The British wanted the tribals to settle in one place so that it would be easier for them to control us. They introduced land settlements for a regular supply of revenue.

Forests were a source of livelihood for the tribals, and so the forest laws formulated by the British had a significant impact on their lives. The British declared all forests as state property and classified certain forests as reserved and the tribals weren’t allowed to cultivate, hunt or gather fruits in these areas.

This forced many of the tribals to move to other places in search of livelihood and created a scarcity of laborers for the British.

Some tribals were allocated small patches of land near the forest for cultivation, and in return asked to work for the British. The tribals eventually protested against these laws. The revolt of Songram Sangma in Assam in 1906 and the forest Satyagraha in the Central Provinces in 1930 were two such major revolts against the British.