Summary

Security Class 04

BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE PREVIOUS CLASS (5:07 P.M.)

EVOLUTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPARATUS (5:13 P.M.)

There was the creation of Assam Province in 1874, with this Assam came under the control of the chief commissioner.
Scheduled District Act, 1874 was introduced to remove the remote backward areas from the extension of general law.
Section 52 A (2) was inserted in the Government of India Act, 1919. Under this certain areas were declared as the backward tracts.
Simon Commission Report, 1927 recommended the further centralization of the power.
The Government of India (Excluded and Partially Excluded Areas) Order, 1936 was passed and the backward tracts were regrouped.

GROWTH OF IDENTITY CRISIS

(a) Newly emerged middle class in the tribal areas.
(b) Modern Education
(c) Proselytization of the Tribals.
(d) Conflict of interest between core Assamese (Plain population) and peripheral Assamese (Tribal Interests).
(e) Caste-based discrimination and refusal to share power led to the hurting of tribal sentiments.
Hence, the growth of identity consciousness.
BORDLOI SUB-COMMITTEE
Bordloi sub-committee recommended for the self-governance in the Hill areas.

SIXTH SCHEDULE

A distinct administrative apparatus was created to protect the rights, identities, and way of life of the people of Assam.
Autonomy was granted through the creation of the administrative district council and administrative regional council.
According to section 20 of the sixth schedule of the constitution, the tribal areas of Assam were specified in Part A and Part B.

STATE REORGANIZATION

After the recommendation of the State Reorganization Commission, in 1956 fourteen states were created.
However, for the North-East only Assam was approved.
It even recommended the enlargement of Assam by including Manipur and Tripura.
This intensified the demand for the separate states.

NAGALAND (5:40 P.M.)

Carrot and Stick Policy of the Ahoms
British Policy of Non-Interference
Formation of “Naga Club” In 1918
It would be pertinent to note that in 1929, the Simon Commission which was appointed by the British
The government had visited the Naga Hills districts.
Members of the “Naga Club”, had submitted a memorandum to the Simon Commission: Exclude Nagas from the proposed reform and their retention under the direct administration of the Governor of Assam
In 1935, Naga Hills district was declared an “excluded area” within the province of Assam.
In 1945, the "Naga Hills District Council" was established to reconstruct the shattered tribal economy.
It was composed of elected representatives of various Naga tribes and they got recognition from administrative authorities.
The tribal chiefs changed its name to “Naga National Council”.
Four Point Memorandum to the Cabinet Mission
1. The NNC stands for the solidarity of all the Naga tribes, including those in the unadministered areas (a reference to Manipur and Myanmar).
2. This council strongly protests against the grouping of Assam with Bengal province.
3. The Naga Hills should be constitutionally included in an autonomous Assam with local autonomy and due safeguards for Naga interests.
4. The Naga tribes should have a separate electorate.
Differences in Opinion Amongst Nagas
Continuation within India as an integrated autonomous state
Integration of certain areas of NEFA, Manipur, and Myanmar, which were habited by Naga tribes to form separate political identities under the British Crown.
Some people favoured maintaining special political arrangements and governing relationships with India until sufficient experience had been attained to govern Nagaland as an independent state.
There was a small but influential portion of the Naga National Council that favoured complete independence at the same time when India became independent.
In June 1947 NNC made a declaration that Naga Hills would cease to be part of India when the British left India.
The Nine Point Hydari agreement was signed between the Governor of Assam, and the members of Naga National Council.
(*Refer to the handout for further developments in this regard.)

MIZORAM (6:08 P.M.)

