Mizo District

Last updated
Lushai Hills
(1947–1954)
Mizo District
(1954–1972)
Mizoram [1]
Former autonomous district of Assam
1947–1972
AssamProvince1936 Map.png
Capital Aizawl
Population 
 1951
196,202 [2]
 1961
261,014 [3]
 1971
332,339 [4]
Government
Deputy Commissioner  
 1952–1953 (first) [5]
Shri. S.N. Barkataki
 1972 (last) [6]
Shri. G.C. Srivastava
Historical era Cold War
15 August 1947
 Abolished chieftainship (Lushai Hills Reorganisation of Chiefs’ Rights Act, 1954) [7]
1954
 Renamed as Mizo District (The Lushai Hills District (Change of Name) Act, 1954) [8]
1954
  Mautam famine
1959
28 February 1966
 Granted UT status
15 August 1972
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Blank.png British Lushai Hills
Union Territory of Mizoram Blank.png
Today part of Mizoram

The Mizo District, formerly called Lushai Hills District, was an autonomous district of the Indian state of Assam from 1947 till 1972 until it was granted the status of a Union Territory. This region was a significant part of Mizo history as it formally abolished the Mizo chieftainship system in 1952.

Contents

History

A Lushai Hills district was formed in 1898 under British India, merging the former North Lushai Hills and South Lushai Hills regions into a single district of the Assam province. It was regarded as an Excluded Area, beyond the Inner Line, which meant that the laws and regulations of the province did not apply, and the people from the plains could not access it without a permit.

After the independence of India, the district continued to exist in the same form, with the typology changed to Scheduled Area and Inner Line in place. In addition, the district was granted an autonomous district council to formulate its own laws and regulations under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India.

Prior to independence, the people of the district rallied behind a "Mizo" identity and formed a political party called Mizo Union. In 1954, the Government of India accepted their demand and changed the name of the district to Mizo District. [9]

The first Mizo chief to give up his chiefdom and chieftainship was Khawvelthanga of Maubuang (1885–1971). [10]

During the Mautam famine of the 1959, Mizo District experienced severe food shortages, and the impact on the Mizo population was profound. Over a hundred people starved to death. [11] Estimations say that around two million rats were killed and collected by the locals.

Subdivisions of Mizo District in 1961 Sub-Divisions of Mizo District 1961.png
Subdivisions of Mizo District in 1961

The Mizo population were extremely upset with the Assam Government as they predicted about the famine two years earlier, but no response was given. As a result, the Mizo National Famine Front was formed for the Mizo people to gain a more autonomous state. [12] In addition, in 1960, the Assam Government officialised Assamese as the official language of Assam without consideration of the Mizo language. These reasons led to the Mizo National Front uprising.

The Mizo district was superseded by the Union Territory of Mizoram with the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971. The Mizo district consisted of two sub-divisions of Aijal and Lungleh. It was restructured with three districts subsequently.

See also

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References

  1. "Mizo Chanchin, Bu II – A History of Lushai Hills, Part II [1947]", British Library, EAP454/13/12, https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP454-13-12
  2. "Census of India Website: Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India". www.censusindia.gov.in.
  3. "Census of India, 1961, District Census Handbook, Lushai Hills, p172"
  4. "Census of India Website: Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India". www.censusindia.gov.in.
  5. https://aizawl.nic.in/mz/incumbency-chart-2/
  6. https://aizawl.nic.in/mz/incumbency-chart-2/
  7. https://academic.oup.com/book/10383/chapter-abstract/158192519?redirectedFrom=fulltext
  8. https://kanoongpt.in/bare-acts/the-lushai-hills-district-change-of-name-act-1954/section-3
  9. Agnihotri, Constitutional Development in North-East India (1996), p. 60.
  10. Ruata Lungchuang. Understanding "Semi - Slavery" In Mizoram And How It Was Abolished. The Mizos, https://www.themizos.com/2022/09/understanding-semi-slavery-in-mizoram.html
  11. https://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=education.Science_and_Technology.Mautam_phenomenon_in_NE_States
  12. https://frontline.thehindu.com/politics/playing-the-piper/article5389646.ece

Bibliography