Biographical
sketch - Rev. Dr. O.L.Snaitang.
Rev. James Joy
Mohan Nichols Roy was the grandnephew of U Tirot Singh of Nongkhlaw Syiemship.
He was born at Mawsyiarwait, Shella confederacy on the 12th of June
1884 in a struggling family. His father U Khan Than Roy who hail from Khapmaw in
the then Shillong State was a manual daily worker. Both Rev. Nichols Roy’s
parents were strangers in brahminical influence Shella society, but had moved
there for economic reasons in order to make a living. He studied at Lba High
School but was disrupted following a devastating earthquake in 1887.though the
great tremor had not bought any significant damage of U Khan Than Roy’s house
and his belongings nevertheless together with those who survive in the
incidence, decided to shift to a safer place at Jasir. Later Rev. Nichols Roy
completed his entrance examination from what is known as the Shillong government
High School in 1889. the he went to Kolkatta for higher studies and successfully
accomplished his B.A. degree in 1904.
Traditional
Democracy:
As the essay on
Rev. Nichols Roy as a statesman we will try to concentrate on cultural
consequences following his political involvement. In once upon a time period the
Khasi – Pnars were under a single divine political enclosure of the sixteen huts
(Ki Khad Hynriew Trep). Though there were no evidence to identify their place and
location there were nevertheless enough account in the oral tradition of the
community it was told that the seven huts below sought for the independence from
the nine huts above and subsequently led to the removal of the golden ladder and
severed all physical contacts. The place where this golden ladder was removed is
identified as U Lum Sohpet Bneng (A Naval Heavenly Hill).
Though the seven
huts below has discontinued with the nine huts above they were nevertheless
believed to have been one people under one political authority. However by the
time the East India Company entered into the Khasi Jaiñtia area in the early
part of the 19th century, they found that the people and areas had
been disunited and fragmented into many as 29 independent states. Each state has
its own chief, council of ministers, durbar and territorial boundary. They
maintained their own independence and integrity. While each political system was
so advanced like most modern form of democracy, it nevertheless lack a common
federal system that could have brought them together to a common sense oneness.
Added to it was the growing rise of numerous unintelligible dialect, uncommon
religious system and even difference in several social elements, like, dresses,
food, habits and manners.
The British
Policy:
Once the British power thought its proper and necessary to annex
the hill area, it applied its forward policy and brought all petty independent
states under a a single administration and within the larger Bengal presidency.
Following the creation of the Assam province, all hill areas were integrated
with it. Here one must realize that it was the British rulers that annexed the
Khasi-Jaiñtia areas with the larger Indian union through Assam and the Khasi
chiefs had not registered any protest. Another thing was that the Khasi states
were not united in their attitude towards the colonial powers. Whereas some
joined together in the war against the British, other sided with David Scott and
a few remain neutral. It happened with u Kiang Nangbah of Jaiñtia hills too.
Therefore disunity had strengthened colonial powers both in the war and in
administration.
Taking advantage of the situation, the British introduced
contradicting policy upon the Khasi-Jaiñtia areas. First
they adopted the British policy of consolidation. All
independent states were brought together under the British
administration. Second, they divided the people and areas in
two distinctive categories. Out of 29 independent Khasi
states the British abolished four of them viz., Sutnga, Muliang, Nongpoh and Sohbar. The Sutnga
state was declared a British area in 1835 and renamed it as Jaiñtia hills. To
cut the description short, there were then the Khasi states areas and the
non-state or British areas. Third, the British ruled the areas. The policy of
administrating the areas was made in such a way as to weaken the power of the
Khasis and to strengthen the colonial rule and administration. It was this
political administrative procedure that had tremendous impact on the people and
the areas not just then but well up to the present. The British government
appointed an officer to look upon the Khasi states and the British areas and as
a Political Officer for the Khasi states. The subsequent result was the division
of the people and areas notably among the Khasis and the Pnars.
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.
Three,
an introduction of a comprehensive
political structure: Rev. Nichols Roy realized that the
community required a solidified common legislative body in order to
withstand the assimilating process from the continuous influx and
intrusion of people from the majority communities. The new proposal
had the objective of unity and it did contribute to the creation of
a distinctive Khasi Jaiñtia political identity and solidarity.
His overall contribution to this unified effort,
however, was through the introduction of the conciliar autonomous
body and it had a threefold objective, viz. to integrate the Khasi
Jaiñtia or the Hynñiewtrep people and areas together into one; to
preserve the traditional political institutions and procedures; and
to create a supra legislative, judicial and administrative set up
common to the solidified people. However, history is proof that any
imposed solidified procedure on the once fragmented independent
political identities produced more heat than light.
“Yours is a land for gods to live in. its air, its natural scenery,
its pure atmosphere, its sweet waters would attract even the gods,
if your hearts were pure.”
