The resignation of Prime minister Lokendra
Bahadur Chand has, once again, exposed the self motivated politicians who are out on the
streets agitating against King Gyanendra. We had minced no words to express our
disapproval when Lokendra Bahadur Chand was appointed prime minister some eight months
ago. After wasting precious eight months, we are back to square one. King Gyanendra , it
is being reported, is under tremendous pressure from various quarters to
appoint their nominee as the prime minister. Since our prime priority, at the moment is to
establish a lasting peace in the country and hold the general elections at the earliest
possible time we would again like to make our humble suggestion that King Gyanendra must
not give in to any pressure and appoint a person who is capable and least controversial as
the next care taker prime minister, if he has not already done so. If the Maoists are
willing to join the new government they should be given a chance to prove their worth.
This would not only facilitate the peace process but also take the wind out of the sails
of all the corrupt and anti-national politiciansí uncalled for agitations. Since the
Maoists have no alternative but to come to an understanding with the power that be, they
have to eschew all rhetorics and pressure tactics and work for returning to the democratic
process without delay. They must not associate with all those discredited politicians
whose only objective is to grab power to fill their filthy pockets. No ghost need come
from hell to prove their corruption and anti-national behavior as stooges of alien forces.
If we still fail to learn from past experiences, we wonít able to blame any body else if
we have to face greater uncertainties and destabilizations. We do appreciate the concerns
of our good friends for an enduring democratic regime. But we cannot understand, neither
appreciate, why our good friends back the corrupt politicians who should be rather put
behind the bars for their crime. Do they back corrupt politicians in their own country? If
they are really good friends of the poor Nepalese and want their lot to improve they must
not support the already tried and found unfit politicians but help generate a sitation
where new and untainted politicians would emerge and lead the nation. We do believe, they
do not have any ulterior motives to interfere in or influence the course of politics in
Nepal. As such, they must always use their good offices to help honest, clean and
transparent politics to develop and take deep roots in our country. Since King
Gyanendraís one and only concern could be nothing but the good of the country, he must be
able to withstand all internal and external pressures, shun all sycophantic advices and
look for honest, patriotic and efficient people. There is no dearth of men of integrity\.
One must make sincere efforts to find them. Our country needs them badly. More so, at the
present juncture. For a nation like ours political stability is the sine qua non for
safeguarding our sovereignty. And so one would dare deny that it is the king and the
institution of monarchy that have the biggest stake in our sovereignty.
The death anniversary of King Birendra and
other royalties bring to this scribeís mind sad and nostalgic memories of June 1, 2002.
The person oozed hope and radiance in every smile and mannerism would meet the most
gruesome death a short while later could not have entered even the remotest part of my
imagination. His bubbling effervescence was unescapably infectious and had completely
overwhelmed me. The ninety minutes I spent in his presence has passed as it they were
ninety seconds. The implied trust the late King reposed in me by asking me to offer my
humble advice on certain burning topics had elevated my spirits and I was greatly elated
when I returned home that evening. My deference for King Birendra had shot up a
thousand fold when he apprised me of his serious concerns about the country and took me
into his confidence. It is not possible for me to put into words my feelings of depression
and desperation when I was awakened by a telephone call at about 11.30 that night
and told about the unimaginable catastrophe that had hit the country. The Nation had
suffered an irreparable loss. But like all dark clouds having some silver linings, Nepal
could still boast of having a capable successor to King Birendra. The best homage the
nation can pay to King Birendra is to rally behind King Gyanendra and cooperate with him
to lead the country under his able leadership as a constitutional monarch. Since there can
be no alternative to a democratic regime and since King Gyanendra, too, is committed to
abide by the role prescribed by the Constitution, all patriotic forces have to unite at
this critical juncture of our nationís history and defeat the evil intentions of all
inimical forces trying to harm the country. This only can be the fittest tribute to Late
King Birendra who had always cherished the ambition of seeing a prosperous Nepal under a
democratic dispensation. n |
