The Khasi ‘kingdoms’ agreements (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2 : Polity
Prelims level : Khasi Kingdom, Himas
Mains level : Reorganisation of States in India

Context

• 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 in consultation with legal experts and academicians is aimed at safeguarding tribal customs and traditions from Central laws in force or could be enacted, such as the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

What is the purpose behind?

• The move is to strengthen the Federation of Khasi States that was ruled by a Syiem (king-like head of a Hima).
• A series of meetings to come to a conclusion on how best to insulate customs and traditions from overriding central rules and policies.
• The Citizenship bill would grant citizenship to non domicile of north east which in turn bring assimilation that could diminish the cultural value of tribal areas.

Background:

• 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 Chakravarty Rajagopalachari on August 17, 1948.
• The Khasi states did not sign the Instrument of Merger unlike most other states 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 Constitution has provided self-rule to a considerable extent through tribal councils, there has been an increasing demand for giving more autonomy to the Khasi states.

What is Citizenship amendment bill?

• With The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the government plans to change the definition of illegal migrants.
• The Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 15, 2016, seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to provide citizenship to illegal migrants, from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who are of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian extraction.
• However, the Act doesn’t have a provision for Muslim sects like Shias and Ahmediyas who also face persecution in Pakistan.
• The Bill also seeks to reduce the requirement of 11 years of continuous stay in the country to six years to obtain citizenship by naturalisation.

Who are illegal immigrants?

• According to the Citizenship Act, 1955, an illegal immigrant is one who enters India without a valid passport or with forged documents. Or, a person who stays beyond the visa permit

Way forward

• The Bill to work against the cultural and linguistic identity of the indigenous people of the State.
• The idea is to grant citizenship to an individual on the basis of religion. It is also argued that the Bill, if made into an Act, will nullify the updated National Registration of Citizenship (NRC
• The process of updating the NRC is currently underway in Assam.
• The National Register of Citizens (NRC), by the order of the Supreme Court of India, is being currently updated in Assam to detect Bangladeshi nationals who might have entered the State illegally after the midnight of March 24, 1971.
• The date was decided in the 1985 Assam Accord, which was signed between the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the AASU.
• The NRC was first published after the 1951 Census in the independent India when parts of Assam went to the East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q.1) In the context of National Commission for Safai Karamcharis and Southern Zonal Council, which of the following statements is/are correct?
A. Both are Statutory Bodies.
B. The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis submits its annual report to the President while the
Southern Zonal Council submits its annual report to the Union Home Minister.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
i. A only
ii. B only
iii. Both A and B
iv. Neither of the above

Answer: I

Mains Questions:
Q.1) What is Citizenship amendment bill? Discuss it pros and cons.