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About the Book
The publication of this book, 'Political Development in the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya (1835-1972)' has been a long cherished desire. The book comprehensively deals with the various political developments that took place in the then Jaintia Hills (which now forms the eastern part of the State of Meghalaya, India) in the nineteenth and twentieth century. As newer political and administrative developments swept the Jaintia Hills in the last two centuries and changes took place, what has remained constant has been the people's desire to preserve and safeguard their rights by the authority in power, both traditional as well as modern.
To be inclusive, the book has delved into examining the traditional social and political institutions that existed before the eighteenth century (pre-British period). It also briefly looks at the Jaintia-Anglo relations and the annexation of the Jaintia kingdom in 1835 by the British, the changed position of the existing traditional social and political institutions in their relations with the British authorities and the impact therein, particularly the Anglo-Jaintia resistance movement in the 1860s. The book also examines the awakening of political and social consciousness as a result of external influences and the emergence of social organizations, particularly the Jaintia Durbar. The remaining chapters of the book look into the engagement of leaders and the people of the Jaintia Hills in the movement demanding for a separate Hill state to be carved out of the province of Assam, while simultaneously demanding for the creation of an Autonomous District Council for the Jowai sub-division within the then United Khasi and Jaintia Hills district under Assam.
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