Editorial (Spotlight Weekly)

The few NRNs (Non-Resident Nepalis) I have talked to in the States in this short course few days since my arrival have all expressed great satisfaction at the drive against corruption in official circles of His Majestyís Government of Nepal. But they seem apprehensive that this enthusiasm shown by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) may be hampered by so many powerful factors and die an untimely death. They argue that all those officials who have been indicted should have been automatically suspended, their passports frozen and their movements curtailed till their cases were not finally decided and they were not put behind the bars. Those senior officials still absconding should have been apprehended, even with the help of friendly countries, if necessary, where they are hiding and brought to justice without delay. These NRNs living in this far away land for a considerable time still harbor concern for their native country. But for their compulsions and constraints many of them would like to return to serve their motherland, if the government there could become cleaner, more efficient, just and impartial. And this needs cleansing politics. As long the corrupt and unscrupulous politicians are not barred from participating in active politics, as long they are not branded as social pariahs and as long they are not meted out proper punishments so that they are placed in a position where they can no more harm the society or the nation. These NRNs are not very hopeful of becoming useful to their place of birth. What is stopping the CIAA from nabbing the corrupt politicians is becoming an enigma. And these people think that if the Prime Minister were an honest man he would help the CIAA to carry out their responsibilities in a much more efficient manner. But his selfish interests urge him to shield these corrupt politicians. These NRNs think that this is where the King must step in.Because, like these politicians the King has, neither any axe to grind nor any ulterior motive to betray the country. So, these people here believe that the Nepalese people have high expectations from King Gyanendra. If Nepal is to march ahead towards a speedier development King Gyanendra cannot afford to stay a silent spectator of the activities of the corrupt politicians. Not only the people of Nepal but even those Nepalese who live thousands of miles away from their birthplace want that the country must be rid of these politicians and it is only the King who can do that. King Gyanendra has still even more important responsibility to perform. It is to safeguard the continuity of monarchy in Nepal. There is no dearth of anti-national politicians who do not tire to malign monarchy, who are guided by influences inimical to national interests and work for agencies who keep on trying to destabilize the country. These alien agencies are spending a colossal amount buying the loyalties of influential Nepalese people belonging to various sectors of Nepalese society. The depraved Nepalese politicians who would not even bat their eyelids to sell the country for a paltry selfish gain have already fallen in their snare and unless they are stopped at their nefarious act the country will have to face greater catastrophe in the days to come. Consequently, what the CIAA has started against the corrupt bureaucrats must be extended to net the corrupt politicians even if they are in high or very high places. And in the noble task of saving the nation all the patriotic forces and the King too must cooperate fully with the CIAA, which has made a good beginning to eradicate corruption in Nepal.

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The recently concluded ministerial meeting of the SAARC countries that had started with a bang, once again, ended with a whimper. We were not much interested in the outcome of the ministerial meet since this was not the first or second of its kind. We all knew what would happen-a few promises, a jumble of vacant rhetorics and an agenda for another meet or summit. What we particularly interested in were the various statements Jaswant Sinha would make on his maiden visit to the tiny neighboring country of Nepal, a traditional friend, as the External Affairs Minister of his big and powerful country. Since we were not present there (because we are out here in the United States) we were spared the monotony of listening to hackneyed repetitions. The Indian diplomats in Kathmandu seem very fond of buying loyalties. Since they seem to have very thin skin they are unable to take any criticism. Hence they shun critical press all the time. Whether Jaswant Sinha is aware how his mission functions in Nepal, we would like to tell him it is not the press that has been the loser. By exposing their intolerance to criticism, the Indian diplomats have not enhanced their stature. As it is, the Nepalese press are well aware of their discriminative nature of the diplomats in the said diplomatic mission. As such they attach least importance to the their prejudicial behavior. These kinds of behavior rather provide opportunities to the world to see the true face of the Indian diplomats in Kathmandu.