‘Matsyanyaya’ – an ancient concept of the Hindu politics is becoming relevant in today’s Manipur. ‘Matsyanyaya’ in English language means ‘Law of the Fish’. It means the swallowing up of the smaller fish by larger fish.
If one takes a look in the present political trends of India the politics of Matsyanyaya seems to be a fair game. The Right wing political parties are now using it as a tool to reach their goal of making the country – ‘a nation of one religion and one community’. If a critic look from the other end of the tunnel, then definitely the idea itself is a gross violation to the rights of the indigenous community adopted by the International community. If hard core Righties explain from their own perspective it is the only means to make the country a strong nation.
If one agree to the concept of the right wing political party leading the government in the country then it is a fair game. A common idea with a common religion is perhaps the only means to sort out the differences among the people. It was only at the time when India become a one nation, one religion that the country will be united and if united then the country will become one of the most powerful country in the world.
The dream of the right wing group to make India a one religion nation started way back in the early seventies.
In 1976 , January 21, when a body called Meitei youth Organization demonstrated a protest against the burning of sacred Meetei manuscript books, popularly known as “Puya Mei Thaba”, it was the RSS Chief of that time Deora who came down heavily against such demonstration. The Meetei youth Organization demonstrated the agitation by burning sacred book of Hindu in the similar way that Meitei Puyas’ were burnt by Shantidas Gosai at the same place in 1732 AD.
From early 1970s till today the diehard cadres of the right wing group started working to unite the nation into one in the ideology that religion is the only means to unite the nation. And after over 50 years of relentless work they now succeeded and they are in the verge of making the country a nation with one religion. What is more interesting is that the law of Fish is the tool for their success but with slight modification.
Well the purpose of this write up is to make aware the people on how important is ‘Unity’ for a group to reach their goal. Since the beginning all groups under the right wing idealist group remain united till today. The popularly known Sangh Parivaar is one of the most successful conglomerates of many organizations which still remain united.
Coming back to the state of Manipur, it is unfortunate that the erstwhile nation have never successful in the making of a common united forum – be it about the regional political parties, or be it the civil society organizations or be it the intellectuals who were groom up in different schools of thoughts, they had and is never united even though they all comes up for the same goal.
Even those rebel groups which are expected to be over 50 in numbers in the state of Manipur still do not have a common platform to struggle for the same cause. In the valley major rebel groups fighting for the restoration of the freedom of the erstwhile nation have failed time and again to unite themselves. The same is happening among the Legislatures of even the ruling political party. A recent example is the differences among them which kept the running of the government to a stumbling block.
We the Metieis , the Tankhuls, the Kukis and the Pangal were good in showing their essence of patriotism and commitment , however, we lack the sense of self respect to convert what we delivered into action for the good of the people.
When the members of the Right Wing groups sacrifices and remain united to fight for their cause, we the Manipuris cannot even sacrifice a little bit of our own self for the cause of the region. It is a matter of shame that we the Manipuri even failed to unite even by becoming the members of the right wing group. Imphal times didn’t say this, but it is the recent political drama which had unfolded in public over the battle for power in the BJP led government in the state.
Let’s not forget American revolutionary hero John Dickinson’s war song of pre-Revolutionary “The Liberty Song”, that was first published in the Boston Gazette in July 1768. Where Dickinson wrote: “Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall!”.
