Read writings on the wall!

The sturdy Panchayati regime, which ruled the nation for all along thirty years or so, crumbled within forty-nine days of the beginning of the popular movement of 1990-to recall. It did collapse so easily because it had no popular support at the grassroot level. Neither it enjoyed the sustenance from the nation's intelligentsia nor from the leaders who exploited the nation to the hilt in the name of the regime. A system that is hollow from within, sooner or later, falls like house of cards. The people then supported the movement wallahs simply because they aspired greater benefits or were given to understand in that manner. However, the shameful performances of the successive governments formed after 1990 within the last ten years plus perhaps have jiggled the population to the extent that some enthusiasts have openly started deriding at the present leadership. However, Mohan Niraula-a film actor in effect- who hit the media headlines for all along the whole of the last week for his "unacceptable and unfit utterances" made at the meeting must be damned as he has exceeded the functions of the duties of a citizen that only follows after the rights. There could be no denying that if Niraula uttered those words that have come to the open, he should be penalised under the laws of the land. However, the manner the Nepalese politicians and the leaders manning the current system exhibited their perturbation in Dhirendra-Niraula's case perhaps also hints at the fact that the leadership controlling the nation got the subtle communication very clearly. A sizeable chunk of the population already are not happy with the functioning of the system and in no way could be considered to have gone in favour of the common men save a few close to the leaders and their henchmen. The manner the lawmakers gave unmerited weightage to almost a non-issue demand consideration. Equally interesting is the method they took and distorted the issue in question apparently gave an indentation that they were scared of being stripped off of the perks and the facilities to what they all have been enjoying from the national exchequer under thie system currently in place. They also gave an impression that if the system collapsed of its own weight they will come to the footpath where they had been not in the distant past. Undenyingly, had the leaders and the parliamentarians dedicated themselves for the public good, such utterances aimed against the system would not have come into the open. However, the past ten years' performance is there for all to see. Except making the former "revolutionaries" rich at the cost of the teeming millions, nothing concrete has been achieved so far unfortunately. This should not mean that the system itself is faulty. No! it is not that and if some subscribe to this view, we say a big no to that untenable and exaggerated theory. Instead, we are of the strong opinion that due to the sheer follies and utter dishonesty of the leaders, the credibility and the legitimacy of the system have been brought under debate. After all it is the persons who run the system. If the person is a rotten egg what can be expected of that system run by the rotten egg. Here egg is rotten not the system.

The Dhirendra-Niraula occurrence positively gave an opportunity to the people to criss-cross the gains of the system and the performances of the present day rulers. This is the beauty of democracy. However, the serious mode in which the leaders/parliamentarians took the actor's utterances- which he denies now to have said on those lines- also amply testifies that our parliamentarians wish to concentrate on debates that are of no value to the common men. Instead of making uproar in the house of the sort witnessed last week they should have brought into debate pressing issues such as, for example among others in the external front, Kalapani, Laxamanpur barrage and the enundation that followed thereafter, 1950 treaty reviewal, regulation of the Nepal-India border and Bhutani refugee issue plus many more that need their redressals from the otherside as quickly as could be made possible. However, the Nepalese parliamentarians appear not that much interested on matters that have certainly a direct bearing on Nepal's genuine national interests. Perhaps this also explains as to why voices of the sort of Niraula's appear at times. Predictably, if the leaders and the politicians do not mend their ways and deliver goods to the people and if they do not come up to the mark soon, it would perhaps invite consequences of the highest order. Many Niraula's will voice their sharp criticisms against the leaders. That time it would be difficult for the leaders/lawmakers to control the angry and the agitated Niraulas' who would be in sizeable chunk encompassing all the corners of the nation. It is here at this stage that one should recall Samuel P. Huntington's prediction that the third wave democracies would see possible reversals solely due to the follies of the leaders and the politicians who remained instrumental in restoring the democratic orders in various nations, Nepal included in the 90s. The leaders must also recall that the Nepalese people have formed a habit of looking at the political effects in a serious manner well after a lapse of ten years or so.

Read the writings on the wall! 

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