And behind the facade of selling noble dreams, self serving political leaders have pushed the nation towards being a failed state. One would have hoped the 2006 changes would prove to be a positive rather than a negative change.[break]
These days I write when I am really angry. Perhaps, this piece is a result of the same. I am often haunted by the idea that the political leaders, their cadres and stooges are the only true citizens of this nation. The rest of us are just illegal NRNs residing here. Maybe we are the victims of circumstances—they say it is never the activity of rascals that destroys a society, but the inactivity of good people.
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Lawmakers in the most inclusive jumbo sized legislature, after pocketing all fees and perks, failed to give the country a new constitution. They were then quick to dissolve the CA, and after much haggling, finally resigned to be ruled by a non-political beaurocratic setup given the responsibility of holding polls. In this situation, there is no rationale for the existence of the political parties.
The causes for which the people followed them into the revolution still exist in some form or other. People have openly begun to question what has changed. Perhaps, down the years, the only change the nation has really felt is climate change! The euphoria of doing away with the autocratic king has long died down. The prefix ‘royal’ has been hacked from everything possible, and the palace turned into a museum. However, the flip-side of the coin has a different story to tell.
Side-stepping the all-powerful decision of the party, UCPN (Maoists) formed a chairman-led one-party headquarters. Its chairman behaves like a king, who still occupies a palatial building. Abusing authority has become a means for many of them to upgrade their status.
Discarded around the globe as a failed system, communism in various forms has a firm foothold here. With coercion, extortion and imposition of a fear in the minds of simple people, communism virtually ran the country for more than half a decade. The grand old party with sixty years of preaching and practicing pluralism watches helplessly. Radicalism makes inroads when democratic forces keep away from the grassroots.
On grounds of election code of conduct, former king Gyanendra is stopped from distributing humanitarian relief package to flood victims, while election spoil-sport CPN Maoist’s leader is not even cautioned when he brazenly breaks the ballot-box with a hammer in public. Bhattarai fumes and even threatens to put the former king to jail, forgetting that corruption and impunity were at their peak during his time in office.
Then, who should be in jail? Never has a man risen and fallen so dramatically in public estimation as he.
The nation is passing through a period of insecurity, uneasiness, uncertainties, and above all, fear. We as a nation are left weak and toothless, providing opportunity to others to fish in troubled waters. This is the hallmark of an insecure culture. At best, today we are a superfluous society readily accepting deception and double-standards.
The possible November poll is like a bone stuck in the nation’s throat. Instead of taking the nation towards solution and change for the better, it could lead to chaos, fear, and violence, indicating that coming events cast shadows beforehand. The fragmented and idea-deficit parties are aware of their lost confidence, and the prospect of being rejected by the people bothers them. Each new day, dysfunctional political outfits raise new controversies, putting a damper on the hope of fair and peaceful elections.
In the name of preparing for polls, battle lines have been drawn. The UCPN (Maoist) have categorically said they will deploy YCL at polling booths, CPN-Maoists their dastas, UML the Youth force, and not to be left behind, the Congress will employ the Tarundal. With the government deciding to deploy the army for poll security, the poll will be anything but peaceful.
After betraying the people, the four-party syndicate does not dare go to the people with the same outdated rhetoric again. This time around, people are no sheep. They will exercise caution in casting their precious vote, keeping in mind that bad political leaders take money from the rich, vote from the poor, and promise to protect one from the other.
The people are likely to vote for alternative forces. But can we be sure that the elected political set does not repeat the mistakes of the past? Or make worse mistakes? Will we again feed a generation that does not lead, but leaks the state coffer? If we do so, we will have committed a crime against Nepal. We as a troubled nation must encourage a generation of young leaders who will usher in true changes, elusive till now.
The author is a freelance journalist
chhetrisubarna@hotmail.com
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