By Shashi P.B.B. Malla
The Himalayan Republic is dead! Long live the (new) Himalayan Kingdom!
With the death, or near death of the Himalayan Republic, it also means the (sad) demise of:
- * The Constitution of 2015
- * Secularism as such
- * Federalism
- * Republicanism
After the promulgation of the new Constitution, one would have expected the political leaders and the political parties to consolidate the so-called gains of the political revolution.
It was after all definitely a political revolution, since the schemers had the audacity to simply abolish the centuries-old monarchy without recourse to a referendum. There was simply no peoples’ mandate for this historic step.
Political institutions were created or older ones were given a new lease of life. But unfortunately, these institutions were not allowed to develop and sustain themselves. This meant a continuous slide downward.
Even after 15 years federalism has not functioned as it should. There has been no devolution of powers from the centre to the provinces/states and districts and local levels.
Secularism is a complete farce. The federal president and prime minister are aping the former monarchs by visiting temples and performing pujas. And this from atheists!
Since the advent of Loktantra (“People’s Democracy”), it has been a smooth, comfortable and profitable ride for the – plain sailing — political ride for the political leaders and their supporters.
The degeneration of the political institutions – of the inherent political process went hand in hand with the unprincipled evolution of the political parties and the establishment of corrupt practices.
We should, therefore, be not surprised of the various scams that have now emerged. The seeds were laid in the early years of the nascent century.
Thus, the Nepali political parties transmogrified into the Nepali versions of the classical Mafia families with a strict hierarchy with the Don (boss) or Godfather at the top. The political parties (‘families’) became enmeshed in the various state institutions as the party members were neither willing or able to do any other useful or productive work.
The leader of the party – or the Don of the political family – had to find ways and means to sustain all the members.
In this new scheme of things, the ideological differences between the political parties began to disappear – they were now just different ‘political families’ with the same basic aim – to milk the state cow for all it was worth.
Now, it does not matter whether you are a Communist, Socialist or Social Democrat – the main thing is to retain the favour of the Don!
Thus, to achieve power, any combination of party/family is possible. After all, the aim is to help yourself to the state coffers.
That is why, Nepali Congress Don, Sher Bahadur Deuba is so comfortable with Maoist Don Pushpa Kamal Dahal. [They also have no basic differences with the pseudo-Marxist K.P. Sharma Oli – the most ‘oily’ of the dons ].
That is why they are taking turns to be the prime minister – which is really ‘the boss of bosses’ or originally ‘capo dei capi’.
If we Nepalese do not like this ‘wonderful’ scheme of things, then we urgently need regime change. But we cannot expect any support from the many ‘family members’ (capos).
However, there are ways and means to garner support and allow the dons to kiss the dust.
The current political establishment doesn’t care two hoots for the welfare and feelings of the country. They are “NINOs) – Nepalis in name only. This is illustrated by the fact that the cabinet approved a pleasure trip of the federal president to Europe [not an official or state visit] when the common people were facing economic woes in the time of festivities. President Ram Chandra Poudel was all set to leave for France, Germany, Italy and what not – even after the devastating earthquake in Far Western Nepal. He postponed his European jaunt at the last minute and only after a hue and cry in social media. [ A Shah head of state would never have contemplated such a trip at the country’s expense and in such terrible times!].
This should have been the straw that breaks the camel’s back. If we Nepalese were made of sterner stuff, we would have taken to social media en masse and even to the streets to demand the ejection of the dons from the seats of power and influence.
Instead, we tend to follow unthinking fools like Baburam Bhattarai who demonstrate before the Israeli embassy in favour of the Hamas terrorists [ being a former terrorist himself, his sympathies are self-evident ]. He callously forgets the 10 Nepalese butchered by Hamas and the one Nepali still held hostage.
Then we have the state failing thousands of quake survivors. According to The Annapurna Express: “Despite government claims regarding a smooth supply of aid for the earthquake victims in Jajarkot and West Rukum, local people say they are living under the open sky for the third consecutive day without essentials like food and medicines” (7. Nov.).
The Dahal government is getting away with ‘fooling all of the people, all of the time’!
How much longer are we ourselves going to behave like sheep?
The writer can be reached at: shashipbmalla@hotmail.com
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.
Login to add a comment