Eventually Nepal will go for a grand reduction sale if…!

Even a brainless Nepali now could conclude that this nation has become the hostage of the political leaders operating this system. Even a senseless person of this soil could now openly tell the mass that it is the whims and the arrogance of the leaders belonging to the congress and the communist camps who have practically ruined the nation and that too well within eleven years or so of this new dispensation. By the same token, the responsible persons, if any, of this country can now openly say that if the managers of the system were corrupt and irresponsible of the sorts of what we most unfortunately possess at the moment, the nation does not need external enemies for its total and calculated destruction. Similarly, what could also be said of our leaders that if they continue for long in the nation's political scene or say if their political hegemony is allowed unfortunately to linger for some more time in the days ahead, the nation will not only go bankrupt but would rather have to invite tender bids for a grand reduction sale.

The merciless manner in which the nation is undergoing through the trauma of three day bundh in series due to the most irresponsible acts of the major opposition in the parliament could only be said that if the nation possessed some more destructive parties of the sort of the UML, the country would have definitely been sold predictably a couple of years back.

We wonder as to why the civil society members, intelligentsia, the responsible press, the independent scholars and non-partisan observers plus the champions of democratic system of the West do not utter a word against the prevailing chaos brought about by some fanatic political parties of this nation? The UML must understand that such Bundhs would not and could not shake Prime Minister Koirala from his declared stands and that he would not tender his resignation till ad infinitum. The communists' factions who have joined the UML band for the time being must also understand that the party they have joined temporarily is a number one opportunist. Should some miracle force Koirala to resign, the UML will itself wish to be in power with the tacit support of the congress man who would presumably replace Koirala in the next set up. The smaller factions would then be shown the thumb by the UML.

The price the nation had to pay due to this bundh on political and economic terms is beyond our imagination and calculation However, what we can presume at the moment is that politically the name of "democracy" has touched a new low in the eyes of the people-read the lay men and excluding the beneficiaries from the system- and economically the nation must have gone down by ten years. As if this were not enough, yet another bundh is awaiting us all tomorrow sponsored by the ethnic communities.

The ultimate fate of a guardian less and parentless country is bound to be like this. Nothing to wonder.

India's changed stance bodes well for SAARC

Indian diplomacy is really unpredictable. The manner the Indian Prime Minister Atal jee extended invitation to his almost bete noir, the chief of the executive of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Pervez Musarraf, has surprised many a brains in Nepal and by the same token should have come as a bolt from the blue to the peace loving literati of the entire South Asian region. The sudden change in hearts of the men manning the New Delhi establishment is very hard to imagine but yet what could be said of India and Pakistan is that the leaders of these countries more often than not adhere to such politics as and when they find themselves badly engulfed in their own domestic politics. In doing so the leaders apparently wish to divert the attention of their public to some other issues at least for the time being.

However, Indian Prime Minister Bajpayee must be offered kudos for what he has done by inviting the military ruler of Pakistan presumably with the fervent hope that peace be given yet another chance in their bilateral relations in particular and in the region in general. The other side too has responded positively to the fresh Indian overtures, which bodes well for the entire region.

Nepal has reasons to rejoice over the new positive developments seen in Indo-Pakistan relations simply because it is this country that has been forced to feel the brunt of the animosity that has dampened their bilateral ties since five decades or so. Should India and Pakistan come to terms, it is this country alone that will benefit more than any country in the region for understandable regions. Apart from this, it is this newspaper as well, which became the victim of Indo-Pak rivalry in Kathmandu. So who else would be happier than Nepal and this newspaper if the two arch enemies come to terms this time?

Be that as it may, we applaud the decision taken by Indian Prime Minister to meet, better late than never, the Pakistani ruler. The Indian gesture will definitely go a long way in the maintenance and the institutionalization of peace in this part of the globe. Fortunately enough, Pervez Musarraf has already declared talking to the BBC Monday that he will spare no efforts in making this "peace talks" a historic one. He also applauded the courage exhibited by the Indian side in inviting him for the talks in Delhi.

To give peace yet another chance to prevail in the region, we hope that both the belligerent nations-India and Pakistan- will utilize the impending opportunity to the maximum that ensures a permanent friendship in between the two. By all means, an enhanced Indo-Pak friendly tie is in the broader interest of the smaller nations of the SAARC. Let us all hope that the SAARC process gets a new energy after the proposed meet of the two heads from India and Pakistan and resumes its business as usual. After all, it is the SAARC process that has suffered the most due to Indo-Pak never ending rivalry.

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