OBSERVATION

Who are the ghost-like “reactionaries”?

A war of words has started between the top level Nepali Congress leaders. Both party president and former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and present Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai have also joined the bandwagon spoken up from their respective sides.

Former Prime Minister Koirala has accused the government of not moving fast enough. Speaking at a gathering with young Nepali Congress workers, Koirala said that it is sad the NC people are not feeling it is its own government that is in power. Then again while inaugurating the Everest Exhibition the other day, he said he was not satisfied with the way the government was functioning.

Meanwhile, speaking at an inter-action programme organised by the Nepal Law Society at Godavari resort on Friday, Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai hit back, saying the present government had done many things in the short period it has been in power.

It may be mentioned that back in 1994, the majority Nepali Congress government had been toppled because of similar differences in the top level leadership of the party. Then it was Ganesh Man Singh who was the main critic of the government. Bhattarai had also sided mostly with Singh.

At present it is Koirala versus Bhattarai.

It is not that the same scenario of 1994 may be repeated this time as well. But if one remembers, late Ganesh Man Singh had started his salvo against the Koirala led government just a few months after it had been in office. The first issue with which Singh had been incensed that time, was when Koirala appointed about 12 ambassadors and all 12 of them happened to be Brahmans. When Singh asked why this had been done, he was criticised as being “communal” by the Koirala camp.

Eventually, the differences led to a certain sector of the MPs siding with Singh and Bhattarai and going against Koirala. Eventually, these 36- called the Chattise (chattis means 36) - out of the 114 NC MPs, caused the downfall of the government.

Now it is Koirala who is on the outside and criticising the Bhattarai led government. It is an irony that Koirala, who had always complained, saying he was not allowed to function smoothly, is now creating similar obstacles for the Bhattarai led government.

Yes, Bhattarai may not have as much support as Koirala within the party, also, he may not have entertained all of Koirala’s supporters, but he must be given more time before he is attacked by his own party.

But on the side of Bhattarai, it is a very weak defense when he tries to put the blame of a non-functioning government on reactionaries.

In the inter-action programme at Godavari, Bhattarai turned the pages of history and tried to make a comparison of the present situation with what happened in 2015 B.S., two years before King Mahendra abolished multi-party system and introduced the autocratic Panchayat system.

Bhattarai, while speaking to the gathering of MPs and lawyers said that similar differences had been created then and now also, it is the work of “reactionaries” who are putting obstacles in front of his government. “The reactionaries don’t want to see the success of democracy”, he warned.

But who are the reactionaries? The so called “reactionary” has gone on to become a favourite word of virtually all politicians. They blame everything on “reactionaries”. Yet, who are these reactionaries? Why can’t the government do anything about them? If the reactionaries are really working for the destruction of democracy, then they must be punsihed. The term should not be used to just throw barbs at someone you don’t like.

The communists had also constantly warned about “reactionaries”. But what the people now see is, it is not the invisible reactionaries, but our own corrupt politicians who have ruined the economy of the country and also given a bad name to democracy. Had they shown more statesman like behaviour and less greed, perhaps the country would have risen much above its present position.

But no, even as politicians indulged in rampant corruption and those in the government only made false promises to the people, it was the “reactionaries” who were destroying democracy and the country.

This drama should not be continued. It is time politicians, both in the ruling party and in the opposition parties, did some serious soul searching and started working for the interest of the people rather than for the benefit of the party only or even individual gain. The problems seen in the country, including the Maoists insurgency, inflation, pollution and shortage of drinking water and electricity, are not insurmountable. They can be dealt with provided everybody works sincerely and seriously.

The Nepali Congress has been given a fresh mandate by the people. The party and its leaders should be able to capitalise on this opportunity. If it works unitedly for the benefit of the people, then late Ganesh Man Singh’s prediction that “NC will rule the nation for 25 years” may come true to some extent.

But even now if the party leaders get enmeshed only in internal feuding for petty interests - ambassadorial postings, ministerial portfolios, statutory postings, political favours and small perks among others - then the country will head for disaster.

Let us hope lessons have been well learnt from the experience of 1994 and then also from the “coalition period”, and we will see more fireworks in the functioning of the government rather than in the words of the party leaders.