There is no recorded history of the Mizos, except for those written after the advent of the Britishers in the late 18th century.
A request was made to the Government of India to appoint a peace mission, which had to also Mizoram - in such areas as Myanmar, Bangladesh, Tripura, Assam, and Manipur – once belonged to the same proto-tribe of Zo Ancestry.
British Interference
(a) Political: The British did little to interfere with the system of administration practised by the Chiefs, except in rare cases of extraordinary misrule.
(b) Religious: Christianity entered Mizoram for the first time on January 11, 1894, via the Welsh Missionaries.
By the early thirties, it had become the religion of the overwhelming majority of the
The Church had a role in setting up schools and rudimentary health services, Western ways of dressing and thinking had begun to spread as modes of organizing Youth. Young Mizo Association, 1935 and Mizo Students Union, 1935
(c) Assurances during the war.
Political Parties Before Independence
(a) Mizo union
(b) United Mizo Freedom Organization (UMFO)
The election to the District Council was held on 4 April 1952 and out of 18 seats, 17 were won by the Mizo union and one by UMFO.
Failure of Regional Autonomy
(a) Financing Issues for Autonomous District Councils and Autonomous Regional Councils.
(b) Abolition of chieftainship.
Demand for Hill State
As they experienced some level of autonomy within Assam, they started demanding more.
In 1953, the United Mizo Freedom Organisation (UMFO) passed a resolution demanding the formation of a hill state consisting of Manipur, Tripura, the Autonomous Districts of Assam, and the North Eastern Frontier Agency (now Arunachal Pradesh).
This was in reaction to the attempt to impose the Assamese language as the official language of the state.
The Mizo Union also cited "Assam's discrimination” against hill people and demanded the integration of the Mizo-inhabited areas of Manipur and Tripura with the Mizo district.
In 1961, Assamese became the official language of the state, amid vociferous protests by hill leaders.
Mautam Famine, 1959 and the Rise of Lal Denga
Mautam Famine, 1959: Resentment against the Assam government for its “delayed and negligent” famine relief operations was high.
Several voluntary bodies sprung up to provide relief to the famine-stricken people and the Mizo National Famine Front launched by Laldenga in 1960 was one such organization, which achieved a striking success in enlisting volunteers.
The Front dropped the word “Famine” from its name and, on 22 October 1961, became the Mizo National Front (MNF), a political party with an avowed aim of achieving an independent and sovereign Mizoram.
After preparing for three years, on 28 February 1966, the MNF volunteers commenced an armed struggle for independence.
On 1 March 1966, it declared independence for Mizoram.
In the initial response to the government operations to suppress the rebellion in 1966, the Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes in Aizawl; this remains the only instance of India carrying out an airstrike in its civilian territory.
In 1972 it became a centrally administered union territory under the name of Mizoram
In 1987 it achieved statehood.

MANIPUR (6:52 P.M.)

Meities have been there since 33 A.D. There is also a mention in Mahabharata.
A detailed history is available since 1467.
Meities, Kukis, and Nagas are the major tribes in Manipur.
Vaishnav Tradition has been adopted by the Meities.
The Burmese invasion took place in 1824.
Post the treaty of Yandabo, the Britishers restored the monarchy but exercised control over the Rajas. Because of this, they were not liked by the village chieftains.
Creation of a Gulf between the communities
(a) Nagas, Meities, and Kukis stayed together for centuries; they developed their heritage parallelly under their respective ethno-social boundaries.
(b) There was, however, no attempt on the part of the tribal/feudal elites to coordinate these struggles which could have ignited the process of assimilation in the pre-colonial era.
(c) The ‘divide and rule policy’ of the colonial administration concerning administering the hills and plains of Manipur and the introduction of Christianity amongst the tribal groups of Nagas and Kuki had further widened the cultural gap with Meiteis who are predominantly Hindu society.
(d) After India's independence, these communities continued to coexist peacefully, however, owing to separate aspirations and perceived insecurity regarding overlapping claims over natural resources, gradually they moved apart.
Growth of Meity Identity
(a) Rise of Vaishnavism.
(b) Perceived forced merger of Manipur with India.
(c) Poor Governance.
(d) Economic exploitation.
(e) The threat posed by the Naga movement.
Growth of Kuki and Naga Identity
(*Refer to the handout for this.)
Causal Factors
(a) Non-inclusive development in the context of plains and hills.
(b) Biased Political structure
(c) Meities couldn't buy the properties in the hills.
(d) The Tribals are apprehensive that the introduction of new land laws will result in their dispossession by the more affluent ‘outsiders’.
Meities are demanding the scheduled caste status.

