‘Childish, Irrational, Jingoistic’ – Robert Naorem’s Withdrawal of People’s Choice Award

Mr. Robert Naorem’s decision to withdraw the People’s Choice Best National Costume award in the recently held Miss Universe India pageant to express the sentiments of the people from his state on Miss Danube Kangjam’s failure to secure the top 20 spot in the contest is childish, irrational, jingoistic, disrespectful and betrays his sense of entitlement as if the world owes him something for the entry itself. Through his actions and the sentiments he claims to represent, he and his community have made miss Danube Kangjam a representative of only Manipur and not a contestant selected from Manipur to represent India, contrary to the essential qualities which a Miss India Universe and a Miss Universe should necessarily possess - inclusiveness - thus justifying the panel’s decision to knock her out from the top 20.

The fact that Mr. Naorem could secure the People’s Choice Award at a national costume competition category is telling of the fact that people are voting the online polls based on their taste and choices and not based on where the contestant and the designer hail from. Thus his decision is disrespectful to those innocents voters who voted for him, and his action is also disrespectful to those who voted for other contestants than Miss Danube Kangjam as he made them feel that they are obligated to vote for her only. The award which his costume got awarded for and the award Miss Kangjam has to win to enter into the top 20 spot are two different categories and people of India have the freedom to vote for whoever they like, they don’t come with combo pack. Mr. Naorem must remember this is India and not Manipur where people can have choice beyond what Meiteis want, need, or feel entitled to.

There were 30 contestants in the contest, and Miss Danube Kangjam was not the lone contestant to be dropped from the Top 20. And we see no foul cry from other states, but why from Manipur? The People’s Choice award winners secure only one spot in the top 20 and the rest 19 spots are determined by the contestants overall performance throughout the preliminary rounds and merit events. So how is it unfair for her and the people of Manipur? She, like other contestants, is given a fair share and opportunity to be in the top 20. Is it then the Indians’ fault that Manipur sent a contestant who failed to secure top 20 on her own capabilities, skills and intelligence and is it Indians’ fault that other contestants performed better?

Why doesn’t he consider the restructuring of the selection process in his state rather than cry foul after losing? After all it is his “Robert Naorem Studio Academy” the organisation which organised the Femina Miss Manipur event. He could have maintained higher standards so that a more qualified candidate got the spot on merit and not based on one’s community. Through his actions Mr. Naorem is promoting a divisive and communal politics which is a threat to the integrity and unity of India. He has invented two types of Indian women - Indian women from Manipur and Indian women from other states just like he created two types of women in the Femina Miss Manipur contest - women belonging to that community who can represent Manipur and others who cannot, like the tribals from the state.

Like all abusive individuals, Meiteis took out their outrage and anger on their victims the Kukis yet again with some local celebrities even trolling the Kukis who didn’t even have a representative in the pageant. It makes one wonder whether we import candidates from other countries to represent us. Thus, what can be concluded from the entire drama is that Mr. Naorem is exposing himself and his community to be the type of people and Indians they are - petty-minded, communal, jingoistic and exclusive. It takes a village to raise a child, but if this type of people are the one that brings up the child, a Miss Universe India from Manipur will remain the unfulfilled dream in the near future too.