Off The Record (Spotlight Weekly)

Friendship Matters

Former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, whose party is one of the major partners of Nepali Congress which has a bitter relations with the Deuba’s party, enjoy warm friendship. Although Deuba and Nepal are standing in two different camps now politically, they share the common feeling. At a recent public meeting, communist leader Nepal declared that he would have no objection if Deuba’s government was reinstated. After listening to his sweet words, Deuba also immediately responded by saying that his party would endorse Nepal’s candidature for the post of prime minister by the five parties. Amid the standing ovation of their party workers, Deuba and Nepal also hugged with each other. Whether in the politics or family, friendship always matters.

Forgetting The Meaning

Nepali Congress leaders seem to be unaware about the meaning of reconciliation. Although there are many leaders in Congress who have always claimed to be the loyal followers of B.P. Koirala, they have always distorted the ideology propounded by their own leader. One of the basic thrust of B.P.’s nationalism was the compromise among the political forces for the cause of nationalism. But one of his so called follower and central committee member Naraharai Acharya seems to have understood it the other way round. While addressing a meeting, Acharya suggested his leaders should not meet with the King till he does not fulfill their demand. What kind of reconciliation Acharya is teaching to his party leaders and colleagues. Although veiled as a praise to his dear leader Girija Prasad Koirala, Acharya’s statements serve only to trash the whole idea of reconciliation. Whatever it means, former university professor Acharya seems quite happy to speak what was planted in his mouth.

Local Leader

President of Nepal Peasant and Workers Party Narayan Man Bijukchhe became angry when former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba called him Bhaktapure Neta (Leader of Bhaktapur). Bijukchhe countered Deuba by accusing him of being a pawn of regression. Deuba immediately countered that argument pointing to Bijukchhe that this Bhaktapure was also responsible in creating the present situation. Had Bhaktapure not recommended to postpone the election date, I alone would not have done so. When Bijukchhe objected to his remarks, Deuba asked him to label him as a Dadeldhure – as Deuba hails from Dadeldhura district. Whether Bhaktapure wants to support Deuba or not, the war of words disturbed the interaction program for half an hour.

Bewildering Attitude

Although they do not forget to project themselves as being anti-Indian, most of the communist leaders prefer the Indian education institutions to send their children for higher education. From meeting with the Maoist leaders to educating their children, and seeking advices from other Indian communist leaders, CPN-UML leaders frequently travel to India. UML leader Ishwor Pokharel, whose children are also said to be studying in a convent school in Dehradun (India), had gone to the Indian capital last week. But this time, he was, according to the account of Pokharel, interrogated for more than 14 hours at New Delhi airport. Angry Pokharel, a politburo member of CPN-UML, called a press conference denouncing Indian move. Next day, student leaders of UML also chanted anti-Indian slogans at New Road. Thanks to the anti –Indian statement of the communist leader Pokharel, Indian authorities will now have one solid basis against Nepal. They can now say that Nepalese leaders are always anti-Indian - whether India allows them to meet with the Maoist leaders or questions them on their meeting with Maoist leaders.