The Indian government has distributed voter ID cards for the first time to members of a reclusive Andaman Islands tribe, drawing concerns from activists that the event is a “publicity stunt” to distract from the imminent industrialisation of their fragile homeland.
The decision to issue identification documents that confirm an individual’s right to participate in elections is being promoted by the Narendra Modi government as a historic step towards the democratic evolution of the semi-nomadic Jarawa tribe.
