By Golu Thapa Magar
Almost all Nepali people were very happy when the present government, led by Prime Minister Balen Shah, swung into action as soon as it came to power.
The government not only took many important decisions, but also arrested some very high-profile individuals, such as KP Oli, the leader of the UML and former Prime Minister, as well as former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and some very wealthy individuals.
This writer had already predicted that these individuals would not remain under arrest for a long time. Former PM Oli did not have to stay in police custody. He merely spent a luxurious period in a hospital and was released. Likewise, Lekhak was also released within the same time span.
The question is: why were these people arrested if the police did not have strong cases against them? And what about the court, which ordered their release on bail?
This reflects the same old system of the police filing weak charges and the courts, in an alarming manner, allowing the so-called culprits to be released on one pretext or another.
This is where neutral writers like me are disappointed with the present government’s performance. People like us not only remain in the shadows of the so-called big leaders, but our voices are also not heard by political leaders, senior bureaucrats, or those who lead and work in the Attorney General’s Office.
The same can be said about the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the police, and the army. Many other commissions formed by the government also fall into the same category. They have failed to implement what they themselves recommended.
Till now, an honest-looking Prime Minister like Balen Shah should be very careful not to fall into the traps created by such people.
There are reports even in the mainstream media about many unfit individuals being appointed to high-level positions. This could be damaging not only for the RSP but also for Balen himself.
The irony is that many individuals responsible for curbing such crimes have themselves been found involved in corruption. These individuals should be punished more severely by a government that is truly serious about curbing such crimes.
That is one example of what PM Balen Shah has to demonstrate, but how far he can succeed in fulfilling this task remains to be seen.
One of PM Shah’s biggest assets is that he has never been associated with corruption. Therefore, he must remain aloof from officials who are either corrupt or have been accused of corruption. That is his plus point.
By this, I mean that not only politicians but also civil servants and security officials must not be allowed to go free. In fact, this should be the Prime Minister’s main priority, and he should not be influenced by such people.
Exactly the opposite kind of decisions were taken by former PM KP Oli, who only promoted people who praised him. He not only protected his close cadres, but has also been accused of involvement in major corruption cases, such as the Giri Bandhu Tea Estate case. Oli has also been accused of intense nepotism and casteism.
Many people felt ashamed when Oli talked about good governance and a prosperous Nepal with well-being for all. This is outrageous. He also sidelined many capable people, not only from his party but also from the civil service and among those recommended for diplomatic posts.
People like Girija Prasad Koirala, KP Oli, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and Sher Bahadur Deuba not only institutionalised corruption but also contributed to the destruction of the nation as a whole. In fact, these are among the individuals who should be punished most severely. This author also feels that many high-level police officers and other security officials should be punished in the same way.
It is a sad fact that these people have effectively been set free or given very lenient punishments and low fines compared to the crimes they have committed and the amounts they have embezzled. One thing we can learn from developed countries, including America, is that people involved in corruption are not only imprisoned for long periods, but are also made to pay fines double the amounts they embezzled.
A lot of criticism has also been directed at PM Balen. Now it is up to him to choose the right people, not only in his ministry but also in other important positions, so that he can become a successful Prime Minister, unlike many others who held the position before him for decades. Otherwise, the country will continue to go from bad to worse, and not only Balen but also the majority of Nepali people will suffer.
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