A de-notified tribe Baheliya: Identity crisis and challenges

Under colonial rule, numerous communities were labeled as ‘criminal tribes’. Post-independence, these communities were liberated from the ‘criminal’ label and reclassified as 'de-notified tribes’. However, even today, modern society has not fully accepted them, leading to a crisis of identity. The situation is further complicated by the varying statuses assigned to these communities in different regions. However, there are sufficient and correct reasons for this. The Baheliya is one such de-notified and nomadic tribal community, recognized differently across the country: as a Scheduled Caste in some areas, a Scheduled Tribe in others, an Other Backward Class in certain regions, and without any special status in others. The lack of reservation benefits has caused discontent among the general Baheliya population. This study aims to explore, using the example of the Baheliya, how and why a single community can hold different statuses in different regions. The study is entirely based on data gathered from secondary sources.