribes still adds to their lurking fears of being dominated by the more vociferous strata of the society. Unless society provides equal opportunities and treatment with others in every sphere of life, these people are not willing to come out of their shell. What we ought to do, argue scholars, is to develop a sense of oneness with these people, a sense of unity and understanding. It necessarily involves a psychological approach.