Mizo Union
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mizo Union, a political party in Mizoram, north-eastern India. Founded on April 6, 1946 as the Mizo Common People's Union. At the time of Indian independence in 1947 Mizo Union was the major political force in the Lushai Hills. The president was Khawtinkhuma and the general secretary Vanthuama.
MU had a programme of social reform in Mizo society, against the rule of tribal chiefs.
The exact politics of MU at the time of independence has been debated. Some claim that MU in fact wanted a Mizo sovereign state, whereas the majority view is that the party wanted autonomy of some sort within the new Indian state. MU had, on the whole, good contacts with the Indian National Congress.
In the Assam assembly elections of 1951 MU won all three seats it contested. MU demanded the unification of all Mizo-populated areas into a single administrative unit, which was achieved through the Lushai Hills Autonomous District Council.
In 1955 MU split, and a minority joined Eastern India Tribal Union.
MU lost its political strength after the 1959 famine, as the party had been accused of indifference towards the suffering of the Mizo people.
MU won the first assembly elections in Mizoram in 1972.
In 1974 MU merged with Indian National Congress
