DNT (De-notified Tribes) Movement

 

Budhan Theatre actors have been actively engaged at the state and central level policy making processes for the constitutional and cultural rights of DNTs.  They have spoken and appeared at hundreds of conferences and seminars organized by various state and national institutions, including police academies, arts organizations, policy-making organizations, and universities.  Budhan Theatre has also performed at conferences to provide audiences the true experience of the DNT plight and initiate dialogue between society, system, and DNT communities.  

 

Recently, in association with TANDA (organization of Tata Institute of Social Science), Budhan Theatre has conducted nationwide meetings in the east [Guwahati], west [Ahmedabad], north [Delhi and Kota], and south [Hyderabad], and interacted with over 125 DNT and NT (Nomadic Tribes) community leaders about their problems and demands for development.  Based on that interaction, Budhan Theatre and TANDA prepared the report entitled "Waiting for Freedom," and submitted the report to XaXa High Profile Committee under the government of India, who was working on a policy draft for De-notified Tribes.  Additionally, Budhan Theatre has been engaged in numerous social activism endeavors for DNTs in Gujarat, Maharastra, Rajasthan, and Delhi.

 

Because of continuous political lobbying and efforts by Bhasha Research and Publication Center (Budhan Theatre's parent organization), the UPA government agreed to create a national commission for Nomadic De-notified and Semi Nomadic communities in India.  The commission was appointed in 2007 and submitted a recommendation report for DNTs in 2009.  Though this report was produced, its policies have not yet been enacted by government.  Now, Budhan Theatre is extremely active in lobbying for commitment to enact welfare policy for DNTs based on this report.  A copy of the full report can be found here.

 

Budhan Theatre has been organizing celebrations of De-notification Day (August 31, 1952) every year since 1998 and holds performances and community leaders meetings around social and political issues of nomadic and De-notified tribes in the country.  It organized a national conference on housing rights of DNTs in 2012 in Ahmedabad and has also held a number of meetings in various DNT communities in Gujarat, Delhi, Marahastra, and Rajasthan.