Question

what was the main motive of the British subjugating the Lushai hills​

Answer 1

The Lushai Hills was annexed in 1890. After the annexation, the British introduced its administration through the existing chiefs. It initiated several administrative reforms like abolition of head hunting, introduction of forced labour, revenue payment and curtailment of the chief’s judicial rights, apart from others. The whole District was divided into circles under the control of the Superintendent and Circle interpreter was appointed in each circle. The Lushai Hills was classified as a “Backward Tracts” by the Government of India Act, 1919 Section 52 (A) and ultimately included within the ‘Excluded Area’ in Part 1 of the Government of India Act, 1935. By 1947, the Lushais were partially aroused from their political slumber and they began to have national consciousness as a result of petty administrative reforms and modern Colonial system of Government. When the British left the Country, they were thus motivated to assert their political rights through the formation of various political and social organisations. This article is an attempt to highlight the various administrative and political changes in the present Mizoram during the Colonial period.

Introduction

The Lushai Hills was located towards the South Cachar Hills adjacent to Tripura and Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. It also shares a long international boundary with the Chin Hills of Burma towards the South East. It is bounded by Manipur in the North East with a demarcation of Tuivai River as its natural border.

The British invaded and annexed the Lushai Land in 1889-90.1 After the annexation of the Lushai Hills in 1890, the first and foremost task, which occupied the mind of the British was that of permanent occupation and administration of the land.2 With ‘the intention of the Government of India to completely dominate the country’, D.R. Lyall, the then Commissioner of the Chittagong Division, recommended for the present, the ‘system of Government to function through the existing chiefs,’ as early as 12th January, 1890 and drew up a set of orders for the chiefs as follows

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