National 7 (Spotlight Weekly)

Can The King Do Right?

By Kuber Sharma

All over the country the intelligentsia and common men alike have welcomed the King Gyanendra’s endeavors to assume the traditional role of the King. We appreciate the courage of conviction of His Majesty to accept the challenges facing the country whereas party leaders who created them are shirking responsibility. Simultaneously people unhesitatingly pose a question whether the King can implement his promises. Their doubts spring from the choice of persons as Prime Minister and members of present cabinet who could not carry out Royal Directives in Panchayat days. Prime minister is taken as shrewd administrator and die hard defender of partyless panchayat of old days. Panchayat system never had mass support. Persons participating in the election of panchayat from village panchayat to Rastriya panchayat (partyless parliaments) were acting under the active guidance of Chief District Officer and Anchaladhish (Zonal Commissioner). Those not having the grace of the palace could not win the election. Panchayat system was protective and very-very vigilant to keep political parties and its leaders outside the arena of panchayat polity. Pancha’s feared ideological contamination of parties and power sharing with party leaders. Parties were banned and party workers were treated as second class citizens. They were denied governmental favours and had to live with fear of arrest under treason. Then parties did not have enough resources like today nor did they have open support from foreign government and fraternal parties.

Under multiparty democracy of twelve years the misuse of authority and state money along with party supported corruption alienated the voters from political parties. Hidden acts of corruption were exposed trough leaders having cars, bungalows and luxurious life style. That created disenchantment in common people and detraction from multiparty democracy. The collusion between bureaucracy, police and constitutional bodies promoted the rule of powerful parties. Even the elections results were manipulated in favour of those parties.

The ovation that King is receiving today is against misdeeds of political leaders. For the King to be successful he has to start with cleaning operation. The job is difficult and complicated. Those losing the privileges and facilities and facing prosecution will certainly go against the King and Monarchy. If King does not penalize corrupt and foreign guided politicians eventually people will be disappointed. Corruption has increased in government offices under this cabinet and peoples' work is not attended to by officials without bribe. To control corruption and implement poverty alleviation programmes the present corrupt and politicized bureaucracy must be overhauled. Decision making process must be quick and result oriented. People are not expecting any meaningful reforms from old Panchas. This writer has recently concluded a political tour from Hariyali Nepal Party from Kathmandu to Jhapa in support of King’s speech at Nepalgunj on 8th February, 2004. Everywhere people are expecting from the King good governance and quick result. People are not supporting street agitation of parties. I could see in Rajbiraj, Biratnagar and Birtamod agitators’ shouting slogans against Monarchy. There were not more than 15 to 20 students aged between 8 to 20 years. Disgraced old hag district leaders a few in numbers were extending moral support from footpath as spectators. Maoists have heyday in villages as police post are withdrawn to district head quarters. They openly roam around villages, threaten people and collect donations. Villagers fear reporting to security forces as Maoist can take revenge anytime in future.

To maintain public support King has to meet people’s expectations. On the out set people want a clean government with multi party democratic image. They want King to appoint a new face as Prime Minister with honest and democratic credentials. They have no confusion about the present government. They are convinced that the present government is trying to revive old partyless panchayat. It has been proved that Pancha can not mobilize people nor they can take risk like political workers for their belief. In recently held student’s election the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party could not field any candidate throughout the country. Nepali people want change for better governance. The mobilization of backward class by the Maoists is a big threat to Monarchy, democratic parties and plural society. I call this phenomena “power of the power less”. Unless the state acts swiftly to give honor and dignity to the agitated poor victory may slip off from the hands of liberal democrats.

(Writer is Chairman of Green Nepal Party)