Formation of Meghalaya State

         Formation of Meghalaya State

                 

     Meghalaya, also known as the "abode of clouds", the twenty-first State of the Indian Union came into existence on 21st January, 1972. Two districts separated from the State of Assam- United Khasi and Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills- made up Meghalaya in spread over an area of 22,429 square kilometres and lies between 20.1° N  and 26.5° N latitude and 85.49° E and 92.52° E longitude.

                                   The Garo,Khasi and Jaintia Hills came under British control in the nineteenth century. However, the administration of these areas was in the hands of the native rulers. Some pockets were directly administered by the British and were called "British areas". The British  Indian Government dealt the native states through an official of the Assam Government. The hills were by and large kept purview of constitution reforms introduced by the British rulers. 

            After Independence in 1947 and the subsequent establishment of the Indian Republic in 1950, the hills became a part of the state of Assam. Autonomous District Councils were created under the Provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution to give the hill areas a certain degree of autonomy. 

            After the Autonomous District Councils became functional, there were a general feeling among hill leaders that the Provisions of the Sixth Schedule were inadequate for safeguarding the interests, customs and traditions of the hill people. In 1954, a  conference of the members of the Executive Committee of the Lushai Hills, North Cachar Hills, Garo Hills and the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills Autonomous Districts Councils met in Shillong and discussed the need to launch a movement for a separate state.

              In the second general elections of 1954, the Eastern India Tribal Union (EITU) fought the election on the issue of separate Hill State and swept the polls in most of the hills districts. The hill state issue experienced a lull when a coalition ministry was formed  between the Congress and the EITU in the Assam Legislative Assembly. This union broke apart as a result of controversial language bill which sought to make Assamese the sole language in the whole state of Assam including the hill districts. The EITU was disbanded and hill leaders came together under the banner of All Party Hills Leaders Conference (APHLC).

          The APHLC strongly opposed the language bill and also resolved to fight for a hill state. The Party organised peaceful mass protests and held conferences in different hill towns as part of the movement for a hill state. During elections, the Party won the majority of seats on the hill districts. It is clear that the demand for a hill state had popular support among the tribals. The Government in Delhi tried it's level best to placate the APHLC without granting the hill state demand. The "Scottish Pattern" (1962) and the "Nehru Plan" (1963) were proposed to grant autonomy to the hill districts without dividing Assam. In 1966, a proposal was made to make hill districts a union territory.

             From 1963 onwards, the Mizo Hills ceased to participate in the APHLC- led movement. The  Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills became the main centres of the movement. In 1967, a federal structure with Assam was proposed by the centre. This was proposed by the people of the plains. The APHLC organised a mass movement called Direct Action to press for a hill state. More plans and proposals were made by the centre. Ultimately, an autonomous hill state within Assam was mooted out. It would consist of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills. The Mikir and North Cachar Hills were given the options to join the autonomous state if they wished to.

                 The autonomous state finally came into being on 2nd April, 1970 after the bill pertaining to it was passed by Parliament. It was composed of only the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills and named Meghalaya. Under the Provisional arrangement chalked out, Meghalaya would have its own Legislative Assembly. In addition, it would also have representative in the Assam Legislative Assembly.

                  The autonomous state did not fulfill the aspirations of the hill people as the Assam Government still controlled key departments, Police, an important function of the state government, was kept with the Government of Assam. Resolutions were passed by the APHLC as well as the Meghalaya Provisions Legislative Assembly demanding full statehood. The demand for complete statehood was conceded and the state of Meghalaya was brought into existence on 21st January, 1972.

Some breathtaking places of Meghalaya:

Photo credit: Amsrang Rangsa