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Kathmandu Thursday August 17, 2000 Mangshir 02, 2057.
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Bandh that never was
The last-hour decision to withdraw the
two-day Nepal bandh call, after an agreement was reached between the government and the
nine left parties, is a right decision taken at the wrong time. Had it been taken so a day
in advance, the usual activities of educational institutions and private organisations
would have, at least, been less affected. Neither would there have been sporadic incidents
on the eve of Nepal bandh. Given the international events taking place in the capital, it
did make
a difference. The decision also brought relief to the tourism sector and also business
houses. However, the manner in which the government took an "offhand decision"
to reduce the kerosene price in the open market appears to be a mockery.
Nine left parties had called a two-day Nepal
bandh in protest against the recent price hike of petroleum products resulting from
adjustment in India to international prices. No doubt, this set off an inflationary chain
reaction that not only hit consumers— especially low income groups—hard, but
also arrested economic growth. The rate of kerosene per litre went up so much that the
government had to introduce a ration card system. Obviously, the spontaneous hike of
petroleum products acted against the people. As a result, the nine left parties were firm
about the bandh
The government, in an all-party meeting not
only reduced the rate of kerosene by four rupees per litre but agreed to restructure the
rates of petroleum products to avoid a nation wide bandh. This came only at the cost of
international events taking place in the capital. Had the rate of kerosene price hike been
justified, the government would not have succumbed to the demand of the nine left parties.
Government policy has been to regulate the market for the benefit of those who are in
power. This has to be blamed more than anything else. They have put the country on the
brink of economic chaos and have often acted against the market price. The way the
government rolled back kerosene price shows that it admits its mistakes whenever there is
a strong protest.
The government must realise that the economic
policy, it has introduced, has always reacted against the wishes of the people and invited
regular bandhs. Therefore, the government would do well to think of people-friendly
policies. It must really do a lot of homework before deciding on things that can have very
telling effects on the lives of the people.
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