Editorial
If you’ve not heard of it already, our astrological pundits have deemed it feet to declare the new year’s nomenclature ‘Rakshasa’ since both the ‘king’s house and the ‘minister’s fall under the planet Mars. As ominous as this may sound to the many that live by the stars in traditional life, the general conclusion is that the red planet invites friction this year. The hopeful conclude that the friction will yield change. Let us indulge further and hope that the friction will be the least and the resultant change will be for the better. After all, the population was burdened by stagnancy all over last year and this was not only due to the coronavirus. The sovereign parliament remains at a standstill and so does a constitution once again victimized by politicians and political parties who have continually shredded national constitutions and institutions in their seemingly eternal pursuit of power. Let us hope that the friction predicted will enable the country to restore an equilibrium suiting national, regional and international stability, peace and development.
The last year as in previous years saw much intellectual discourse on how to and how not to govern go to waste since where we have been failing is in governance. We the people have been starkly exposed to the naked and harsh realities of street politics and the inimical undermining of democratic norms and values of a monopolistic set of individuals who pass as politicians and national leaders. Years of non-performance have not only destabilized but undermined the Nepali state to extents that, in recent years have aroused spill-over concerns in the neighbourhood inviting external dabbling and competition. Eroding national capabilities make an aware population mere helpless witnesses adding to mass rage and frustrations. One can merely wish that the friction predicted will be so ameliorated as to cushion the public rage and the growing international competition in the country and the region,
Lest this fresh New Year greeting may not sound so uncomfortable, 2078 does ring with possibilities nevertheless. Friction can bring change. And, Mars is also a planet of rigid determination. This, after all, is what the people have been demanding. There have been signs in the neighbourhood that the external propellants of the current status quo have had reason to tone down their expectations in the country necessitating corrections in their excesses. The competition is threatening. The threat must be corrected. Perhaps the year 2078 B.S. will ring intangibles in this direction. Friction, after all, can correct and deliver. The New Year has hopes indeed.
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