Supreme Court 'verdict bomb' hurts Nepali lawmakers'

Unimaginable does happen in this country. Absurd exhibits its existence in Nepal. How funny it was to learn that an earthquake of nine on the Richter scale was noticed inside Nepal's parliament last Thursday which created panic among the attending parliamentarians from all shades. Though the meteorological department tentatively declared that this years' rainy seasons had already come to an end, a lightening fell on the ramparts of the Nepali parliament which caused heavy and colossal damage to the indomitable aspirations and the hopes of Nepal's "democratic law makers".

Later it was known that the panic thus created were the sole creation of Nepal's Judiciary which apparently through a verdict sent chilling waves in the spinal chords of the Nepali lawmakers. The verdict stated that the lawmakers could in no way be allowed to distribute the fund meant for the lawmakers on their own unless a law allowed them to do so. This was sure to create a hysteria in and among the Nepali lawmakers. However, the Nepali lawmakers have a track record of "forging a sort of grand alliance" as and when their rights, legal or illegal, were hit hard by any responsible quarters.

This episode facilitated the convening of an extraordinary meeting of some of the lawmakers who took the Supreme Court verdict in a very distasteful manner. I reiterate here as usual that this write up not been penned here to cast aspersions on the very motives of our lawmakers. However, I must admit that this has been written to alert the common men as to how some of our representatives react to Court's verdict as and when it goes against their favor. I wish to present the whole affair in a refreshing mood having no intention to malign the prestige of our lawmakers. In addition, I must clarify my readers that not all of Nepali lawmakers possess the lust for money. It applies to only those, if any, who fit into the characters mentioned in the following paragraphs. It is with malice to none.

Agenda: How to cope with the SC's excesses

Place: Unknown place in Kathmandu's dark street avenue P4

Guests: Most of the panicked lawmakers

Time: Zero Hour Date: Zero month, zero year

Chief guest: Mr. X

The attending participants take their respective seats. The chief guest enters the room. All the gloomy faces in the room greet him.

Chief guest: Well, dear friends! You might be well abreast with the sudden developments in the country that have touched our sentiments and shattered our aspirations. The Dashami festival will, I presume, will all go to the dogs with the SCs fresh decision made last Thursday. I'm shocked to the extent that when I learnt about the SC decision, I had to rush to a nearby clinic. My family men told me later that I had to treat two bottles of saline water and then only I came to senses.

Now you all are free to comment on that but please be brief because the editor who will print it verbatim has told me that since he has some space problems so it would be nice if we all supply our comments to the point.

Mr. A: Mr. Chief guest! Perhaps I could be the one who is the most hit by the fresh SC decision.

All eyes turn towards Mr. A as he was talking nonesense, according to some. However, the chief guest told Mr. A to prove his admittance.

Mr. A: Look gentlemen! With that money, my wife and me were to take a short trip to Bangkok during Dashain time, which is not even three weeks from now. In addition to that, my son who is in class ten for three consecutive years too wishes to refresh his body-soul by being with us during the trip. My daughter who is intending to go to the States will need some dollars but alas! All have gone to the dogs.

Attending participants murmur sad! Very sad indeed!

Mr. B: I too have been given a jolt by this decision. However, I take it as an affront on the activities of the sovereign legislative by the nation's judiciary. How can I tolerate this decision which has made me almost mad for I can't think to enter into my constituency without this money. I had assured my voters, comprising mostly of my own relatives, that should I get that money, I will throw a party during festival time. Besides this, my wife too had been eyeing on that fund. Predictably, she too had some inner feelings which all got shattered and that too at a stretch. Dear friends! Let us devise some schemes so that the SC orders do not come in our ways.

Mr. C: Medical doctors have advised me not to speak in louder tones for yet another stroke might occur. The first one happened last Thursday when I was told by opposition lawmaker that the SC decision has come out as a blow to their aspirations. Abiding by the wise counsel of the doctors, I would suggest that a sort of silent-demonstration should be held around Singh Durbar in order to hint the SC that we were not happy with their almost life-killing decision. I would not speak more for obvious reasons.

