Political Punchline

Antonio Gramsci’s writings are difficult to read but can be interpreted in various ways. However, his ideas are often held in ‘developed’ capitalist societies. This makes it difficult to apply his ideas in a state like Manipur, where class analysis of society is despised, and capitalist forces have not yet materialised. The people of the state are living in a highly ethnopolitical charged time. This essay attempts to interpret Manipur’s politics regarding ongoing violence by using Gramsci-inspired theories while prioritising ‘ethnicity’ over ‘class.’  During his public speeches, the Inner Lok Sabha candidate of Manipur, Dr Bimol Akoijam (now Member of Parliament), frequently refers to ‘ Meeyamna ,’ a vague translation of ‘common people’ in Manipuri. Upon reading Gramsci, I find that he often highlights the significance of organic intellectuals in treating ordinary people holistically and elevating them. In another sense, Akoijam amplifies Gramsci’s ideas about the roles that organi...

The 2024 general election results have hit a new low for the Bhartiya Janata Party and its allies. Political analysts have hinted about the revival of India’s celebrated parliamentary democracy following the defeat of many BJP candidates, including the must-anticipated Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, where Ayodhya City is located. This has put a thrust for the Indian National Congress and, more generally, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance bloc to oust the BJP. Nevertheless, the biggest obstacle the INDIA bloc could overcome is the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s ideological hegemony through Hindutva in modern Indian politics. Until recently, the bloc employed Caste politics to challenge the BJP and the RSS. Where does Manipur fit in light of these political shifts in India? To be clear, Manipur still has a functioning Legislative Assembly. Despite the state being well-known for horse trading and shifting party allegiances, the five oppos...

The widening manifestations of the Manipur violence between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo communities reveal that it will stay prolonged. It has rendered the State into administrative chaos and gruesome killings involving armed groups on both sides, which is unusual in the State’s political history. However, the violence has the feature of having a “sui generis” moment for Manipur in a way that will make the State revisit, reform, and restructure its political foundations. This will be achieved when the “other” belligerent groups stop “terrorizing” Manipuri people to obtain “separate administration” from the State of Manipur, which has remained “absolutely inseparable” since its political foundations. It would be naïve to say that the demand for a separate administration by Kuki-Zo communities employing an “armed aggression” against the State of Manipur and the Manipuri people, which is “undemocratic,” will be achieved easily. Despite the unabated violence, the State’s territorial and admi...