By Narayan Prasad Mishra
Nothing has been in good shape in our country since the introduction of multiparty democracy. Girija Prasad Koirala, then prime minister, sold many of our industries and factories which we had – Harsiddhi Brick and Tyle Factory, Leather and Shoe Factory, Vrikuti Paper Factory, Agricultural Tools Factory, Hetauda Cloth Factory, etc. He gave forceful retirement to thousands of our well-trained, well-educated, long-experienced civil servants, doctors, engineers, etc., to replace his followers and party puppets in the country’s organizations. During his time, many employee associations associated with political parties appeared in the government and other organizations, which hindered the organization under political pressure. Discipline and the rule of law became weak. The administration was highly politicized. Offices became political centers rather than administrative organizations. Many treaties were signed with India that were not for our country’s welfare—the Tanakpur Barrage, the Mahakali Treaty, etc. Tanakpur Barrage Treaty was signed in the name of understanding to deceive the parliament, as all treaties of this kind needed to be passed by the two-thirds majority of the parliament. Many corruption scandals were born during his time. Among them, the Dhamija Scandal and Lauda Air Scam were mainly discussed.
After Girija disappeared from the scene, his other party leaders, Shere Bahadur Deuba, Maoist Party leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”, and the UML Party leader K. P. Sharma Oli have been playing the political game of this country predominantly, though intermittently Baburam Bhattarai, Madhav Kumar Nepal, and Jhalanath Khanal also joined the game and played a role actively. They were all our prime ministers who ruled us. Our country and fortune have been in their hands for over three decades. Though they belonged to different parties, very often they became one. They often shared the government, power, positions, and many other benefits they could get for themselves, their near and dear party colleagues, and followers. The country is heaven for them, for their luxury.
The country and people experienced dozens of corruption scandals — the Sudan Peace Mission Corruption Scandal, the Wide Body Case, the Baluwatar Land Scam, the Loadsheding Scandal, the Omni Group Scam, the Gokul Baskota Bribe Audio Tape Scam, Jhala Nath Khanal Snake Firm Case, Janardan Sharma’s Curious CCTV Case, the CM’s Costly Cycle Case, Mahara’s Bribe Audio Tape Scandal, 100 Kg Gold Smuggling Case, Fake Bhutanese Refugee Scam, etc. All these cases occurred under the government of the leaders mentioned above.
Daman Nath Dhungana, the former speaker
My childhood friend Daman Nath Dhungana, the well-reputed first house speaker of our House of Representatives after the establishment of constitutional monarchy and multiparty democracy in 1990, depicted our country’s accurate and pathetic picture while speaking in Rajbiraj, Saptari, on October 16, 2023. He said the leaders who have the power and positions to run the country and work for the welfare of the people are exploiting the nation for their own gain and benefit. He also lamented that they are indulged in earning by all means, — right or wrong and in appointing their henchmen and puppets to high and beneficial positions. At the same time, he said three parties are visibly seen in these wrongdoings. (ekantipur.com, October 17, 2023). He said no party has shown any interest in developing the nation. There is no rule of law. The smugglers and black marketeers have the upper hand in getting party tickets to be candidates for the election. Even the judiciary is highly politicized, and the judges are appointed with power-sharing and dividing portfolio systems. I admire and congratulate him for his statement with a holy conscience based on truth and facts.
People talk in the town; the country has been ruined, and the people have been trapped in unbearable pain and suffering because of unthinkable high prices of food, clothing, and medicine. Education is not accessible to people with low incomes because of its expense. Along with this, unemployment is rampant, and people hardly get jobs, whether educated or uneducated. Corruption is everywhere. One cannot get any work done without bribing. Still, people vote for the same leaders mentioned above, their colleagues, and their parties when the election comes. So, they won the election and formed the government. In these circumstances, I do not see any reason to blame our leaders for deceiving us. I think we should blame ourselves for our suffering and the country’s pathetic condition since we are the ones who voted for them and made them govern us. How can we blame them for deceiving us if we elect them, knowing they are deceivers? As the above proverb says, — do not blame a clown for acting like a clown; blame yourself for going to the circus.”
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