5 Questions

Due to the deepening crisis in the country of late, I have decided to bring in as many intellectuals for interview as could be made possible so that my valued readers could listen to differing interpretations to the current stalemate. (However, we will continue to bring in noted scholars as usual in this column.) In the process, this week we invited one gentleman from Biratnagar, one from Janakpur and the rest from Kathmandu.

The non-partisan intellectual from Janakpur is a very respected name in the society where he lives at the moment. He is a social worker of national standing as well.

Of the three from Kathmandu, one is a senior journalist (the chief editor of People's Review weekly), the other is a noted littérateur and the third one is a student of political science and is affiliated to Nepali Congress.

The questions posed to all these interviewees are different but revolve around the current crisis. Below the results - Chief editor.

Personal and partisan interests have triumphed over the national interests

Mr. Megh Prasad Upadhyaya, Intellectual and Social worker, Janakpur Dham

TGQ1: How you, Mr. Upadhyaya, assess the situation in the country since the restoration of the democratic order in 1990? Your comments please.

Upadhyaya: Democracy is considered to be the best form of governance world over. But our experience for the last 11 years has proved that it is no longer a universal truth. Multi-parties' polity has not delivered in Nepal. During this period we have had an experience of both single party rule and multi-parties coalition, but every formation was found wanting. Instead of channeling their efforts for the national development they fritter away their energy for internecine quarrel. Personal and partisan interests have triumphed over the national interests. Every means, fair or foul was resorted to enrich their personal coffers. Even RED PASSPORTS were rampantly misused. Over politicization of every field of national activity has done an incalculable harm especially in education and administration. Corruption and nepotism have their hey days. The enumerate bundh and strikes at the drop of the hat have wrought a havoc in the national economy, tourism which is the backbone has to bear the brunt. The law and order situation in the country is going bad to worst. Not to speak of villages and remote areas of the Kingdom, even in the very heart of capital, people do not feel themselves secured. To top it all, the menace of Maoists specter has added fuel to the fire of prevailing frustration and discontent.

If decisive and immediate steps are not taken to stem the rot and retrieve the situation, it is likely to deteriorate beyond redemption and even the nation independence may be put in jeopardy.

RPPs idea of convening a national conference is timely

Mr. Bhogendra Thapa, Intellectual, Biratnagar

TGQ2: How you, Mr Thapa, interpret the fresh R.P.P proposal which aims at the convening of a national conference for arriving at the solutions to the current national crisis? Your comments please?

Mr. Thapa - Well, it is necessary for us to know the reason why R.P.P has in mind the course for lunching the national conference. To recall, nearly a year ago the chairman of R.P.P Surya Bahadur Thapa had indicated keeping in mind the different problems existing in the country, that it was necessary for launching of the conference in order to solve those problems in due time.

The R.P.P chairman has put forward once and again before the people and the government the proposal for convening of a conference which is participated in by all responsible political parties of the country. Due to the visionless policies acquired by the present congress regime the Maoist violence, bribery, deterioration in the law and order situation of the country and differences among various political parties have increased. In the final analysis, the condition of the country is definitely in a very critical state. Therefore the RPP chairman has strongly said in the fresh proposal that that no single party can solve the present problems and lunching of the National Conference was necessary and that it is only way through which the above mentioned problems can be solved.

If we keep in mind the geographical, historical and social status of the country there are three major powers in Nepal namely the people, parties and the King which are all interdependent of each other. So in order to solve the problems piled up since a decade or so it is necessary to convene the national conference proposed by the RPP.

I strongly believe that only national conference can solve those problems faced by the country. I hope that all the responsible parties of Nepal, the people and the government should not waste this opportunity.

CIAA warning testifies Koirala's direct involvement in Lauda affair

Mr. Pushpa Raj Pradhan, Chief editor, The People's Review Weekly, Kathmandu

TGQ3: Should Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala resign considering the warning served to him by the Lauda scam investigating authority-the CIAA. Your exclusive comments please Mr. Pradhan!

Mr. Pradhan: Of course, he must resign. The CIAA warning itself is strong evidence that Prime Minister Koirala was directly involved in the Lauda airliner procurement deal.

Furthermore, his resignation is a must in order to resolve many other pending political issues including the Maoists' insurgency as well as the present democratic dispensation.

We all are aware that the winter session of the parliament came to an end without having any business. The Opposition parties demanding Koirala's resignation disrupted the entire session.

When the opposition parties are not satisfied with Koirala and a strong section of dissatisfied lawmakers does exist within the ruling party, what Koirala has to do then he should understand.

Whole of the country is disturbed on account of Koirala. Thus if he has any affection for his motherland, he should resign.

The word 'democracy' is losing its attraction

-Krishna Joshi, Littérateur-intellectual, Kathmandu

TGQ4: The national crisis has taken a dangerous dimension. What you would suggest Mr. Joshi, to the current leaders of the nation? Your remarks please!

Mr. Joshi: Yes! The national crisis has taken a multifarious dimension. No one can feel safe. People of the villages have come to the district headquarters. People have started selling their properties there and are pouring in Kathmandu. In the capital, there occur serious incidents of broad day light robbery, dacoity and other unwanted attacks on the lives of the people. General strikes, bundhs have imparted negative impact on the common people. Educational institutions have been closed which has affected the ongoing examinations at different levels. Not only that, the government's functioning too have been paralyzed. In some districts other self-declared local bodies have replaced elected local bodies.

I do not think any person of any rank and file can suggest best alternatives to deal with the emerging situations. One best suggestion, I think could be to accept the larger interests and the needs of the nation and her people. One needy and hungry and unemployed citizen can never be satisfied with the colorful speeches, lectures and Panditya of the leaders. Instead of giving colorful consolation of words, it is time for the ruling party, other political parties to understand people's interest and to forget party and personal interests. We should not forget that during the last decade of this democratic system all the interests and needs of the people had been brazenly neglected by the leaders because of which the masses have developed some sort of disenchantment with the word democracy.

Suitable alternatives to bundhs are available

Mr. Hari Gautam, NC activist, Kathmandu

TGQ5: Who benefits from bundhs? How you take, Mr. Gautam, such regular bundhs?

Mr. Gautam: No body benefits from such bundhs. The fact is that the people are against the bundhs but since they were not organized so they can't protest. The general life in Nepal is paralyzed. The sponsors of the bundhs apparently have no responsibilities towards the common people. This people know. The national economy is the hardest hit by such bundhs. It has affected the entire industries and the daily wage earners as well. The bundhs have created an atmosphere where no body feels secure. It has also affected one's private freedom, human rights and more so the working rights. We fought for the institutionalization of people's basic rights during 1990 but we have now forgotten those facts and have been infringing upon the basic rights of the citizens.

In my opinion, such irresponsible disruptions should not occur only for the sake of protest. There could be several other suitable alternatives for such bundhs. One has to remember and calculate the losses that the nation and the people have to bear prior to calling for such closures.

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