By Babbler

Social media platforms are flooded with commentary about the devastating floods in Rasuwa on August 26. People are expressing their views as if they were experts, offering advice to rescue teams that are risking their lives to save people and protect property in the flood-affected areas.

With limited resources and, in some cases, even shortages of food and basic supplies, rescue teams are struggling to save lives and reach those in need. Yet people sitting safely in places with internet access are making sweeping comments and giving unsolicited advice, often without understanding the realities on the ground.

Some sections of society are criticizing the government’s inefficiency and incapacity. Meanwhile, government-backed cyber activists are attacking critics and commentators with abusive language. Such behavior reflects a disturbing mindset among some users of social media platforms. At a time of national tragedy, we can only regret such conduct.

An Anti-Media Government

The present Gen-Z-led government appears increasingly hostile toward the media. Soon after the Balen-led team assumed office, it decided to stop the practice of publishing or broadcasting government advertisements through the private-sector media. Now, the government has reportedly taken steps to downgrade newspapers and reduce the amount allocated for public-awareness advertisements in the local media. Such measures appear intended to weaken and discourage the private media sector in the country.

The media sector has already been struggling for survival since the COVID-19 pandemic, while the country’s economy is passing through an unusually difficult period. At such a time, the government should be supporting a healthy and independent media rather than creating conditions that make its survival more difficult.

Meanwhile, the government appears to be making efforts to discourage critical reporting and public scrutiny. The Balen government seems comfortable with the role played by its cyber-army in attacking critics and using abusive language against them. Such behavior is an indication that the government may be moving toward an increasingly authoritarian approach.

Perhaps these decisions have further agitated the press and contributed to calls for demonstrations.

Balen Shah and his Minister for Information and Communications, Dr. Bikram Timalsina, appear to have adopted an unnecessarily confrontational and unfriendly attitude toward the media. After Balen assumed office, the government stopped allowances provided to senior journalists who had spent more than three decades in the media sector. The allowance had been introduced by previous governments as a form of recognition for their long service.

The present government has reportedly decided to use the endowment fund, established to provide allowances to senior media professionals, for supporting Gen-Z demonstrators who were actively involved in last year’s Gen-Z uprising, including individuals accused of participating in the destruction and burning of public property. Such a decision has understandably generated concern within the media fraternity.

Balen Government Also Following the Path of Previous Governments

The Balen Shah-led government made strong commitments that it would not make government appointments on the basis of partisan politics and that meritocracy would be the guiding principle. It invited open applications for several important appointments. However, the process appears to have been little more than a public relations exercise, as individuals considered close to ministers were ultimately appointed to key positions.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadka Raj Paudel has come under controversy over the appointment of the executive chief of Nepal Airlines Corporation. The government allegedly sidelined the candidate who had ranked first in the open competition. The court subsequently overturned the appointment on two occasions.

Nepal Airlines Corporation urgently needs professional leadership and institutional reform. However, the government appears to be prioritizing narrow personal and political interests over merit and institutional necessity.

Similarly, despite announcing open competition for ambassadorial positions a long time ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to complete the appointments. Personal and political interests among leaders of the Rastriya Swatantra Party appear to have complicated the process.

These developments raise serious questions about the government’s commitment to the principles of meritocracy, transparency and good governance that it promised before assuming office.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Our ancestors built houses, temples, rest houses, and public shelters on hilltops or higher ground, while they cultivated the lower-lying areas. They had their own skills and technologies. Today, we are moving in the opposite direction.

–Peshal Niraula

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Have fools like CK Raut and Swarnim Wagle now understood why Nepal needs an army?

–Upendra Bikram Purush

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President Ram Chandra Paudel, who receives a salary without much effort, is going to return one month’s salary to the government’s own rescue fund as a contribution. At least, the practice of returning one’s salary during a crisis is a good one. The only question now is whether, along with the practice of returning one month’s salary, even a portion of responsibility and accountability will also be returned?

–Deepak Raj Joshi

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If questioning the government makes you angry, causes you to become irritable, makes you feel like abusing those who ask questions, or makes you want to answer as though you were the government spokesperson, then you need to take a break from social media for some time. Your behavior is not doing the government any good.

–Ramesh Kandel

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Seeing the usefulness of the ropeway in Nepal, we built a ropeway at Bhattedanda in 2052 B.S. to transport milk. Before that, when the floods of 2050 B.S. washed away three bridges on the highway, the Hetauda–Teku ropeway was operated to transport essential goods when road transportation had come to a standstill. The Nepal Army played a major role in that effort.

–Madhukar Upadhya

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Nepal did not create the climate crisis, but we are the ones paying the price.

— Prasiddha Bahadur Pandey

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I knew that there would be no news about fake donations by RSP youth leaders. But I did not know that only news involving RSP activists would make it to the front page of Gorkhapatra. At present, people from the Nepali Congress, UML, CPN, and even royalist groups are engaged in relief and volunteer work. But the news only shows the bell [RSP].

–Birat Aanupam

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Flood victims themselves are complaining that relief and rescue efforts have not been carried out at the pace they should have been following the Rasuwa floods. Instead of working rapidly through cooperation and coordination with provincial and local governments in the name of a one-door policy, the government’s arrogant attitude of insisting on having things done only its own way has made rescue operations ineffective.

–Om Kumar Thapa

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In a country with a population of 30 million, we have not even been able to purchase and provide 20 helicopters for the Nepal Army. What kind of modern army did the Congress and communists build? Yet my brothers-in-party puff out their chests and boast about what kind of country it was and what they turned it into after ruling for 35 years!

–Bishnu Pokharel

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It would be appropriate to move forward with long-term thinking and plans concerning national interests, needs, and disaster management.

–Bhim Rawal, PhD

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Excerpted and translated by Sushma Shrestha.