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Article Dans Une Revue समयांतर [Samayantar] Année : 2024

Manipur: A Historical Laboratory of Religion

मणिपुर: धर्म की ऐतिहासिक प्रयोगशाला

Pramod Ranjan

Résumé

In the context of Manipur's distressing turmoil, Pramod Ranjan’s Hindi article "Manipur: A Historical Laboratory for Religion", embodies a profound exploration of a conflict that intertwines religion, ethno-political aspirations, and historical transformations. The ongoing feud between the Meitei and Kuki communities, which ignited on 3rd May 2023, has resulted in 219 fatalities by February 2024, predominantly among the Kuki. The violence has incited a series of abductions, shootings, and arson, making Manipur home to 2023's longest internet blackout globally, with services yet to be fully restored. The article provides a historical backdrop, revealing the Meitei community’s transition from animism to Hinduism under Brahmanical influence from the 15th through the 18th centuries, shifting from indigenous Sanamahi practices. This religious shift became a pivotal cause for contemporary strife, redolent of a broader socio-political aspiration towards a homogenized Indian identity, envisioned by the RSS. Key to understanding this conflict is the religious demography; while over 98% of Kukis are now Christian, the majority of Meiteis have adopted Hinduism, albeit with a significant minority still practicing indigenous beliefs. The ongoing violence is not merely an ethnic clash but is painted as a government-sponsored civil war, implicating the BJP’s alignment with Meitei interests against the Kukis. This portrayal articulates the complex layers of Manipur’s conflict beyond mere territorium or illicit economic activities, suggesting the influence of external corporate and political interests in exacerbating the conflict. The narrative takes a critical turn by linking this turmoil to the RSS’s broader ideological project, which seeks to assimilate diverse ethno-religious identities into a singular Hindu hegemony. This ambition, according to Ranjan, draws strength from historical transformations and seeks to replicate them across the Northeast, suggesting a strategic erosion of the region's cultural plurality in favor of a homogenized nationalist identity. Ranjan points towards a multifaceted approach by the RSS in Manipur, leveraging socio-religious divides, historical grievances, and economic aspirations to foster a Hindu-consolidated identity. This strategy resonates with broader efforts across India’s northeastern states, wherein the RSS seeks to embed Hindu symbolism and practices, integrating regional narratives into the larger tapestry of Hindu mythos. This exposition concludes with a reflective critique of the prevalent political discourse surrounding Manipur’s conflict that often overlooks the complex layers of identity, religion, and historical injustices framing this violence. Ranjan urges a nuanced understanding and engagement with Manipur’s predicament, emphasizing the ethical necessity to discern and articulate where humanitarian sympathies should lie amidst such engineered divisions. Ranjan’s analysis underscores Manipur's unrest not just as a localized conflict but as a reflective microcosm of India’s broader challenges in reconciling its pluralistic identity with hegemonic nationalist aspirations. This article heralds a call for a more profound engagement and understanding of Northeast India's social-political landscapes, challenging narratives that simplify complex historical and socio-political realities.
पूर्वोत्तर भारत में आरएसएस का काम चुनावी राजनीति से काफी बड़ा और अलग है। उसने एक-एक छोटे-बड़े स्थानीय नेताओं और छोटे-बड़े उग्रवादी संगठनों के प्रमुखों पर काम किया है, उन्हें कई मामलों में सब्ज बाग दिखाए हैं जबकि कई मामलों में भौतिक लाभ भी पहुंचाए हैं। यहां के आंदोलनों की जो सांस्कृतिक मांगे रही हैं, आरएसएस उन्हें खत्म करने में जुटा है। वह उनकी पुरानी मांगों को, जिनमें संस्कृति, स्वायत्तता और स्वाभिमान जैसी चीजें शामिल थीं, प्रत्यक्ष भौतिक लाभ देकर रौंद देने की रणनीति पर काम कर रहा है। पहले सभी को लगता था कि पूर्वोत्तर भारत; जहां मणिपुर के अतिरिक्त मेघालय, अरुणाचल, नागालैंड और मिजोरम जैसे ईसाई रंग में गहराई से रंगे राज्य हैं, में राष्ट्रीय स्वयं सेवक संघ की दाल कभी नहीं गलेगी। लेकिन आज पूर्वोत्तर के सुदूर इलाकों में भी आरएसएस का परचम लहरा रहा है।
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hal-04511882 , version 1 (19-03-2024)

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Pramod Ranjan. मणिपुर: धर्म की ऐतिहासिक प्रयोगशाला. समयांतर [Samayantar], 2024, 56 (4), pp.39-41. ⟨10.17613/s0h5-zc60⟩. ⟨hal-04511882⟩
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