Login With Google
Khasi ‘kingdoms’ to revisit 1947 agreements
Why in news?
- A federation of 25 Himas or Khasi kingdoms that have a cosmetic existence today, plan to revisit the 1948 agreements that made present-day Meghalaya a part of India.
- The revisiting is aimed at safeguarding tribal customs and traditions from Central laws in force.
More in news
- Syiem the king-like head of a Hima said that the bill is one of the factors in their move to strengthen the Federation of Khasi States.
- Though things are at an initial stage a series of meetings will be held to conclude on how best to insulate customs and traditions from overriding central rules and policies.
- Background:(1) 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.(2) The conditional treaty with these states was signed by Governor General Chakravarty Rajagopalachari on August 17, 1948.(3) The Khasi states did not sign the Instrument of Merger unlike most other states in India.(4) During the British rule, the Khasi domain was divided into the Khasi states and British territories.(5) 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.(6) 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.
Source
The hindu