Maoist leaders keep unveiling breathtaking stratagems every now and then, the kind which even CIA or Mossad would find unable to comprehend. But when it comes to attributing the source of information or furnishing details or evidence, they adopt Nepali standards—they provide nothing.
People have stopped paying heed to Maoist disclosures or forecasts, much less believe.
Sometime back, Dahal made public that Rookmangud Katawal, the then Nepal Army chief, was going to stage a coup and introduce ‘President’s rule’. That never happened and Katawal has smoothly retired from his job. When Sri Lankan security forces killed the daredevil Tamil rebel leader V Prahakaran some months back, Dahal – vaguely citing a ‘plot’ – spoke on record that he could meet the same fate. The ‘plot’ never saw the light of the day.
Even after the monarchy was abolished, Dahal publicly claimed that that there was a plan to reinstate the same in the cover of a baby king. So far, that too hasn’t materialized. Till a year and a half before, most Maoist leaders used to say that there were conspiracies not to hold CA elections. Conversely, much to their own benefit, the election took place following which they formed the government.
Lists of such cynicisms and conjectures are long. That is why few people nowadays pay any heed to Maoist disclosures or forecasts, much less believe. Nepali people have learnt to dismiss such unsubstantiated conspiracy theories the way they do in other democracies having a free flow of information.
One may then ask as to why the Maoists keep on telling such stories. Well, that is the modus operandi of all classical communists. They believe in brain-washing their cadres so that the latter become blind followers of the party. Creating enemies and inventing intrigues are part of the indoctrination process. The leaders know that only those cadres who constantly live in a make-belief world of hostilities can fight the enemy with heightened motivation and militancy. Also, only such cadres can have total faith and loyalty towards their leadership. Perceived enemies and fantasized conspiracies are excellent alibis for shortcomings that prevail in their ideology, leadership, governance and party functioning.
Real or imagined enemies such as imperialists, colonizers, feudal forces, capitalists, reactionaries, rightist elements, fifth columnists, revisionists and traitors always figure in their speeches. Similarly, terms such as traitorous designs, espionage, coup, aggression, assassination attempts, et al, always find way in their expressions. As traditional communists, Maoists have to circulate some conspiracy theory all the time even if an enemy is difficult to produce. ‘House dissolution’ is the latest in the series.
However, what the Maoists fail to understand is that with global communism and Cold War consigned to the pages of history and museum shelves, now such tactics are not much ineffective, especially in open democracies. Global interdependence and revolution in communication have narrowed the scope and impact of such propaganda, especially in free societies.
If the CA is really dissolved, who is to be blamed other than the Maoists? Are not they the ones who have been constantly obstructing the proceedings of the House since months, when people already have reasons to be discontent with the CA? The Assembly, which comprises of over 40 percent members from their party alone, is not serious in its main business of constitution-writing; imperative, substantive and sensitive issues haven’t been discussed during the last 15 months, which is the two-third lifetime of the House; for the sixth time, the CA calendar have been amended to postpone events; and, the most dangerous of all, there are clashes instead of consensus between major political forces with regard to basic themes and components of the constitution.
Confrontational, lethargic and oversized CA was already a target of public outrage. Under the existing circumstances, it won’t be a wonder if the common man – who pays tax for the extravagancies – will demand that the CA is dissolved. But the question that still remains unanswered is: Who on earth would ever do that? If Maoist accusation is directed against Nepal Army (NA), it is bullshit. Had NA ever wanted anything like that, it had numerous opportunities to do so in the past. If they haven’t done so before, why would they do that now? Would the Maoists care to answer? Can they substantiate their allegations?
jeevan1952@hotmail.com
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