Mr. D: I propose that let us all unite as usual. Lawmakers from other countries would do well if they copy the kind of "understanding and solidarity" that we possess at times when our "rights and privileges" are axed. Such solidarity we have already exhibited in the past. Our track record has been that though we differ on matters that have a direct bearing on nation's genuine issues, however, we come heart-to-heart on matters that are related with our perks and facilities to be granted by the parliament secretariat. This kid of unity-in-diversity is rare in other countries. The message is clear. Let us exhibit our solidarity once again. It is right time to teach a lesson to the SC.

Mr. E: In fact, we committed a blunder during the 1990. We should not have made Upadhyaya the chairman of the New Constitution Framing Committee. Since he was a man from the judiciary and hence he made the judiciary strong and has since then been poking into the affairs of the legislative. Let us all unite and create havoc in the House and push a proposal of "impeachment" against those SC men who have come heavily down against our rights. Lawmakers of the world unite.

Mr. F: No! No! Dear friends do not take the SC decision in that way. Don't interpret it wrongly. In essence, the SC decision is not against providing us all with funds. All that it says that we can have those funds only after the enactment of a law that guides the criteria and the procedures of the use of the funds thus provided to us. There is nothing to panic. We will get it any way time permitting.

Mr. G: I totally disagree with the statements made by my august friend. He is apparently taking the matter in a very light manner for his voters respect him very much as he has done a lot in his constituency. However, our case is entirely different than his. How can we face those friends back in the constituencies who extended their support to us at time of the election only on condition that they would be "taken proper care of"' when elected. The fact is that after the elections, I became so much busy in enhancing my personal earnings that I forgot that I have to visit my constituency again and again. In the process, I even did not recognize a friend of mine who worked for me day-in-day out at time of the election when he came to Kathmandu last month. Now tell me how I can show him my face this time and that too when I'm debarred with the lawmakers-fund!

Mr. H: Since last Thursday, I have not attended the parliament. I'm in a state of constant panic. A sort of terror terrorizes me every time since then. The SC decision will surely bring me to the footpath. I had a strong desire to utilise the money for the construction of a small cottage in Kathmandu. Who knows that I will be ever elected with the kind of service I've extended to my constituency? Bad days will soon follow me friends! I wish you all a very very happy Bijaya Dashami.

Mr. I: My consideration is rather different. The fact of the matter is that we have not remained true to the aspirations of the people who voted for us and elevated our ranks. We befool them every time. We do not wish to see them. We neglect their grievances for all along five years and reappear with ashamed faces again to seek their votes. All put together, our image in and among our own voters stands tarnished. Perhaps it is these sentiments of the people which the SC has taken into account and hence ordered the government to enact a law to regulate the fund. The SC decision is not against us. It is with us all along but wishes the fund to be utilized as per the instructions of the law. Let us not criticize the credibility of the SC. And more so in a democracy the court remains independent. Remember, the three organs of the state, legislative, judiciary and the executive, all have sovereign powers. All the three organs must do their jobs independently. I think the SC has done right job. I'm proud of Nepal's judiciary.

Chief guest: I totally agree with Mr. I's statement. Though I'm also hit very hard but yet listening to the comments made by previous speakers what comes to my mind is that we the lawmakers have tarnished our images in these past "democratic years" and hence the people wish to suspect even our genuine and pious motives. Let's vow today that we will never speak flimsy and irrelevant words. Let us vow that we will remain ever obliged to our voters. May Goddess Durga Bhavani take care of our immediate "financial problems" and make the impending festival a lively one.

The meeting comes to an end. Some console. Some go wild. Some take lessons. The rest curse the Maoists for making the "bottles" to vanish from Kathmandu shops.

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