EDITOR'S NOTE
What
an irony of fate? Prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala cannot rule. Even an absolute
majority in the Parliament always fails to work for him. People must be wondering why a
political party commanding an absolute majority cannot deliver anything. Those who know
Girija Prasad Koirala do not need an answer. Those who do not know him need not know the
answer. Since we have made Girija Prasad Koirala thread bare time and again, we do not
think it necessary to go through that process again. It might be more appropriate to write
something about the no-confidence move against the Prime Minister by the power hungry
colleagues of his own party. This is one political activity in Nepal which benefits both
the winner and the loser. No-confidence moves generate such a big flurry that a large
number of monied supporters on either side open their purse-strings in the hope that they
would earn hundred fold more when their protégé emerges successful. Besides, there are
others who enjoy fishing in troubled waters and any amount of money is of little
significance for them. Their main concern is to keep the waters troubled so that they keep
on fishing all the time. Nepali Congress politicians who prize self interest more than the
nation refuse to see through their designs.
As for Nepalese people are concerned, it
makes no difference who is the Prime Minister, Koirala, Bhattarai or Deuba. Not only the
Nepalese people, the whole world has witnessed their regimes. The world does not need any
more proofs of their love for the poor people and their loyalty to the nation. By their
anti-national behavior the Nepalese politicians are not only jeopardizing the hard won
democracy but they are imperiling the very integrity of the country. As a matter of fact,
after witnessing the subversion of democracy in the number one country, the greatest
champion of human rights, whether smaller countries like ours, where the people are so
poor and illiterate that they are forced to sell their votes for a dime, can successfully
run democratic governments has become a pertinent question. The last ten years of
mis-governance not only supports this concept but impels the poor people who have been
totally exploited to rise against the corrupt politicians and bring them to book. As such,
Girija Prasad Koirala if he has any wisdom, will quit without any more ado. If he is made
to quit, it may not bode well for him. Who will do that time only will show.
The politics of Bhandha is an unequivocal
proof that Nepalese politicians are still very far from acquiring maturity. Despite the
fact that Bandhs are always counter productive, why they keep on resorting to Bandhs is an
enigma. In our self oriented country where ruling politicians give a damn to the national
loss resulting from a 'Bandh', it need not be emphasized that Bandhs never pressurize the
government. Moreover, those who give a call for 'Bandh' must understand that closure of
shops or transport on the Bandha day does not demonstrate support for the call but is a
clear manifestation of fear of vandalism. The nation's economy gets a big set back because
of Bandha is another matter. Tourism, one of the mainstay of our economy gets a bad name.
The overwhelming majority of daily wage earners have to go hungry. Bandhs do not help any
one. Neither the organizers. If a poll is taken after a 'Bandh' the organizers are
definite to suffer loss. As such, let us hope, our politicians, if they have any love for
their country, will no more call for a 'Bandh'.
* * *
The senior member of the ruling Bharatiya
Junta Party of India K.R. Malkani deserves commendation for frankly speaking his mind. He
is a strongman who has the guts to say what he thinks. Diplomacy is not his forte. At
least he has given us a sample of the mindset of Indian statesmen and bureaucrats. Instead
of getting mad at Malkani, the Nepalese must be grateful to him space constraint does not
permit us to dwell on this issue in detail. We will come out with our detail appreciation
in our next issue.
| Chief-Editor & Publisher |
: Madhav Kumar Rimal |
| Editor |
: Sarita Rimal |
| Consulting Editor |
: Keshab Poudel |
| Senior Correspondent |
: Bhagirath Yogi |
| Senior Reporter |
: Navin Singh Khadka |
| Reporter |
: Sanjaya Dhakal / Sunil Kumar
Gupta(Nepalgunj) |
| Photographer |
: Shyam Chitrakar |
| Editorial Office |
: GPO Box 7256,Baluwatar,Kathmandu, Nepal. |
| Telephone |
: 977 1 423 127 |
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