Pakistan is a paradigm example of a failed state that has undergone an extremely dangerous form of radical Islamisation.
Meghalaya
Emergence of Meghalaya as an Autonomous State on 2nd April 1970 and as a
full-fledged State on 21st January 1972 marked the beginning of a new era of the
geo-political history of North Eastern India. It also marked the triumph of
peaceful democratic negotiations, mutual understanding and victory over violence
and intrigue.
Meghalaya is the homeland mainly of the Khasis, the Jaintias and the Garos. The
Garos inhabit western Meghalaya, the Khasis in central Meghalaya, and the
Jaintias in eastern Meghalaya. The Khasi, Jaintia, Bhoi, War, collectively known
as the Hynniewtrep people predominantly inhabit the districts East of Meghalaya,
also known to be one of the earliest ethnic group of settlers in the Indian
sub-continent, belonging to the Proto Austroloid Monkhmer race. The Garo Hills
is predominantly inhabited by the Garos, belonging to the Bodo family of the
Tibeto-Burman race, said to have migrated from Tibet. The Garos prefer to call
themselves as Achiks and the land they inhabit, as the Achik-land.
The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes each had their own kingdoms, until they came
under the British administration in the 19th century. Later, the British
incorporated Meghalaya into Assam in 1835. The region enjoyed semi-independent
status by virtue of a treaty relationship with the British Crown.
When Bengal was partitioned on 16 October, 1905 by Lord Curzon, Meghalaya became
a part of the new province of 'Eastern Bengal and Assam'. However, when the
partition was reversed in 1912, Meghalaya became a part of the province of
Assam. At the time of Independence of the country in 1947, the present day
Meghalaya constituted two districts of Assam and enjoyed limited autonomy within
the state of Assam.
In 1971, the Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act,
1971, which conferred full statehood on the Autonomous State of Meghalaya.
Meghalaya attained statehood on 21 January 1972, with a Legislative Assembly of
its own.