ASSAM (7:09 P.M)

The ethnic composition: 62% Hindus, 34% Muslims, and 4% Christians.
The linguistic composition comprises Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, and Bodo.
Race is determined by superficial biological features.
Ethnicity is about the cultural identity.
Nature of Ethnic Conflict in Assam
There are four primary types of ethnic conflicts in Assam:
(a) Conflict between the various tribals. For example, Bodos vs Santhals, and Karbis vs Dimasa.
(b) Conflict between the tribals and non-tribals. For example, Bodos vs Muslims.
(c) Conflict over the 'preferential rights/treatment' over ethnicity. For example, Bodos vs Assamese.
Bodos want preferential rights owing to their ethnicities.
(d) Conflict for creating a separate homeland. For example, Demand for Bodoland.
Amongst these, the conflict for preferential treatment/rights is the most common.
The main reason behind this conflict is the chauvinism of the main community.
Origin of Ethnic Conflict in Assam
(a) Identity Politics and Politicisation of Ethnicity
Any group exercising power may start displaying hegemonic tendencies which generate a feeling of discrimination/alienation, amongst others.
The smaller tribes in Assam have felt this for a very long.
For example, The Official Language Bill, of 1960 led to the emergence of identity politics amongst the Bodos.
(b) Immigration and demographic pressure
Immigration in Assam dates back to the colonial period.
For example, the Britishers encouraged the migration of tribes from Central India to work as indentured labourers in their tea plantations (For example, Santhals).
They also merged parts of East Bengal, with the province of Assam in 1905 (Later reversed in 1912).
This influx of migrants was accelerated around the time of partition, and then furthermore during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
Although it wasn't restricted to Assam alone, with Assam it had become a routine activity owing to the porosity of its borders.
Immigration is an emotive issue and the demographic pressure created by the influence of immigrants resulted in anti-foreigner agitation (1978-1985).
(c) Geographical Isolation
It is argued that the Ahoms used to live in cooperation with other tribes like the Bodos, Kacharis, etc. in pre-colonial times.
However, the advent of British policies like the inner line system, excluded and partially excluded areas, etc reduced this social cohesion.
(d) State's Attitude
It is argued that the Government of India's policy towards this region is primarily motivated by security concerns rather than developmental concerns.
This perceived neglect by the State continues to feed the separatist/secessionist tendencies.
State Response to Assam Conflict
(a) Creation of a Newer State based on Ethnicity
(b) Grant of Autonomous District Councils (ADC)
In Assam there are three ADCs under the sixth schedule, Bodoland Territorial Area District, Dima-Hasao District Council, and Karbi-Anglong District Council.
(c) The creation of statutory Autonomous councils under the state acts.
These are constituted for the advancement of the scheduled tribe communities.
There are six statutory autonomous councils.
(d) The creation of development councils.
The government of Assam has constituted 33 development councils to decentralize the power and responsibility for the upliftment of different backward communities in Assam.
(e) The updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The Union government has agreed to update the NRC in Assam following the Assam Accord of 1985.
As per this accord, those living in Assam failing to prove their citizenship or family lineage before midnight of March 24, 1971, would be considered illegal migrants and would be deported to their country of origin.
The updating of the NRC for the first time started as a pilot project in 2010 but was aborted because of the protests by AAMSU (All Assam Minorities Student Union). It was resumed in 2013 and the Supreme Court ruled that the work should be completed by Jan 31, 2016.
But the NRC has already missed its deadline.

THE TOPIC FOR THE NEXT CLASS: NORTH-EAST INSURGENCY (CONTINUED)- REASONS BEHIND THE CONTINUANCE OF THE INSURGENCY AND STEPS TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT.