On/Off the Record
By P.R. Pradhan
Elections are not new for Nepalis. We have participated in elections in the partyless Panchayat system as well as in the multiparty system and also in the present loktantrik system. We have voted for the constituent assembly two times with the hope of a better political system. Unfortunately, we could not elect good constituent assembly members, in a result, we have a hopeless political system which we call “loktantra” popularly known as “loot-tantra”.
Today, the system has already failed as we cannot secure prosperity, independence and sovereignty of the nation from the present political system. The political leaders have also realized that they have not been able to write a good constitution but they aren’t able to speak against the non-functional system which they had written. Some ill-intentioned, foreign power guided people were instrumental in writing the present constitution to destroy the Nepali civilization, culture, religion, language and tradition. Already, the Nepali citizens have become aware of the ill-intention of the leaders and thus they are losing popular support. Regardless, to continue their existence in politics, they have developed an unholy political alliance and have attempted to forge a political syndicate. Not odd, they are very much corrupt, they are serving foreign powers and they are intended to destroy our rich civilization.
Every time, they fooled the voters by distributing sweet dreams, in practice, they introduced nepotism, favouritism, sycophancy, kleptocracy, institutionalized corruption practice, etc. If we elect the very faces and those relatives and confidants of those corrupt leaders in the local bodies, surely, we are going to be deceived once again. Five years are not a short period to work. What did the parties do for the nation in the past five years, this is the time to review their works.
If we go through the manifestos of the political parties, we cannot see any priority for economic growth, promoting employment opportunities, establishing local industries and developing markets for the local products. Instead, we can see a lot of words for exploiting the government treasury in all sectors. Distributing social welfare allowances sounds good but if we could utilize such a fund in establishing employment promotional industries, surely, we could stop our citizens from going abroad for dirty jobs. Those leaders who are drafting party manifestos, choose beautiful words of providing subsidy to the farmers but senior party leaders, their nearer and dearer ones have exploited such subsidy amount. The parties are talking about free education, free medical service, and maternity allowance directly spent from the government treasury. We know that the government and community-run schools are unable to get students. There is an urgent need for uplifting educational institutions and providing standard education in such schools. If there will be good schools and hospitals under government or community management, nobody will visit the private schools and private hospitals. Instead of making free health and education services, if the local bodies will charge a minimum amount and provide better service, everybody will become ready to pay for the service.
Corruption is a major problem. The corruption practice, which was limited inside the Singhadurwar premises has already reached the local bodies. The local bodies, following the practices of the federal government, are appointing advisors and experts in different fields. Besides facilities for the elected representatives, other “experts” are also enjoying salaries and allowances from the taxpayers’ money. When we go through the party manifestos, we feel happy to read such beautiful words but we forget the tax labelled on us. Today, nothing is free for the people who receive services from the local bodies. Earlier, the death and marriage certificates were free, today, we have to pay for them. In the real term, the local bodies are giving a five rupees subsidy and taking 100 rupees from us through different means of taxes labelled on us by the local authorities.
We don’t need such a huge 753 local bodies with such a huge number of elected representatives. Also, we don’t need the provincial structures which have become a white elephant for Nepal like a poor and tiny country.
We need to overhaul the present political mechanism. Therefore, we should vote and elect those who are intended for a constructive transformation of Nepal.
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