Marxji, Modiji & Birenji

Free Thinker *

Modiji has picked up some noble ideas from Marxji; it can be inferred from his slogans and policies; "sab ka saath sab ka vikas" is fundamentally very close to Marx's philosophy of equality; it aims to create a society in which everyone is treated equally.

Modicare contemplates a healthcare system for the toiling masses, it is again a move towards egalitarianism. Jan dhan accounts put an end to the alienation of the poor masses from the bourgeois banking system. And Aadhaar makes us a classless society, everyone is made equal.

When the world remembers Marx last week, on his 200th birth anniversary many intellectuals including pseudo intellectuals (like me) talk about the greatness of his ideas.

If I remain quite, people will say I am bias in favor of the Market forces and Multinationals (Capitalism), though I always remain opportunistically neutral. Marx's thoughts and philosophy still remain significant not just because of his originality (works) but because of the humongous impact created by his ideas around the world among the leaders, historians , thinkers, social scientists, economists, revolutionaries , artists etc .

Marxji somehow impacted me particularly when I was a University student. When I read "religion is the opium of the masses", immediately I went to the Mandir, opposite to Economic Growth (diametrically opposite to one another) to verify his pronouncement.

Yes, I agree there is mad rush particularly during puja time; people throng the temple not because of intoxication but because of habit and belief. However in my case it turns out to be opium /intoxication to go to Mandir every Tuesday to enjoy the crowd. Marxji was right, religion is like opium. Millions still enjoy such intoxication.

Marxji was a global thinker and I am a local thinker. Our dissimilarities are many but to cite a few: he instigated people at the world level particularly in Europe and my instigation remains confined within the limits of 9 hills and Imphal valley.

He talked about 'dialectical materialism', which I can't understand properly till today; but I understand only material things for survival and comfort and dialogue to communicate.

He maintained that State will own everything and ultimately State will wither away; if so who will be the owner and protector of our biometric data. We don't trust the internet world.

In my University days Prof. KR Sharma was us teaching Chinese History. He was teaching Mao and Chinese revolution; during his lectures he often used the term sinification (Chinese-nization) of Marx; what he was trying to tell us was that the Chinese revolutionaries twisted the Marxian philosophy of Communism according to their needs and exigencies.

For instance the Chinese proletariats were never industrial proletariats (workers) but agricultural proletariats (peasants). When they preceded for a revolution Mao and his Red Army believed in the literal meaning of the term 'dictatorship of the proletariats'.

That was a blunder and resulted in huge losses. Now, the Chinese Communism is less influenced by Marx but more by Market.

Whenever I call the rich and powerful thieves and blood suckers .My wife often rebukes me by saying "you are jealous of the rich and affluent".

My normal reply is "I am not jealous of them but I don't like them". Then she taunts me again "but most of your friends are well to do elites". Then I confess that I am in their company not because I love them but because we need one another, a symbiotic relation, not parasitic.

Marxji was failed by his followers not by himself. His ideas are still appealing and attractive. We are still unable to implement those beautiful humane ideas. Because of our failures we call Marxji utopian. That is utterly unfair.

But thankfully the technology is gradually implementing Marxian concepts successfully. Now Google and Facebook have made humans more equal than ever. And ultimately the States will wither away when the Multinationals take over entirely and Artificial Intelligence controls the whole world.

Birenji is also somewhat influenced by Marx and his thinking. It is obviously reflected in his works and programmes. For instance 'go to the hills' is a genuine attempt to uplift the downtrodden people in the hills of Manipur.

Again 'go to the villages' is to ameliorate the poor people of the rural areas. The whole approach is to bring about a manaba khunai (egalitarian society).

Listening personally to the grievances of the people is another example of direct dealing with class struggle (the struggling class). Modiji is a great visionary and revolutionary and our Birenji is not lagging behind though he turns out to be a Fabian reformer. Both stand together for the well being of the poor masses (proletariats).

I dare to believe that Modiji and Birenji are Marxists. That is why Mangiji (CPI) had joined them.