Khasi ‘kingdoms’ to revisit 1947 agreements

Mains Paper 2 : Federalism |

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level : Khasi Kingdom, Himas

Mains level : Reorganisation of States in India

A federation of 25 Himas or Khasi kingdoms that have a cosmetic existence today has planned to revisit the 1948 agreements that made present-day Meghalaya a part of India.

Concerns of Khasis

The revisiting is aimed at safeguarding tribal customs and traditions from Central laws in force or could be enacted, such as the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
The bill is one of the factors in move to strengthen the Federation of Khasi States that were ruled by a Syiem (king-like head of a Hima).
Himas are expecting to come to a conclusion on how best it can insulate their customs and traditions from overriding central rules and policies.
The Constitution has provided self-rule to a considerable extent through tribal councils, there has been an increasing demand for giving more teeth to the Khasi states.

History of Khasi Merger in India

During the British rule, the Khasi domain was divided into the Khasi states and British territories.
At that time, the British government had no territorial right on the Khasi states and they had to approach the chiefs of these states if they needed land for any purpose.
After independence, the British territories became part of the Indian dominion but the Khasi states had to sign documents beginning with the Standstill Agreement that provided a few rights to the states.
The 25 Khasi states had signed the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement with the Dominion of India between December 15, 1947, and March 19, 1948.
The conditional treaty with these states was signed by Governor General C. Rajagopalachari on August 17, 1948.

Statehood to Meghalaya

Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and the Garo Hills on 21 January 1972.
Before attaining full statehood, Meghalaya was given semi-autonomous status in 1970.
The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes had their own kingdoms until they came under British administration in the 19th century.
Later, the British incorporated Meghalaya into Assam in 1835.
The region enjoyed semi-independent status by virtue of a treaty relationship with the British Crown.
At the time of Indian independence in 1947, present-day Meghalaya constituted two districts of Assam and enjoyed limited autonomy within the state of Assam.
A movement for a separate Hill State began in 1960.
The Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969 accorded an autonomous status to the state of Meghalaya.
The Act came into effect on 2 April 1970, and an autonomous state of Meghalaya was born out of Assam.
In 1971, the Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act, 1971, which conferred full statehood on the autonomous state of Meghalaya.

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