NATIONAL10 [RELIGION (Spotlight Weelky)]

Need For A Strong Leadership

By Nagendra Chhetri

There comes a time in the history of nation state when the very national integrity faces a great threat and challenge either from external forces or internal conflict\disorder. Nepal has faced and met the external threat many times in its history and never lacked the national will to present a strong united front under a determined leadership to protect her sanctity. Today this country is struggling to safeguard it's national character and values not so much from external threat but from its own internal dissidents not experienced in its history before.

Nepal today looks like a rudderless boat right in the middle of an unfathomable ocean. Nepal today has the best political system proven so far in human history but no one practices this. No one seems to understand that democracy means give and take. It is a question of dealing , retreating, bending, compromising trading and changing as one moves from the principle to the possible. Democracy in the last ten years proved very expensive, messy, disappointing and even shocking. Democracy should give people a flavor, a spice, a texture, a mood and an atmosphere; a trust in the leaderships and its commitment to the voters. Whatever little trust and expectation people had in 1990 in the democratic leadership they have completely lost. Even all the leaders themselves believe democracy has not been able to deliver, of course, in private.

Nepal today suffers from too many political leaders changing their colors at the lightest opportunity. Nepalese political leadership suffers from lack of identity and credibility. The political leaders normally have been presenting four images of their individual leadership. They present one image while dealing with their official colleagues and subordinates in their office. They exhibit another when they are with their close henchmen, cronies and confidantes. The third when they are delivering their high sounding, all encompassing rhetorical speeches at the open theater. The fourth image they show on foreign jaunts.

For a small country like Nepal with various religions, castes, tribes, communities and linguistic group as well as extreme geographical diversity, a strong leadership is the sine qua non of good administration. Only strong central leadership can pursue and maintain the national unity by promoting healthy and cordial social relations amongst the diverse groups. In this respect Nepal is a country of paradox. Nepal needs a cohesive factor that can keep this multiethnic and multilingual nation bound together in order to maintain and strengthen its national identity. Since no political leader of the name has been able to manifest the required caliber this responsibility has fallen upon the shoulders of the constitutional monarch.

Even the Rana oligarchy could not ignore this. The pivotal role played by the monarchy is accepted and respected both by the national and international forces. Each society needs an unifying factor and this institution, due to Nepalese culture, tradition and modern realities, plays that role in Nepal. It has willingly proved, time and again, that it can bear the burden of risks with readiness to sacrifice and lead the people in the face of extreme danger in the overall interest of national integrity. It has carved an enviable place for itself in Nepalese history.

King Prithvi Narayan had a vision of a greater Nepal, a Nepal of many ethnic, linguistic, cultural and regional groups who shared and practiced common values of life and were united by a bond of allegiance to Nepalese national integrity and independence under the leadership of the monarchy. Not all his descendants had similar vision and ability . Late King Mahendra possessed that rare quality in abundance. He could reawaken the Nepalese to unite with a different vision. He also provided assertive direction to the country with a different vision. Soon after his untimely death came the present Monarch with new concept, new ideas and new vision of security, peace and development. But his vast knowledge and wider understanding was too great for the Nepalese politicians to understand. His modern outlook and cultured behavior was misinterpreted and many people took undue advantage.

Whatever it was the assimilative nature and capacity of this nation to absorb was unique that for the first time in the history of nation a unique and dramatic event has taken place in this country. A democratically elected communist government functioned under the constitutional monarchy.

What is proven by history over the years relating to this country though, is whenever the central leadership dithers, the country has always suffered, the nation has always been in doldrums and paid a heavy price. Because of the social structure of this country the central leadership must be vested in some unabated power which can judiciously be exercised in the greatest interest of the nation. A proper check and balance must exist so that state can continue its march to development and progress.

Lack of this final authority vested in one individual, in poor and backward county like Nepal, results into utter chaos and confusion. It not only invites internal disorders and disturbances but also imbalances the traditional foreign policy of balancing act between its vast neighbours.This encourages the external power to exert its vested influence and pressure making a dent in the national sovereignty. Every citizen who feels proud to be a Nepalese citizen is feeling the pinch today as Nepal is passing through a crucial moment in its history.

Look at the situation in Nepal today. There are many ethnic, religious, linguistic and regional groups all over the country. But awareness that has rekindled the feeling of oneness and closeness is a welcome sign. In fact this is a positive factor in the nation building task and must be channeled to serve the larger interest of Nepal. This must in fact be encouraged with proper incentive to bring everybody in the national mainstream. A collective effort designed to strengthen the integrity of Nepal will project a united forum to further advance Nepalese image both inside and outside the country.

Nepal is struggling today to keep its integrity intact. No political leader today is in the forefront who really can provide a dedicated, dynamic and convincing leadership so that Nepal can aspire to occupy its rightful place in the comity of Nations. This political instability and disorder is providing a fertile opportunity for external pressures threatening the national sovereignty which can be checked only by a strong leadership.