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LETTERS |
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LETTERS |
People Indifferent After all, Nepali Congress leaders have
shown their true faces ("A Divided Lot", SPOTLIGHT, June 21). They have ruined
their chances to rule for five years, in accordance with the people's mandate, by their
endless bickering. But what difference does the split make to the people? Neither faction
had ever thought of the people's welfare when they were 'united'. Where they have proved
their adroitness is in exploiting the sentiments of the hapless people to advance their
personal interests. Shekhar Basnet Hide and Seek It had been just a few months since the UML
and ML and the rival RPP factions united. Nepalese politicians cannot stay without some
hot issue around them. Perhaps they have decided that it is the Nepali Congress' turn to
show the game ("A Divided Lot", SPOTLIGHT, June 21). Don't worry dear people,
they will unite again. This is just the first scene of the play. The Deuba-Koirala merger
will come later. Ram Krishna Shrestha Preserve Religious Sites Cultural and religious sites in the
Kathmandu valley are on the verge of ruin because of growing human activities and
government apathy. Officials have not taken concrete steps to preserve our rich heritage.
The area around temples is used as garbage dumping sites. The people have started invading
the land around the temples. Centuries-old idols of god and goddess are vanishing as
smuggling flourishes. Unfortunately, donations collected for repair are not being properly
utilized. The government should take firm measures to save the cultural and religious
monuments Nepal is internationally famous for. Their originality must be preserved as far
as possible. It is the duty of every citizen to take care of heritage sites. As done by
the Pashupati Area Development Trust, illegal settlements and shops around the religious
and heritages sites must be removed. A major problem is that culprit feels they can go
scot-free regardless of the crime they commit. The time has come to punish those who
violate the law. I think strict law enforcement and active participation of the local
community can protect our centuries-old monuments and temples. Nirakar Poudel Mastered By Power I enjoyed reading your coverage of the
tragi-comedy of the dissolution of the House of Representatives. It is sad that the Nepali
Congress has become so dysfunctional despite winning 113 out of 205 seats in the 1999
general elections. Party president Girija Prasad Koirala has been front and center in this
sorry drama. The ageing leader has a fatal flaw: power has mastered him, not the other way
round. In terms of mental make-up, Koirala remains frozen in the 1960s, when he was the
leader of an India-based party in (armed) opposition to the state. This explains his
pathological inability to trust, and to share with, those outside his closest circle of
family and caste. Th ex-PM has pushed Nepal to the edge of political and economic ruin,
and his own party to chronic political disarray. One is reminded of the words of British
politician Julian Amery, who, in 1939, rose in the House of Commons and said to his weak
and indecisive leader Neville Chamberlain: "Go! In the Name of God, Go!"
Chamberlain resigned. Will Girija go? Mithun Jung Skewed Agenda The UML found it convenient to raise the
issue of the 1950 Nepal-India Peace and Friendship Treaty as its one-point agenda during
talks with a delegation from the Communist Party of India ("Debating
Non-Issues", SPOTLIGHT, June 21). The UML continues to take pride in the fact that
then-premier Manmohan Adhikari had raised the issue during his India visit. For our
political parties, it seems this topic has become like Brahmastra (the last and most
powerful weapon) of Ashwathama (a character in Hindu epic Mahabharat), who had only
partial knowledge of the weapon and did not know how to tackle the situation once it had
been fired. Highlighting such a serious issue without being able to settle it and then
advancing it as certificate of nationalism makes a mockery of the people's intelligence.
Is this a matter of quiet diplomacy or a trumpet at the Festival of Horse at Tundikhel?
Such tendency has once again exposed our immaturity on the diplomatic front. Why do we
roam around pleading our case if the treaty is really discriminatory toward us? Why don't
we unilaterally abrograte the treaty as per its provision? Suraj Poudyal Little Interest Although petitions have been filed at the
apex court demanding the of the House of Representatives, there is very little interest
among the people this time ("Court In Politics", SPOTLIGHT, May 31). The
judiciary, it is hoped, will take a decision that would not aggravate the situation.
Although legal experts are bound to define the issue from legal and constitutional
perspectives, they should also take into account the state of the country before reaching
a decision. Om Gurung Premature Judgment Though your article "Man of
Maturity" (SPOTLIGHT, June 7) painted CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal in
bright colors, it might be premature to judge his leadership qualities. How can one forget
that this is the same man who organized a three-day-long shutdown strike just a year ago
as part of the campaign to oust then-prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, whom he has
befriended now? At most, Nepal can be called a political opportunist. If he indeed has
changed his behavior, as your article seems to suggest, then good for him. As far as the
people are concerned, they are not yet ready to give him the benefit of the doubt. Nepal
would have to do many positive things before he can even stake a claim to statesmanship. Bijesh KC |
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editor: spotligh@mos.com.np |
