By Narayan Prasad Mishra
I am a conscientious citizen of this country. I have neither close ties nor hostility toward any political party, group, class, or their leaders and activists—whether they are royalists, advocates of multiparty democracy, socialists, or communists. Based on my own knowledge, understanding, wisdom, judgment, and experience, I have honestly fulfilled my civic responsibilities toward the country.
As a respected academic and university professional, I served Tribhuvan University as an active, dedicated, and conscientious member of its administration. I served under Vice-Chancellors such as Sardar Rudraraj Pandey and Dr. Trailokyanath Upreti, both highly respected among the country’s intellectual community, and earned their trust through my work.
Nevertheless, following Nepal’s political upheaval in 1990, I became caught in an undemocratic conspiracy carried out by people who called themselves democrats. At that time, civil servants were forcibly retired in the name of “voluntary retirement.” I, too, was compelled to accept forced retirement.
That experience taught me a bitter lesson: even active, creative, dedicated, hardworking, honest, and self-respecting people can become helpless without the support of a particular class, group, or political party. They can even be denied the opportunity to serve the nation.
I also learned that even a deeply loyal and patriotic citizen can become disillusioned with his country when he suffers injustice and oppression. When a government becomes oppressive instead of providing justice and support to its people, even a patriotic person can lose the desire to remain in his own country. Such suffering can even compel a person to leave his beloved homeland.
At that time, I understood that genuine concern for the nation inspires citizens to question injustice and oppose it.
During that period, my late beloved wife, Shanti Mishra, and I sometimes wondered whether Nepal was truly a suitable place for us to live. The main reason was the injustice we endured simply because we wanted to remain independent and self-respecting, and refused to compromise our principles. Although we had opportunities to settle abroad, we did not leave Nepal despite those painful injustices.
Having witnessed many political changes in my lifetime, I have come to understand that a political system is known not by the name it bears but by how it is implemented and how it actually functions. Political names and labels can be like clothing. They may look attractive from the outside, but they do not reveal what lies beneath.
My experience of being deceived by the names of democracy and communism fundamentally changed how I view politics and government. I came to believe that citizens must use their intelligence and conscience to examine whether the principles behind a political name truly serve the interests of the country and its people. A political party and its government should be judged by their actual conduct—honesty, morality, justice, impartiality, administration, development, and commitment to public welfare.
Since then, I have held one firm conviction: if a party-led government serves only its leaders and followers rather than the nation and its people, all good citizens should condemn it. A government should not merely refrain from violating civil and fundamental rights; it should also protect, support, and encourage every loyal and patriotic citizen. Keeping this belief at the center of my thoughts, I have continued to write, hoping that one day such a government will exist in my country.
I am a helpless and ordinary writer, and I do not really believe that my thoughts and words can bring about any great change. Yet my love for the country keeps stirring something within me. The problems facing the country and its people continually rise in my heart and mind.
I do not know why I, an ordinary citizen who cannot even solve my own problems and who was forced to retire at 49, fourteen years before the normal retirement age, keep offering suggestions on how to solve the country’s problems. After all, this is a country where people rarely speak out against injustice committed by the powerful. Sometimes I ask myself: Is this my strength, my weakness, or simply my madness?
Yet I continue to write regularly.
On September 8, 2026, it has been six years since I began writing one article every week for the English weekly People’s Review. I am happy to note that I have published 275 articles in this newspaper alone.
In addition, I have been writing regularly for Gorkha Express since Bhadra 27, 2082, and more than 41 of my articles have already been published there.
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Pushparaj Pradhan, Editor-in-Chief of People’s Review, and Rajan Karki, Editor-in-Chief of Gorkha Express, for their trust and goodwill, and for willingly accepting my articles—written honestly and sincerely for the country and its people, and based on truth and facts—and providing them space in their newspapers.
Even if a country has a government formed by a political party, it should not be necessary to explain that the government belongs not merely to its party, group, or followers, but to the entire nation and all its people. Nor should it be necessary to remind anyone that the principles of democracy, justice, equality, and freedom written in the Constitution and laws must not remain merely on paper; they must be implemented in practice so that all citizens can experience them in their daily lives.
Regardless of whether the government is led by democrats, socialists, communists, or royalists, there is no reason to oppose it if it genuinely develops the country and promotes the welfare of the people. Regardless of which party or leader forms the government, there is no reason to oppose it if it maintains good governance, proper administration, justice, and fairness without discrimination. Whether a Madhesi, Janajati, Dalit, Mahadalit, or anyone else leads the government, there is no reason to oppose it if it serves everyone impartially. Whether its leaders are white, black, or fair-skinned, there is no reason to oppose a government that acts ethically and refrains from unethical conduct.
But since the introduction of the multiparty system in our country, regardless of whether those in power have governed in the name of democracy, communism, or any other ideology, every truthful citizen must point out that those in power have often practiced little more than self-interest and favoritism toward themselves and their associates.
No good citizen should oppose a government that genuinely serves the people. But whether a government calls itself democratic or communist, if it pursues partisan interests at the expense of the country and its people, every good citizen must oppose it. Otherwise, tolerating oppression ultimately encourages the oppressor.
Therefore, every conscious citizen must carefully assess the political ideology and government under which they live, taking their conscience as witness and using their own intelligence and judgment. They should examine whether the government is righteous, dutiful, impartial, principled, honest, committed to justice, and prepared to work for the welfare of the country and its people.
If a government conducts itself well and honestly, citizens should support and strengthen it. If it does not, citizens must exercise their civic right to oppose it through lawful and appropriate means.
Otherwise, we will keep being deceived again and again by political labels, names, and ideologies. Everyone needs to understand this.
About the author: A non-partisan writer of several books and numerous articles in Nepali and English; former Chief of the Office of the Tribhuvan University Service Commission, Nepal; and a senior citizen in his mid-eighties.
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