By Oscar B Marwein
Let me from the onset declare that I am a pure blooded Khasi (an inclusive term covering both Khasis and Pnars). I have been brought up in the belief that my identity as a Khasi springs from matriliny- the practice that I derive my name from my mother’s side rather than from my father. It is the fountainhead of my identity and culture as a Khasi. This identity in turn is firmly linked to the ‘kpoh’ (womb) I descended from and to the ‘kur’ (clan) that the kpoh belongs to. Delink me from matriliny; disconnect me from my kur and I am just another human being no different from others. The connection to my kur is the mainstay of my identity and culture as a Khasi. It is a tribal identity I wear with pride and am grateful to the Constitution of India for recognising me as the Schedule Tribe that I am today and for the constitutional privileges I enjoy because of this recognition.
At this point it is pertinent to observe that the Jaitbynriew of U Hynniewtrep has for long been deeply concerned over the issue of unity of the community. All of us lament the absence of it. The call for unity has therefore been continuously made from various platforms, social, religious and political. We have always identified the threat as external and the quest has always been for coming together, united as a jaitbynriew, to face onslaught from outsiders. Our efforts have been in vain because of the neglect, disrespect and disregard the modern Khasi has shown to the concept of the ‘kur’. The Khasi kur makes up the jaibynriew and if the kur begins to breakup the Jaitbynriew will also begin to disintegrate. Culture and identity will become meaningless with the breakup of the kur system. Its as simple as that but everyone of us modern Khasis actively contribute towards this disintegration. All of us have been guilty in bringing down the bonding capability of the Khasi kur system. This neglect has played havoc with the social fabric of Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep.
Khasi society is now once again being rocked by a petition filed in the Meghalaya High Court demanding minority status for Seng Khasi and Niam tre. The writ is filed based on the provisions of Art 29 and 30 of the Constitution and on the claim that the petitioners have been deprived of their Fundamental rights and their Human Rights. The petitioners believe that relief lies in declaring themselves as minorities. The demand however simply approaches the problem from the narrow perspective of religion. It singularly ignores the intricate and inclusive social fabric in which the group exists. Within the context of a clan based egalitarian Khasi society, religion apart, everyone follows the same script, same language and same culture as everyone else. Everyone, irrespective of faith, contribute to conserve the above. This contribution cannot be confined only to narrow aspects of dances and faith based rites. Contribution to culture and identity as a matter of fact lies more on aspects of literature, music, research on issues of identity and culture and their publication, in preserving agricultural and pastoral practices, in the traditional ways on how we manage the environment and bio diversity around us as well as preserving our unique tribal way of life. All Khasis actively participate in such activities and therefore for a few to appropriate Khasi culture and identity only in the name of religion is wrong and misleading. It has the potential of splitting our society.
It is doubtful if the current demand by Niam Khasi and Niam Tre for minority status can qualify and fulfil the conditions of Art 29. They are no different from other Khasis and other Khasis from them as far as distinct script, language and culture are concerned. There is however need for us to approach the problem from the perspective of rationality and cold logic. This means that due recognition and respect be given to the faith and religious practices of the Seng Khasi and Niam Tre. Respect must be given to the fact that they have no wish to convert to other faiths. What they follow and their belief system contributes and adds colour; it is part and parcel of Khasi identity and culture. If in the process, they have, because of the faith they follow, been deprived by anyone of the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice, then Art 30 of the Constitution applies and rightly so. Everyone needs to support this. Deprivation however needs to be proved in a court of law, unless of course ideological sanghs in Delhi have already decided the outcome.
All indigenous tribals of Meghalaya irrespective of the faith they practice, enjoy Schedule Tribe status and the privileges it confers. It is doubtful if constitutionally one would be allowed to enjoy both Minority status and Schedule Tribe status and the privileges they carry, at the same time. Having said that, the future impact that the petition will have on Hynniewtrep community (Ka jaitbynbriew) is yet unknown but can be anticipated. It is obvious however that the following are bound to occur. Faith based minority status, if imposed on certain sections of Khasi Pnar society, will have a divisive effect. It will split Khasi society into two. As pointed out above the Khasi Pnar community is a Schedule Tribe community and frankly speaking, very few of us, faith or no faith, are willing to forego this status.
Our tribal status is based on the clan (kur) we belong to. Not all members of the kur are of the same faith yet the kur carries on and the Jaitbynriew survives. So far every member of the kur, irrespective of faith, is a Schedule Tribal enjoying whatever benefits this brings along, one of which is unity of identity. Now suddenly the identity of individuals within a kur, within a kpoh, within a family will be determined by the faith they follow, respectively enjoying different privileges and status. A grand mother could have minority status while a daughter would have Schedule Tribe status. What status will the grandchild claim? Faith is a personal matter. Lets not communalise it. Utter confusion will prevail within the kur system; families will be split in half; the Jaitbynriew will be splintered and fragmented (pharia lynkhot lyngkhai) as never before. Is it worth it? The question needs serious consideration by thought leaders of our community.
One cannot help but come to the sad conclusion that here’s a blatant attempt to split Khasi society along faith and hence communal lines. Question is who benefits from such a move? Definitely not u Khun U Hynniewtrep nor the Jaitbynriew. They however could be the vanguard to open up the minority status to others within the state. The writ in this context will be a Pandora’s box that will ultimately end up in depriving the Khasis the Schedule Tribe status they all enjoy at the moment. The writ as it is will be a big disservice to our future generations, depriving them of the benefits we enjoy. Open the special privileges floodgates and it will bring in reservations in jobs, education and politics. Outsiders who don’t have it will enjoy. Let us also not forget the oft whispered desire to turn Shillong into a Union Territory. Is this wish soon to be fulfilled? One sees the seeds of such a design being sown and encouraged by our own kith and kin. We once looked at external and outsider forces as the main threat to our Tribal unity. Apparently we were looking in the wrong direction!
In conclusion it is in the strict interest of the Khasi Pnar community as a whole to sit down and deliberate with cool heads on this developing social crisis that has caught up with us. On one hand is a grievance perceived by a group of our own kith and kin. They feel discriminated against because of the faith they follow. To redeem themselves they have opted for a constitutional remedy despite the permanent damage it will cause to Khasi culture and tradition. On the other hand there are others who feel that the proposed remedy is like firing a cannon to kill a fly. It will cause more harm than the nuisance it seeks to nullify. It will simply result in Tribal society imploding from within. It has already started! A death blow to a minuscule community struggling to maintain its culture and identity. A wrong remedy for a flawed diagnosis is unlikely to help anyone. Its akin to cutting your nose to spite yourself. Its something Khasi Pnar society can ill afford to indulge in at this juncture. The Jaitbynriew will not survive because of the faith it follows. We will survive only if we can come up with workable measures to counter poverty, unemployment, corruption and mal governance. These are the real threats to our society and they happen everyday under our very noses. Our people need to be freed from these constrains. So why use religion and faith to divert attention from more serious issues of survival? The serious reader is requested to react.