Tribal communities have been facing hardships since the British era and are not new to marginalisation by the non-tribal community (“Tribal alienation in an unequal India”, July 4). This alienation stems from a lack of identity of tribals, which is centred around the idea of opposition to them by the overwhelming force of the non-tribal world. As far as tribals are concerned, their problems, of displacement, land alienation, an identity crisis, inferior health care and inadequate education are almost always overlooked in the planning process. Growing inequality is bound to foster the rise of naxalism which in turn will challenge the basic tenets of our democracy.
Prateek Shendre,Bidar, Karnataka
