Everyone is in the 'demand' mode. Such is the volume, the government must have lost track of all the demands going around. And as demand for one additional state was fulfilled the political pundits tell us that it has opened the floodgate of demands for many more states. On the other hand, if the demands aren't addressed, one way or the other, more bloodshed and loss of lives seem the only outcome.And as much as the battle is getting played on the streets, alleys and police posts, thanks to the internet, we are forced to take in an unprecedented amount of information. Gory pictures of dead people with a bullet through the eye pop up in the news sites that seem to be multiplying by the day.
Every day we are told that the grand old man tries to reach out to those groups busy fighting and vandalizing almost anything that comes in their way. We sit and wonder whether Mr Koirala wants to prolong his tenure as the premier and thereby has failed to take a swift action. Or is it that his health and age play an inhibiting role? Whatever the case, he seems determined to stick to his guns. So far, he hasn't budged.
We all know that as long as Maoists were attacking police beats in far off places the danger was never billed as 'clear and imminent'. As is the case now, we had our rations and oil and gas delivered to us using army escorts. So long as that was possible, the government must have thought that the army could handle the Maoists. The entire mood changed when Thankot and Jagati got hit. Rest, as they say, is history.
Next up, we had to overthrow the monarch and so we did. There was a time when the task ahead seemed clear. Overthrow the monarch and make the new constitution and we all live happily ever after. But, it appears, the explanations we were given about our fate post-constitution were given by people who had no idea what they were talking about.
Once again it was Kathmandu's own uprising that managed to dethrone the king, or so we like to believe. The reason I am slightly skeptical about the dethroning is I cannot imagine kings walking out of palaces so easily. So we still hear rumors regarding a certain deal as the reason for his abdication. Whatever the reason, one must appreciate that had it not been Kathmandu agitating, nothing would have happened.
Like many parts of the country Kathmandu too saw protests after the draft constitution was made public. Rather than the expected euphoria, it resulted in gloom and doom. While western Nepal saw mega-protests, Kathmandu also had its share, but very little. The usual bandas, but nothing much.
Things were and continue to be different outside. Many of the larger cities now have withstood almost three-week long banda. Sooner or later, the dam will burst. Protests in some cities paint a grim picture, especially when we are told that agitators lobbed bombs and fired shots. Every other news published in foreign media tells a sad story of Nepal being in a situation as bad as Syria. And yet life seems to go on. Parliamentarians are busy discussing amendments in the constitution as if nothing has happened.
Kathmandu remains more or less unaffected. After a spate of bandas, it has silently gone quiet. There are little skirmishes in and around the parliament but nothing to affect daily lives. It's kind of puzzling to understand the sudden quietness in Kathmandu, for the most pressing demands have not been fulfilled. Every other party had a demand. One can only assume that those bandas were nothing but an act of tokenism. The demands were never serious.
Just when we thought that country was in a mess because of Tarai agitations, Dr Gobinda KC decided to go for his sixth round of hunger strike.
On the face of it, his strike could not have been more ill-timed, as the government already had a lot to chew. Many believe he should not have resorted to a strike at such a difficult point for the country. But Dr KC had to agitate for he had been taken for a ride, not once, but many times. Hence, on one hand we have our premier fixated on constitution, so that no number of deaths can possibly perturb him and Dr KC on the other who seem to be on what it seems like his final crusade.
We all hoped for a positive outcome when government set up a committee under the chairmanship of the ex-vice chancellor of Tribhuvan University. From the look of things, Dr Kedar Bhakta Mathema too seems to have taken the issue a little too seriously. His team has made the recommendations and now it's up to the government whether to accept them. Given that Dr KC has been tactfully deceived on earlier occasions, everyone in the government seems to take things easy. Interestingly, the other reason to take it easy could once again be Kathmandu.
Agitations and protests are effective when someone makes inflammatory remarks to stir up people. Nothing of that sort is happening. The medical fraternity can show solidarity with his movement but not the general public who do not have anything to do with the medical colleges. On the part of the medical students, only those who are fortunate enough to study in government colleges with a decent fee will bunk classes to show some solidarity. The majority of students who ought to be agitating won't because when you have put in half a crore (or even a full crore), you do not think of anything stupid.
Hence Kathmandu will not rise. And so long as Kathmandu does not rise, history suggests, the government won't have much to do. Furthermore, to address Dr KC's new demands, the government can form yet another committee to review the recommendations of the earlier Mathema committee.
In addressing issues of Tarai and foul play in medical sector, Kathmandu has a big role to play. But, as things stand, Kathmandu is both indifferent and dispassionate.
hiteshkarki@gmail.com
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