Ibobi, Most Mocked Chief Minister on Facebook

By Khelen Thokchom

Imphal, Nov 29 : “lolsss sob sob taibi (brother Ibobi)...u look so vulnerable:D.”

“i stand beside him.....”

“wow taibi urubada (wow brother Ibobi)......”

“wis i could c him like this.”

“hi hai sathiheeeeeeeeeeee sidi nagland kangbuna tourijatla sibo (This is serious matter. Is Ibobi Singh’s conditioned caused by Nagland?).

This is a comment thread that runs in the Facebook about a morphed photograph of Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

The photograph shows Ibobi Singh with four long stitches in the face and sobbing. The caption runs something like this — AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers) hit Manipur CM (chief minister) Ibobi.

Ibobi Singh who is the only chief minister in Manipur who has completed a full term and poised to crate history by becoming the first chief minister to complete two consecutive terms, is the most mocked and referred personality in Facebook by the Meiteis.

Many morphed photos of the chief minister are uploaded and Meitei Facebookers studying or working in other parts of the country and abroad are having a great time by passing unbridled comments on Ibobi Singh.

About 10 morphed photographs of Ibobi Singh have been uploaded and comments are passed on the chief minister. Ibobi Singh’s is also the most tagged photograph.

One photograph shows Ibobi Singh as a young and seductive girl while others show him as a macho man, a gladiator and a Korean rocker.

Another photograph shows Ibobi Singh as the main character of the Academy award winning film Avatar and comments say Ibobi could be a film actor.

In most cases, the Facebookers criticised Ibobi Singh, but the comments are not derogatory and Ibobi is made the favourite subject for time-pass.

In most cases after the initial comments on Ibobi Singh’s morphed photos, the Facebookers go on to their favourite gossip about friends and their jobs.

“The Facebookers are only trying to find an outlet for their grievances in the digital world. They fulfil their wishes there which they could not in real world. They are only trying to vent their anger and Ibobi Singh being the head of the government, becomes the natural subject for discussion,” says M.C. Arun, a social anthropologist.

“If people frequently start discussing or mentioning about a particular person it is because his importance is felt. So it is the right opportunity for the person or the chief minister to maximise his contribution to the state,” says R.K. Lenin, a psychiatrist with the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences.

Other social thinkers said those taking part in the discussions were not happy with the manner in which the Ibobi Singh government was running the administration and were airing their grievances in a harmless manner on the Facebook.

They also said that the upcoming Assembly election was on the minds of those taking part in the discussions.

“Prices of essential commodities continue to be high, corruption remains the main concern of the people and the government fails to deliver the goods. So naturally Ibobi is in the minds of each and every Manipuri,” they said.

A section of Facebookers opposes the manner in which Ibobi Singh is being portrayed on Facebook

“After all he is the head of a government and it is not nice to see his morphed photos,” one of them said.