Paper short abstract:

Examining how Indian Communists portrayed hunger, famine and starvation in the 1940s, the talk provides a perspective on the entanglements of politics and famine relief and explores the instrumentality of hunger and victimhood.

Paper long abstract:

The occurrence of famine, hunger and starvation in Bengal in the 1940s provided the Communist Party of India (CPI) with the opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to address the calamity and thereby to potentially expand the party's political influence and popularity. This was a much-needed opportunity for a party itself in crisis: with the decision to accede to international communist demands to support the British war effort, the CPI had alienated its local cadre. Acting on behalf of the suffering and creating public visibility of its efforts thus proved instrumental in countering the party's disintegration and in rallying support for its political ideas. Towards the end of the year 1942, the CPI embarked on a media campaign that proved successful in mobilising relief for the starving and in diffusing political propaganda.

The talk examines the public portrayal of hunger, famine and starvation by Indian Communists in the 1940s and highlights how Communists articulated the victimhood of those affected by the crisis with reference to the party's political agenda, ideological premises and societal vision.

Exploring how Indian Communists contributed to the particularities of the public visibility and representation of famine this decade, the talk addresses the entanglements of politics and famine relief and sheds light on the political instrumentality of hunger and victimhood.