Selective Outrage, Selective Targeting: The Politics of Othering in Manipur
By Thongkholal Haokip
Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 59(31), 2024, pp. 36-40.
The politics of othering that has emerged from the war on drugs and the emergent forest policy in Manipur is discussed. While the war on drugs is not only anachronistic in its approach but also selective in its outrage, the forest policy is mainly the re-manifestation of the old colonial interest of enclosing the commons and establishing complete state control over the forests. This renewed attempt at reservation of forests has been selective in its target, thereby engulfing the state once again into the long-drawn ethnic politics, leading to further marginalisation of the hill communities.