On/Off the Record
By P.R. Pradhan
Presently we are experiencing a political deadlock. The House has become the hostage of indecision. Maoist Center chairman Pushpakamal Dahal wants to topple down the KP Sharma Oli led government, in the meantime, he is compelled to continue his party’s support to the government which he wants to dismiss as soon as possible.
In fact, we are watching a political comedy serial in the country. The political leaders are no less than the comedians that is why they have become viral on TikTok.
Serious to note, we are wasting precious time just doing dirty politics. The present political deadlock is the result of the political system that we have adopted. The present political system has been imposed by the foreigners to spoil this beautiful, peaceful and naturally prosperous nation. The question is whether to scrap this nonfunctional political system and seek a path of all sector prosperity of the nation or to waste the valuable time further!
What is politics? The dictionary defines as it is an art or science of government or governing, especially the governing of a political entity, such as a nation, and the administration and control of its internal and external affairs.
Sure, first of all, the politics should be for safeguarding and strengthening national sovereignty, independence and ensuring economic prosperity. Secondly, it should be for the welfare of the citizens. In the Nepali context, we don’t see politics doing good for the nation and its citizens.
These days, no political leaders are talking about India encroached Nepali territory. The political leaders are less concerned about securing Nepali territory from encroachment by the neighbouring countries. Neither, they are contributing to the welfare of the citizens. Rather, the leaders are squeezing citizens by imposing different taxes on them and exploiting the taxpayers’ money for their luxury lifestyle. Accordingly, the leaders are just fighting against each other for power. Politics has become the game of the musical chair played by those political actors.
Yesterday, the leaders provoked innocent people saying that they were being exploited by the feudal forces in the government. We saw “people’s movement 1”, “people’s war”, “people’s movement 2”, “Tarai unrest” and many Nepal bandhas and demonstrations. They all were aimed at the betterment of the country and the countrymen. Of course, if we go through history, every time, those revolutionary forces have been rewarded and empowered through negotiation with the rulers. Unfortunately, the very revolutionary leaders in power started to exploit the country and countrymen. They became more corrupt than traditional rulers. After the 1950 democratic revolution, the Nepali Congress was empowered with the strength of a two-thirds majority. Immediately after the formation of the Nepali Congress government, political anarchism was experienced. During that time, a saying was popular while wishing for punishment for anybody, “Congress may enter your house”! Congress had become synonymous with destruction. Later, King Mahendra had intervened in politics and the partyless panchayat system was introduced in the country.
In 1989, under the Indian sponsorship, we saw the “people’s movement-1” which ended the executive rule of the king and the end of the panchayat rule but we were unable to experience good governance. We saw the closure of many profit earning government undertakings by ending the job opportunity to thousands of youths within the country. The Royal Nepal Airlines and many other profit-making corporations became sick. Overnight, political leaders became multi-billionaire. The corruption control organs became defunct and rampant corruption was witnessed. Within a few years, by cashing the perversions created by the political leaders, the Maoists launched bloody “people’s war” taking the lives of above 17 thousand innocent people.
Today, those involved in the killing of the people, either they were in the Maoist “people’s war” or the Tarai unrest, are the main political actors. Although they are facing murder charges, the cases are kept impending in different courts.
Even after those revolutionary leaders assume executive power, we saw a drastic change in their lifestyle but the Nepali youths were compelled to go abroad for dirty and risky jobs due to the lack of job opportunity within the country. The government ruled by those revolutionaries is encouraging youths to go abroad, perhaps, they want to avoid the anger of those jobless youths and perhaps to avoid youths’ agitation against the revolutionary leaders! Today, Pushpakamal Dahal, the commander of the “people’s war” is keeping large security personnel as he is afraid of security threat. His own colleagues are alleging him for manipulating 19 billion rupees allotted to compensate the former PLAs in cantonment.
It is unfortunate to state that we have become silent spectator of the destruction of this beautiful country. It is not odd to say that to what extent are we, the people, foolish to accept the leadership of those thugs and criminals! It is unfortunate that why are we electing such leaders time and again by forgetting their serious crimes! We must take responsibility for the destruction of our beautiful country. Unfortunately, we are in the ominous era. Once again, this scribe wishes to put forward a question to the countrymen that how long should we tolerate such political anomalies?
Login to add a comment