REV. NICHOLS ROY AND THE SIXTH SCHEDULE:
Now, as the hill areas were sandwiched between the
exclusive political move of the Federation of the Khasi States and
the British separate plan, Rev. Nichols Roy fought against both with
great intensity and carried forward with his integrated autonomous
council plan. The Sixth Schedule plan was to thwart both plans as
irrelevant and to impose a new solidified proposal. Therefore, the
political statesmanship of Rev. Nichols Roy should have been
acknowledged from the perspective of his contribution to the
political solidarity of the Khasi Jaiñtia community and might well
be understood from the following observations:-
Firstly, solidification of the Khasi Jaiñtia or U
Hynñiewtrep Community: Rev. Nichols Roy’s vision of the
Hynñiewtrep's common origin became evident also in the introduction
of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India. Given the basic
concept of the unity of the people, the introduction of the Sixth
Schedule was based on the principle of fraternity and equality. It
was hence designed to bring both States and non-states together at
par under the same constitutional framework.
Secondly, Modification of the Traditional Democratic
System: The traditional political system among the Khasis was one of
the best democratic systems of administration. Its integrating
channels from the level of a clan durbar, village, raid and up to
the state durbar witnessed the participating involvement of the
people. However, in the observation of Rev. Nichols Roy, the
traditional system was lacking because of three factors. One, the
hereditary royal succession to the throne does not represent a full
democratic involvement as the post of chief is reserved to a
single-family clan. So also with those who form the council of
ministers, known as Bakhraw. However, Rev. Nichols Roy did not want
to abolish this system. He sought to preserve them as they are but
should be brought together to a unified legislative body. He was
aware that the democratic system in the independent India would
terminate all princely states and that Indian chiefs who had signed
the Instrument of Accession would have in due course be staved off
and transferred the power to the people. But for the intervention of
the sixth Schedule, all the Khasi chiefs too would have faced the
same fate like those in the rest of the country. While seeking to
preserve the traditional political system, Rev. Nichols Roy
introduced a conciliar autonomous council that paved the way fore
the general public to contest the election and would become rulers
of the people. In this respect, there is no longer a policy of
reservation through a royal dynastic lineage or founding clans in
the case of the Bakhraws hereditary but it is now open to the people
either to contest the election or to make decision.
Two, the traditional political system has
completely set aside women’s participation: No doubt it is the
particular mother of a ruling clan that determines the legitimate
ascension of a man to the royal throne but women are out of any full
participation in the traditional legislative, judicial, executive or
administrative affairs. Rev. Nichols Roy did not intend to abolish
the traditional system completely but sought to democratize it y
opening up ways for political freedom, equality and eligibility of
women too in addition to the general public at the behest of
people’s election or decision.
