Angomcha Bimol Akoijam is Indian academic, filmmaker and politician, from Imphal Valley, Manipur.[1] He is an associate professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University's School of Social Sciences,[2] and a public intellectual.[3] He was elected to the 18th Lok Sabha from Inner Manipur constituency in Manipur in the 2024 Indian general election as a member of the Indian National Congress [4]
Bimol Akoijam | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| Assumed office 5 June 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Rajkumar Ranjan Singh |
| Constituency | Inner Manipur |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
Early life
editBimol Akoijam belongs to the Meitei community, the majority community of Manipur.[5] He was born c. 1967. He has received MA and PhD in psychology.[3] His specialisation is stated to be social and political psychology and cultural studies.[2]
Academic career
editAkoijam taught at Delhi University and the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS). As of 2024, he was an associate professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.[3]
Akoijam is said to be a keen explorer of cinema, and served as a jury member in film festivals. He made a documentary Lang-Goi Challabee (Paradise Under Siege) in 2004, and the feature film Karigee Kirunee Nungsiradee (Why Be Afraid, If You Love) in 2014.[3]
Public intellectual
editAccording to NDTV News, Akoijam has long been involved in public issues and democratic movements. He is often seen in the media speaking about issues related to rights and governance.[3]
During the 2023–2024 Manipur violence, an ethnic conflict between the majority Meitei community of Manipur and the Kuki-Zo tribals, he was very vocal against the way the conflict was handled by the central and state governments.[6] But he was often heard absolving the state government and chief minister, claiming that he was being held as a "scapegoat".[7][8] He has held the Indian Army and Assam Rifles accountable, saying that they were seen as being hand-in-glove with the "Kuki militant groups", and that they need to win back the trust of the Meitei people.[9] He has also blamed the national media of India, saying they were biased against the Meitei community, and led a research study that claimed to document such bias.[10]
Political career
editAkoijam entered politics after witnessing the 2023–2024 Manipur violence. He had become well known in Manipur for being one of the few academics to raise concerns about ethnic tensions and issues of rights and governance since the conflict began.[3][11]
He was elected as the candidate of the Indian National Congress from Inner Manipur in the 2024 Indian general election. He also had the joint approval and backing of the ten parties in the INC-led alliance in Manipur.[12] Akoijam Bimol won the Lok Sabha seat from Inner Manipur seat with a majority of 1,09,801 votes, breaking electoral records set in Manipur.[13][14]
References
edit- ^ "Manipur Congress selects candidates for two seats". The Hindu. 22 March 2024.
- ^ a b Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, Jawaharlal Nehru University, retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "5 Points About Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, Congress's Inner Manipur Candidate". NDTV News. 30 March 2024.
- ^ Lakshman, Abhinay (6 June 2024). "Clear message that Manipur, its people cannot be taken for granted: JNU professor Bimol Akoijam after results". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ Lalmin Kipgen, Disinformation as a Tool in Manipur Conflict, The Shillong Times, 16 June 2023.
- ^ Sumir Karmakar, There is politics involved in the way Manipur situation was handled: Bimol Akoijam, Deccan Herald, 6 April 2024.
- ^ Javed Parvesh, 'Biren Singh is a scapegoat': Akoijam, The Week, 28 April 2024.
- ^ Abhinay Lakshman, Clear message that Manipur, its people cannot be taken for granted: JNU professor Bimol Akoijam after results, The Hindu, 6 June 2024.
- ^ Afrida Hussain, How Meira Paibis, Manipur's women vigilante groups, have made Indian army 'helpless', India Today NE, 30 June 2023.
- ^ National Media Reportage Of Manipur Conflict Violates PCI Norms, Says Research Report, The Frontier Manipur, 4 January 2024.
- ^ "JNU Professor Akoijam Bimol, Alfred Kanngam Are Congress Candidates for Manipur's 2 Lok Sabha Seats". NDTV News.
- ^ Singh, Bikash (22 March 2024). "Manipur: Congress-led 10-party alliance announced candidates for two Lok Sabha seats". The Economic Times.
- ^ ECI, Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur (5 June 2024). "Election Commission of India".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Khumukcham, Rinku (4 June 2024). "Congress sweeps Manipur Lok Sabha Polls: Akoijam Bimol wins Inner Manipur with record margin, Alfred K Arthur takes Outer Manipur". News from Manipur - Imphal Times. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
External links
edit- ‘Modi Epitomises the Fault-Line Between North East And Rest of India; His Deliberate Silence Hurts’, The Wire (via YouTube), 9 June 2023.
- Bimol Akoijam et al. 'National' media and the Manipur Mayhem, Media and Policy Analysis and Advocacy Loisang, 2024.