The ‘condition’ of
Nepali people was comparatively better before ‘Democracy’
-Laxman Kumar Regmi, Kathmandu
He originally hails from Palpa district in the
Western region. This district has offered the nation some of the best technocrats,
diplomats, thinkers, linguists and indeed politicians. This week we have picked one from
the same highly qualified district for an interview for our distinguished readers.
He did his Masters Degree in Science (76.5%) with
Statistics, Mathematics and wrote thesis on Demography. At 43, Laxman Kumar Regmi is at
the moment the Head of Department in Statistics and Mathematics at the Everest College in
Kathmandu. By the way Mr. Regmi possesses the honor to be one of the Founding Fathers of
this college as well.
This Mathematician also had a brief stint in London
where he served for the British Broadcasting Service-Nepali service albeit.
In fact he was in London to secure his one-year
course in Masters of Business Administration-MBA.His past experiences include a one-year
at CEDA where he did demographic works. Regmi worked for 13 years as Lecturer at Nepal
Commerce Campus under Tribhuban University.
He has several research works to his credit and the
one notable among the many is his research on "Factors affecting Fertility rate in
Nepal".
Last week at a social gathering we approached this
scholar for an exclusive tete-a-tete to which he readily agreed. Below the results-Chief
editor
TGQ1: Mr.Regmi! As a responsible citizen of the country, how you assess the
overall political situation in the country? Also tell us how the governments formed after
the advent of the new order have addressed the people's grievances, pains and the likes?
Do you consider their performances were up to the mark or just the otherwise?
Mr.Regmi: The political situation in Nepal has now become worse. It seems as if
there was no government in the country. Ruling Party is involved in the internal conflict.
Democratic norms and values are forgotten by the leaders. Nearly eleven years passed since
the Democracy in the country, but people got nothing except the increase in crime, terror,
bribery, corruption, injustice, weak law and order etc. Frequent Nepal Bandh has almost
paralyzed the tourism sector. The communal party is trying to spread communal violence in
order to break the country. The condition of Nepali people was comparatively better before
Democracy. The elected governments have not been able to meet even a few public
expectations. Politicians are fighting for not to develop the country, but to quench
the thirst of power. Normally, politicians of ruling party and opposition as well are more
interested to please apparently the Indian leaders than to work for the country. As a
result, people are totally dissatisfied with the government. It is no wonder to say that
our government has shown very poor performances in terms of governing the country.
TGQ2: The Maoists' issue has already taken
frightening dimensions and is apparently gaining sympathies from the laymen by default.
Perhaps it is because of the abject failure of the governments of the day formed after
1990 regarding their malperformance and malgovernance. To what extent you subscribe to
this general view or would you prefer to furnish other causes or even wish to differ?
Mr.Regmi: You are absolutely right. People are showing sympathy towards Maoist,
not because they are influenced by Maoism but because they are disappointed with the
performances of the government. As the democratic party came into power in Bikram Sambat
2046, it had to work with the bureaucrats of the old system. At the same time, opposition
party was quite new to the Democracy. Due to these problems, the government could not work
comfortably for the people. As the days went by, opposition party started showing
cultured activities where as the leaders of the ruling party began to fight for the power
inside the party. As a result, the people started losing faith in the government and
showing sympathy to the Maoist. In Bikram Sambat 2052, Falgun 1st , the CPN Maoist
declared war as the then government did not try to meet the Maoist's demands. At that
time, the government did not take it seriously. Instead of dealing with them, the
political leaders were involved in buy-sale game of parliament members to come into the
power, which led to form the corrupt governments. Naturally, this kind of game hurt the
common people. Still, violating democratic norms the governments crushed the people who
came to the streets against its malfunctioning. And I already mentioned most of our
politicians want to work as per the advice of Indian leaders. All of this foolishness of
government has pressed the people to join or support Maoist party.
TGQ3: A strong civil society is perhaps the
backbone of a strong democratic system. Given the fact that such societies in Nepal are
either very weak or exhibit political preferences in their conducts which has definitely
confused the lay men. What would be your personal opinion regarding the activities of such
pressure groups, which benefit the nation, and the society that ultimately strengthens and
consolidates the system what we possess today?
Mr.Regmi: I cannot oppose your statement. It is true that our country lacks
strong civil society. As we know, majorities of people are not educated, a few handful
persons are leading the society. These people are well educated, but not responsible
citizen. They have earned their property by illegal means like cheating, taking bribes,
smuggling etc. They always run after power and money. They are quite clever to make people
foolish to serve their own interests. But, I don't think, these people always can be hobby
in the society. Now, even the laymen are trying to come forward and they have realized
that the education is a must to struggle with the social evils. As responsible and
qualified persons replace, automatically there will be strong society, which strengthens
and consolidates the today's system.
TGQ4: Corruption, rampant corruption in the highest echelons of the political hierarchy,
in the ureaucracy, in the donor funded projects has perhaps brought the Nepalese economy
to a grinding halt and is about to collapse as we are told. What measures should be taken
to curb the menace that has already eaten the economic stamina of the country? Should the
King-the constitutional monarch having no say in the present dispensation as per the
constitution- intervene? Or we ourselves devise mechanism to check this ever-spreading
disease. Your comments please.
Mr.Regmi:This is cent-percent correct. The bureaucracy in our system is just like
the old wine in the new bottle. We got the Democracy, but could not get the rulers with
democratic mentality. They are democratic in speech, but not in action. Because, the
bureaucrats guide them who have conservative minds. Now, every mechanism of government has
become weak. Even the assistant level government staffs take bribes for the simple case.
Local leaders do not hesitate to misuse the public money. In each ministry, there is
rampant corruption from minister to assistant level worker. In addition to this,
smuggling, drug-trafficking, women trafficking etc are common now. These are other factors
to weaken our socio-economic structure. So, how Nepalese economy can be strong! In this
situation, there is no way out, rather than to go to the brink.
Therefore, to fight with these evils, first of all,
the institutions established to protect civil rights should be free from political
pressures. Next, the responsible persons of such institutions should be of high moral,
honest and dedicated to his duty. And also, it is necessary to prepare the kind of
environment, which help new generations to produce committed, educated and moral
politicians.
I don't say The King should intervene now, because I believe in Democracy. But I don't
mean that King must remain silent in every kind of situation. He should make political
parties alert and provide them suggestion in such situation.
TGQ5: Media too in Nepal is politically biased. Instead of informing the people, we , I
mean a lot amongst us, have been providing false stories suiting to our political
interests and affiliations. What in your opinion the media should do and function in order
to safeguard the system now in place? Your comments please.
Mr.Regmi: Especially government media like Nepal Rdio, Nepal TV, Gorkhapatra are
totally biased. I don't hesitate to say that they provide false stories too if the
government feels it necessary. Most newspapers and magazines, which are funded by the side
of ruling or opposition party, are also biased.
Any event connected with politics is explained differently in different papers. So, yellow
journalism has got a big room in our country. But, I think, this trend would disappear in
some years. Because these papers will gradually lose their credibility among people. As we
know, some non-governmental media like the papers Kantipur, Spacetime Daily are becoming
popular, because they don’t seem to be biased as others. In conclusion, the media
should provide true information to the people as long as it does not bring any disaster to
the nation. But it is not good to broadcast or print the fact, which hurts the nation's
interests. For example, the news about Hritik Roshan's statement against Nepal and Nepali
in local newspapers led to a communal violence which took the life of at least two
persons. So, media should function by following code and conduct of journalism in order to
safeguard the system and nation's interests. |
