Wednesday, August 2, 2006

The provocative "jocular drama" of the week

During our childhood days we have had the sudden break to watch social drama wherein the artistes involved in the said stage show used to portray the societal evils and concurrently used to indicate the measures on how to do away with those prevailing societal ailments.

Later we read in our college days the world acclaimed Shakespearean play that had certainly some thing very special in it which hopefully provided a different kind of satisfaction to the readers and those who watched it in the form of drama.

Recently, we the Nepalese were forced to witness an Indian drama-an irrelevant one primarily in the given context and charged political atmosphere- through the kind courtesies of some self-styled Indian leaders who came to us and provided us with some sermons, as usual, and went back to their homeland. Oh! These unwanted guests!

Firstly, it was an inappropriate one in the sense that the Indian leaders who came here should know that we the Nepalese were capable enough to safeguard whatever we have earned during the month of April this year.

Secondly, the Indian "performers" included in the drama-party should have thought of the ailments that they have each to whatever population they have today in their own motherland that needed pressing care and attention than diverting their attention to this small country wherein things were about to get normal given the growing friendship that is slowly but steadily developing in between the State and the rebels of late, if left unprovoked. In essence, the Indian dramatists should have provided due attention to their own Himalayan problems that have overwhelmed the country since 1947 which exist in their society in various forms and manifestations eves as of today.

Thirdly, those Indian political players who wish that Nepal institutionalize LOKTANTRA, a word that we have apparently copied from India, should have diverted their itinerary to BHUTAN instead of entering into Nepali territories while crossing Siliguri from where they entered into Nepal. In effect, the Indian leaders should have gone to Bhutan to see their beloved monarch, King Jigmey, and tell him that now it was his turn to act. But they did not do so as very recently King Jigmey has allowed India to sign a water resource deal with Bhutan which meant that Indians needed power from Bhutan but not the advent of democratic system in that isolated and India-protected country in the Himalayas . One can easily imagine the mental agonies of the nationalist Bhutanese nationals.

The Indian drama-men during their stopover in Nepal could have talked about the repatriation of the Bhutanese nationals languishing in Nepali refugee camps to their real homeland and would have shown their compassion towards the predicament of the refugees. They could have told the refugees that upon return to Delhi they would register a protest to their own government and would press the Indian establishment so that the refugees could return to their motherland thorough the kind courtesies of India . But they did not do so because Bhutan is not currently in their target. Yes! Bhutan could be their target if she denies India water and power and political interference. Until, King Jigmey remains subservient to Indian interests, India would not interfere in Bhutan 's political affairs.

The Indian leaders who came here for what has been called as a "YATRA" should have visited their own places in order to send messages of brotherhood and communal harmony which is in a very battered state right inside India. They have their own problems and issues that demand urgent solutions before it takes its toll. But instead they came to see us as if it is the Indians only who possess personal care for this country. Cruel joke indeed or even the best joke of the week.

But this is not. No body knows what agenda they have had in their minds this time when they proceeded from Delhi and entered Nepal and handed over a flag to our ailing Prime Minister Shri Koirala.

All in all, such drama could well be seen in the future as well if we quarrel with each other. The Indian establishment would continue to send such funny teams to Nepal as and when she would wish to do so.

Our modest advice to the Indian leaders would be to concentrate their efforts in containing their own Himalayan problems and issues that confront them and that demanded urgent solutions. It would be futile to come here on a regular basis under one pretext or the other as Nepal's "other" equally powerful friendly countries too have begun taking interests in Nepali affairs.

We politely appeal the India 's respected and honored leaders "Don't repeat such hollow drama any more"! Restrain yourself. Exhibition of too much friendship at times culminates in negative results. Your non-interference in our affairs will be the best support from your side to us even at our critical times. Let Prachanda come to power, he will together with his colleagues will inevitably dare to expose your hidden agenda that are apparently aplenty.