In the Jharkhand movement, adivasis shared a common hatred of the migrant traders and moneylenders who had settled in the area and grabbed its wealth. What were these outsiders called?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Dikus
Option (1) Dikus — Correct. The adivasis of south Bihar called these outsiders dikus. They settled in the area, grabbed its wealth and left the original residents poor.
Option (2) Jotedars — Incorrect. Jotedars were rich peasants who held large areas of land in rural Bengal. The word belongs to Bengal's land system and names no group of migrant traders in south Bihar.
Option (3) Thikadars — Incorrect. A thikadar is a contractor who takes on work or land on contract. The word describes a business role, and the adivasis aimed their hatred at the migrant traders and moneylenders they called dikus.
Option (4) Gomasthas — Incorrect. Gomasthas were paid agents of the East India Company who supervised weavers and collected supplies. The term comes from colonial trade in cloth and has no place in the Jharkhand movement.
NCERT (2026-27): “Jharkhand … |