On/Off the Record
By P.R. Pradhan
Noted scholar – engineer and former Nepal government service holder — Sureshraj Acharya has described a trip by a bus. The bus, boarded in with passengers was started and accelerated to a high speed. After some time, passengers wanted to know where have they reached and peeped out from the bus window. Surprisingly, the bus was making one after another round on a big ground reaching nowhere. Acharya, comparing the political systems we have adopted since 1990, has illustrated the above story of the bus journey, reaching nowhere.
I do agree with Acharya that our journey started in 1990 has reached nowhere. Furthermore, I believe that the bus has, perhaps, taken us to the reverse direction. In the history books, we find Nepal providing food grant support to South Korea. Even during the 80s, Thailand’s currency was weak by double compared to the exchange rate of the Nepali currency. Now, it is just adverse. Singapore and South Korea were poor nations compared to Nepal. Will the new generation people believe these stories? Can we compare the development achieved by South Korea and Singapore today? Viewing the present activities of our leaders, we are even afraid to dream about the progress of our country!
Former chief secretary Bimal Koirala, at a TV show, has remarked that today’s politics has been lifted to the level of rubbery from the level of business. He meant to say that in yesteryears political leaders were business agents, and now, they have become dacoits. Perhaps, all of us agree with Koirala’s remarks. When political leaders become dacoits and the organs punishing those culprits become weak, we cannot expect “prosperous Nepal and happy Nepalis” but can expect “prosperous leaders with their happy family!”
Politics has become a license to loot the nation. We see, our leaders in power are ruling the nation, in fact, brokers and middlemen are the real people driving the nation. How a controversial business agent Sushil Bhatt got an assignment to the powerful post of the chief executive officer of the Investment Board, it is clear. How the Yeti Group is being rewarded by the government, why the Omni Group has not been blacklisted by the government, these are some examples that how the government is performing!
The attitude of the political leaders, their priorities, and the dream for their lavish lifestyle encourage them for the loot. We all know the past background of the chairmen duo of the ruling Nepal Communist Party. Talking about Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, he was even unable to purchase a piece of land in Damak. Therefore, some Pancha leaders, after recommending Oli as a financially very weak person, had managed land for a house at the compensated price. It is difficult to imagine that one day he could construct the Balkot Durwar, such a huge building that too in Kathmandu!
Talking about another party chairman Pushpakamal Dahal, his “people’s war” time colleague Baburam Bhattarai’s statement is enough to know his corruption deals.
Whatever be the party’s ideology, the main goal of the leaders in power is to make money securing a lavish lifestyle, and securing a prosperous future of their family members. The political theory of such leaders is very simple — loot money, buy votes, be elected in elections and capture power. Give a glance on the government budget allotted by Oli in his electoral constituency in Jhapa and by Dahal in his electoral constituency Chitwan! This is an example of policy-wise corruption.
The present dispute in the ruling party is not based on ideological difference but the dispute for enjoying power. We know, those who are demanding the resignation of KP Oli are not better candidates to replace him.
Noted scholar and former chairman of the Council of World Affairs, Rajendra Bahadur Shrestha with reasons, has claimed that Nepal is heading towards the status of a failed state. His piece has appeared in People’s Review and one can find the article on People’s Review’s Website. Going through his piece, one will find how serious the situation is!
This scribe has reached to the conclusion that if we allow all the anomalies taking place in the name of “loktantra”, surely, the nation is going to face a serious accident. Therefore, earliest as possible, the concerned citizens should take initiative to save the nation! Let all stand together above the party interests, and for the greater interests of the nation! We cannot confer further on the political leaders of the day; we cannot believe the system imposed on us will lead the nation towards prosperity!
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