Why India doesn’t know how many denotified tribes exist | G. N. Devy

In this episode of Frontline Conversations, public intellectual and activist G. N. Devy explains why India’s upcoming caste census risks repeating a historic injustice by failing to properly count denotified and nomadic tribes (DNTs)—communities criminalised under colonial rule and still living with its consequences. Tracing the origins of stigma to the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, Devy details how entire communities were branded as criminals, confined to settlements, forced into unpaid labour, and subjected to surveillance. Although these communities were officially “denotified” in 1952, he argues that the prejudice never ended—it merely shifted into policing practices, judicial indifference, and social exclusion. Devy, who founded the Denotified and Nomadic Tribes Rights Action Group, explains why the absence of reliable census data has kept DNTs invisible in policy-making for decades. He makes a strong case for a separate census column and subcategorisation, arguing that the central issue facing these communities is not just poverty, but a deep loss of dignity rooted in historical criminalisation. Highlights: -How the Criminal Tribes Act continues to shape modern policing -The demand for a separate DNT column in the caste census -Why dignity, not just welfare, is the core issue -How nomadic and semi-nomadic livelihoods complicate enumeration -What census data means for justice, planning, and democracy -Why missing this census could delay justice by decades Perfect for viewers interested in: -Denotified and nomadic tribes in India -Caste census and enumeration politics -Colonial legacies and modern governance -Policing, stigma, and preventive detention -Human rights and constitutional justice -Marginalised communities and state accountability Credits: Host: Amey Tirodkar Editing: Razal Pareed Producer: Kavya Pradeep M Subscribe to Frontline: https://frontline.thehindu.com/online... Follow us on: Facebook - / frontlineindia Twitter - / frontline_india Instagram - / frontline.magazine LinkedIn - / frontline-magazine-b12921295