By L.D. Pulami
Close observers of the disturbing political situation in the country, are alleging that virtually all the leaders and the different political parties are engaged only in being at each other’s throats at present. They indulge in such acts either in the parliament or any other function they have been invited to.
Of course, these politicians also talk to the media, whenever they have something bad to say about the policies of their ‘opponents’, and it is sad that some top-level leaders are even engaged in making indecent comments within the hallowed halls of the parliament.
But besides the simmering allegations of the involvement of deputy prime minister Ravi Lamichhane in the cooperative scam, where the savings worth millions of rupees of innocent depositors have been misused by unscrupulous individuals, there are different other matters too, which have drawn the attention of the people and the media, which have been sounding bells of alarm about the path the country is following because of lack of vision and foolishness of our leaders and decision-makers.
Considering the constant flow of allegations of how both top-level politicians and employees in almost all tiers of government, are involved in corrupt activities, it is no wonder that Nepal has become infamous for these shameful acts of the Nepalese political leaders and greedy civil servants, and thus it has become dubbed as one of the most corrupt nations in the globe. This is a disgrace for the country and the majority of citizens, who otherwise are praised for their decency and honesty throughout the world. Naturally, this vice is also eroding the country’s economy and adding to the woes of the common people.
But to come back to our theme that other sectors also need the attention of the leaders and the government, first of all, the home minister Lamichhane himself has done nothing to make clear the issue and he has also done nothing noteworthy till now, though he had made tall promises before and after he was elected as a member of the House of Representatives, His newly found party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) though it accomplished much more in the electoral fray, than what had been imagined by the older parties also seems unsure of what the party should be doing.
The people had many expectations due to the high-sounding pledges and promises of good governance made by RSP and its leaders, but sadly, these promises were not fulfilled, but instead the party openly unmasked itself by joining hands with the older parties just to get to power. Specially, its president Ravi Lamichhane, showed such traits and his refusal to step down on moral grounds after his involvement was pointed out by the opposition parties and also the victims of the cooperative scams, repeatedly, he still is digging his own political grave by telling lies and more lies. Like questioned by a firebrand young leader of the Nepali Congress who openly asked why the RSP president was afraid to face an investigation committee? If he was really innocent as claimed by him, then such antics from this man have tickled the curiosity of the people and they now want answers to these questions. Besides his adamant stance that he was innocent, yet his refusal to step down from his powerful post on moral grounds, has also brought to the surface his greed for power, the people also now wonder whether they elected the right man and whether his intention to anyhow fulfill his ambition is damaging the faith of the voters in all the new and ‘alternative’ parties. Has this been of any benefit to the nation, they all rightly ask?
Apart from the alleged involvement of top-level leaders and their close family members in various cases of corruption and also owning unimaginable property, the prominent decision-makers seem to be indulging only in petty matters, which can’t make much difference to the nation’s economy and the difficulties the people are facing on a day to day basis.
These out of the context issues that are discussed frequently even during important meetings range from how an expensive watch was being worn by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, why a ‘bar’ should be built in the new building of the Parliament, the right of men to seek justice in their relation with women and the manner in which ministers, specially women, should be attired to how a MP should behave, these are subjects which have taken a lot of the precious time of the highly paid political leaders who also enjoy the luxurious perks given to them by whichever government that is holding the reins of power.
There is no doubt that the Nepal Electricity Authority is doing a good job in exporting electricity to India and Bangladesh, but at the same time, the leaders in power and the highly ‘educated’ planners should be focused too, on why the common people must use electrical appliances in any house or its kitchen and assure the users how electricity can be provided reliably and at a much cheaper price. So besides exporting electricity, there must be a thrust on how to change the habits of the commoners who use LP gas, which has to be imported for cooking daily meals and instead use electrical gadgets. It is important to also emphasize here that the major expenditure of the country is made in buying fossil fuel thus creating a huge trade deficit in the country’s imports and exports.
Therefore right now, the leaders, the top-level bureaucrats and planners who shape the future of the nation and the citizens, should be busy discussing serious matters which will have a direct impact on the nation and the common citizens, instead of taking the everlasting but cunning policy of creating a diversion and dwelling only on petty matters.
This is the real threat to a democratic system and not some ‘regressive force’ which has been weaved through the imagination of glib-talking politicians and their strategy of inventing different types of ‘dangers’, the former king being one of them, for which the naïve people always fall for.
So don’t accuse any others for the political mess the country is in right now, but accept the fact that the parties and corrupt individuals are responsible for the frightening situation in the country and so they have to ask for the forgiveness of the people and not shower them with lies and other diversion tactics.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.
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