Wednesday, August 16, 2006

It is not that we the Nepalese were fools. It is also not that we do not possess sharp ideas and excellent theories that could compete with others. It is not that we don't want to see our country developed. In effect we possess all the qualities that are demanded of a true nationalist. Moreover, what is also correct or us all is that we talk much and work less. We have brilliant ideas and outlook as regards the upliftment of the nation but that vanishes in the ethereal medium soon for unknown reasons.

It is a fact that we are a brave, social and peace loving lot. Equally true is that the lust for power in us and for the sake of power our longing to seek blessings from alien nationals and countries' is what has made us dependent and at best subservient to alien interests.

The tragedy has been that since 1950 onwards, our country has not spelled out as to what were her genuine national interests to be safeguarded or for that matter preserved ad infinitum. Nepali leaders have so far not made it known to their voters as a nation-state, Nepal too have had certain exclusive national interests and that were near and dear to us all which have got to be accorded top priority at times of negotiations with friendly countries more so with India.

We have been given to understand so far by our august-corrupt leaders that what satisfied Indian establishment were in essence Nepal 's national interests. Or else why Nepali leaders acquire a posture of silence or better say ignorance when our lands are encroached upon, our villages are drowned and scores of unequal treaties are imposed on us?

Does this not mean that Nepal 's national policy, if any, is at best to keep India in good stead and nothing more than that?

The past experiences do contribute and provides support to this fact though it is a sad one. We invite scholars and academicians to challenge our conclusions drawn after a careful analysis compiled over decades and decades and enlighten us through their illuminating contradictions that what we have concluded or presumed were all fake and malicious.

Let's bear with this fact and remain humiliated but yet let's claim for our own pleasure that we were a different lot than others who would in no way compromise Nepal's sovereignty and independence (are we independent in real sense of the term?) come what may. Easier said than done. We have many a times failed to preserve our national interests best known to Nepali academicians and intellectuals who have been closely watching the political events in Nepal and the invisible alien hands that come to immediate action as and when we the Nepalese quarrel with each other in one pretext or the other.

A correction to all our past follies is the demand of the time if we were all prepared to greet a new Nepal well within our own territories. If we stick to old-habits then the fate of new Nepal that is yet to take a formal shape is understandable.

But then yet a ray of hope has been seen in the Nepali horizon when a minister in Koirala's cabinet made it known to all and sundry that henceforth he has instructed government offices to go in for "Nepal Made Products" or else face penal actions.

The fact is that if we the Nepalese ourselves ignore our own products who else then will get the required and the needed encouragement to buy the same? If we ourselves dump our own produces by claiming that it were below standard then the fate of the Nepalese industries could well be predicted in advance.

The finance minister the other day went to the extent while instructing the government bureaucrats to buy the Nepali products even if it were ten percent costlier than the others. Here the others should necessarily mean the Indian products of which our bureaucrats have become a fan for a variety of political and reasons.

We presume that such verbal instructions were also in vogue at different intervals of Nepali history, however, the hard reality is that those instructions were shelved for good by our special India tilted bureaucrats who on one pretext or the other preferred the products other than made in Nepal .

It remains yet to be seen how the Nepali bureaucrats encourage the budding Nepali industries? It remains yet to be seen how the minister's instructions take formal shape in our offices. Nevertheless, bids to thwart these Nepali instructions will surely be in place but in what form it would ignore the ministerial instructions will have to be watched.

We remain puzzled as to why Nepal 's cement, textile, jute factories and the likes do not run? Why these factories die a premature death?

It is time that we the Nepalese people think of Nepal first and then serve other's interests. If we remain as a Nepali national, we will not have to be on the pay-roll of alien countries. If we could build our own economic base and develop the basic infrastructure, we will surely reduce the dependence that definitely we have on a particular country.

Think of Nepal . Be a Nepali. Dream of Nepal . Manage a political atmosphere wherein we will not have to be subservient to alien interests.

After all, if Nepal remains on the earth, our existence as a proud Nepali will remain secured or else who knows what would happen to the very existence of this country if we commit political blunders to which we are used to.

We count on you Prachanda and Dr. Bhattarai! We have pinned high hopes on you. Obeying to the dictates of an alien nation too has a limit. The limit, be it known to you both, has already exceeded its limits. You both will have to say enough is enough!

The message should be loud and clear.