Wednesday, October 25, 2006

State non-existant; Maoists' prevalence

As a professional journalist, neither I possess special affection for the NC, the UML or even the RPP, nor I have any special abhorrence against the Maoists.

I consider that for me as a media man, what should be important for me is how they treat the people and live up to their aspirations and expectations.

This is exactly on the merit of these basis I more often than not praise or denounce the parties mentioned above.

For me and my news paper all parties are equal and honorable until they listen to the people's voices.

To come to the point, this year as usual, I drove in my small car on September 28 early morning to my hometown-Biratnagar.

Believe me, during my entire long drive of twelve hours plus, I could not feel the existence of the government or say the State as such. But instead, what I saw and witnessed for myself was the grand and the visible presence of the Maoists State, as they claim, every where during my long drive that led me to cross the mountains and the Terai plains.

The places owned by the State for revenue collection for the maintenance of the Roads-perhaps those belonged to the department of the Roads-were either in a dismantled state or at best were empty with no officers there to collect the revenues from the vehicles plying on the high ways as it used to be not so in the distant past.

However, I have had to pay some taxes both ways to the Maoists' militia who were posted at some important places much the same way some time in the past the State authorities were.

I have had no option other than to pay them. Nevertheless, they handed over a ticket that described in details as to why they have been forced to collect the donations or better say the taxes from each and every vehicles-private or commercial ones.

The absence of the Girija's State and the concurrent presence of Prachanda's State baffled me to a great extent. The most interesting part of the whole story is that the vehicle owners paid the stated amount to the Maoists unhesitatingly. Whether it was for fear or whatever else, we paid the sum and proceeded towards our destinations.

Not only they handed over the bills but also wished our rest of the journey a success. This was touching.

Later I analyzed as to why the State as such vanished from the scene and the Maoists took over the reigns of the State.

In my considerations, the State under Girija Prasad Koirala must have internally decided to allow the Maoists to collect a colossal amount for some time to come in order to feed the Maoists militia who in want of food might retaliate which were not in the larger interest of the party itself.

In more ways than one, the Maoists have proved themselves as number one strategists and great political players who could twist the arms of the Government, if any at the moment, as and when they prefer it to do so.

Only thing that pains me is that whether Prachanda will be able to control or restrain his cadres from asking such donations forcibly? If he becomes able to check his boys and girls fro going berserk, it would be fine. If it were just the otherwise, then Prachanda will have to wage a fierce battle against his own cadres in order to tame them.

See the legal and the formal ticket I was handed over by the Maoists during my trip to Biratnagar.