By Golu Thapa Magar
Many people are happy with the performance of the Balen government, but there are also detractors from the old parties that ruled for decades, as well as some individuals working within his own party.
However, Prime Minister Balen has remained largely unscathed, and he has also chosen to remain silent, unlike many other politicians. Through his actions, he has shown that he came to work for the nation and its people. That is one of the reasons why Prime Minister Balen is facing criticism, even though he is doing his best to fulfill the promises he made before becoming Prime Minister.
PM Balen has already carried out many initiatives, but we must also understand that some things are beyond his control. For example, foreign interference, fuel prices, and the non-cooperation of the majority of civil servants are not in the hands of the Prime Minister. Selected individuals have also been used by the media to criticize PM Balen.
Just a few days ago, Parliament was even postponed because some opposition party members criticized PM Shah for not speaking in Parliament or communicating with others about what he is doing.
One of the individuals leading the criticism from the opposition side was former Mayor Harka Sampang Rai, who also called for the resignation of Prime Minister Balen Shah. It seems that Rai may be jealous that he could not become Prime Minister, while Balen accomplished the same ambition he once had.
It is not that Sampang did nothing for Dharan, but he certainly carried out some actions that did not go down well with the people.
Dharan is a beautiful town where people from different communities have lived in harmony.
There is no doubt that the Gorkha soldiers contributed greatly to the development of Dharan. However, one of the biggest mistakes made by Sampang was allegedly allowing a church to be built right in front of a Hindu temple revered by many Hindus, not only in Dharan but throughout the Koshi region, where Dharan is situated. This decision nearly invited communal conflict between two communities. It could have led to a tragic situation.
Putting aside the follies of past political leaders, at least a person like Balen Shah, who appears independent in his outlook, has now become the leader of the nation. We need more people like him to come to the forefront, though he should not allow himself to be influenced by corrupt individuals.
We know that the so-called stronger parties of the past are against Prime Minister Balen, and even some members from his own party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party, appear to be against him.
A difficult path lies ahead for PM Balen as he tries to move forward.
Prime Minister Balen should also focus more on major national priorities such as foreign policy, hydropower development, and industrial growth. Small issues matter too, but they can be temporarily sidelined.
The author says this not only because Nepal is in dire need of industrial development, but also because opportunities must be created for youths to gain employment within the country itself. This is a long-term vision, and PM Balen must think seriously about these issues now.
Another important question is what kind of people Prime Minister Balen Shah chooses to surround himself with. At present, there is considerable criticism not only of his close associates but also questions being raised about the actual capabilities of many leaders within the ruling RSP itself.
In the past, we have seen well-intentioned leaders being misled by corrupt and incompetent individuals close to them.
Prime Minister Balen should speak out against such people, who do more harm than good to his leadership. While others speak at the drop of a hat, it is surprising that he continues to remain silent.
Critics have every right to criticize Prime Minister Balen Shah, but he should also speak up. There may be some strategy behind his silence, even in Parliament, but this is one aspect of his leadership that many people do not like.
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