Off The Record (Spotlight Weekly)

Chand's Experience

Chand : New experience

Different politicians have different experiences of living in house arrest. Former Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand - who broke the political stalemate and released the leaders of agitating parties in 1990 - was himself put in house arrest for a week. He spent most of his time to complete his books. In his political career, this was the first of its kind experience to Chand. Former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa - who was sent to prison for six months in 1973 - had a second experience in his life.

Taking It Easy

Mandal : No change

Former deputy prime minister and leader of Nepal Sadbhavana Party Badri Prasad Mandal seems to enjoy his house arrest period. " I found that it was a good time to spend talking with police and knowing about the situation through them. I don't have to say anything about it and this is my new experience." Former deputy prime minister Mandal does not have any priority right now. From his early political career as the president of District Panchayat of Morang to the latter one as a minister and deputy prime minister, Mandal has enjoyed all the aspects of political life.

Wait Is On

Even as a batch of politicians have been released from house arrest, country's oldest and senior most politician Girija Prasad Koirala and former deputy prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal are waiting for their freedom. Nepal is said to be reading books like communist manifesto but nobody knows what Junior Koirala - who has already spent his long life in prison since1947 - is doing now. In the past, Koirala used to spend his long prison terms by reading books and magazines.

Secretaries In Hectic Schedule

Till two weeks ago, there were so many ministers and assistant ministers that the secretaries had to manage many chairs for them. Following the constitution of new cabinet, many ministries remain vacant and secretaries are busy doing all the duties earlier performed by two ministers - including a full and an assistant minister. Whether they like it or not, the secretaries are working as three-in-one. In some ministries like the Ministry of Science and Technology, the secretaries have heaved a sigh of relief as they finally have something left to do. Earlier, in the ministry, which had only two departments and an autonomous academy, the appointment of two ministers made no sense other than that of political compromise.

Coincidence Or What?

Whether it is a coincidence or not, the timing of many prominent Nepalese artistes deserting film industry and the setting in of recession in the Nepalese film industry is the same. Although some artistes have returned following a few years of stay outside the country, many more remain in the far away lands. From popular actors and low-level actors, all seem to be searching for the ways to desert the industry. In the absence of popular artistes, it seems, the industry is suffering.