Off The Record (Spotlight Weekly)

Koirala’s Utility

Older the he is, worse his response is. The response the Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala, who held the prime ministership for more than seven years in the last 12 years shows that the man seemed to have learned nothing. Defending actions of his students, former Prime Minister Koirala blamed the failure of security forces for all the past events. Does he take Hrithik Roshan episode as a failure of his role as then prime minister when the country witnessed rampant destruction of public property? His recent reactions show that former prime minister is proving to all that he does not have any utility.

Strange Leaders

Nepalese politicians always show strange characters at the time of crisis. When a security personnel of a lower rank stopped former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala at the airport requesting to follow rule, all senior political leaders condemned the actions as a humiliation. When Congress workers destroyed properties worth billions of rupees calling general strikes, the Congress leaders hailed it as a spontaneous response and termed the police actions against the party workers as being retaliatory. From RPP leader Surya Bahadur Thapa to CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and other five parties all denounced the police actions against the hooligans. When police maintained certain restraint, politicians came out accusing them of impotency and non-action. As long as all the political parties are protecting the hooligans, no actions will be effective and lawlessness will continue to flourish. This culture of lawlessness will gradually create problems for all.

Furious Gautam

Gautam : Fury at hindsight

The CPN-UML leader Bam Dev Gautam too has his own complaints against the police. Just a few days ago, the fire brand communist leader Gautam - who was asked to walk for a few second for security reasons at the airport, is still furious against the behavior of police and security forces. Gautam – who claims as a leader of the proletariat – seems to be interested to secure VVIP treatment. His claim as being a champion of common people is just as hollow. When a large number of common people have to pass through various security check-up, they want to enjoy special privileges at the airport.

Deuba's Loosening Grip

Prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba seems to bee losing his grip over the party as some of his close colleagues have already deplored his recent failure to protect the public properties. From Dr. Narayan Khadka to Bijaya Kumar Gacchedar and Gopal Man Shrestha, who are his close colleagues, all have expressed their loss of faith on him. All these three are out of the government, which could also be the reason why they are critical of the performance of the government. Prime minister Deuba split the party following the differences with the Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala. Now Deuba is facing another challenge to take all his colleagues together.

Lost Tradition

Congress leader late Ganesh Man Singh used to treat late B.P. Koirala as a close family friend. The feeling was mutual. But this age-old family friendship seems to be eroding. This time when minister Prakash Man Singh, son of G.M. Singh, was stranded for two days in Biratnagar - the hometown of Koirala family, he seemed to have forgotten his family tradition. Due to the curfew imposed in the capital, Minister Singh stayed at a guesthouse in Biratnagar instead pf staying at Koirala's residence, Moreover, Singh also made every effort to lure anti-Koirala group into his newly formed party NC (Democratic).

Trusting Comrade

In the absence of the CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, senior politburo member Amrit Kumar Bohara was automatically promoted as an acting general secretary. Although K.P. Sharma Oli is senior than Bohara in the party, the CPN-UML general secretary Nepal wants to have his own confidante in the leadership of the party when he is abroad. Nepal knows Bohara is more trust worthy and friendly to him than ambitious Oli.