Brilliant ideas get lost in the midst of bad politics

-Mohan Gopal Khetan

Very few people possess the needed courage to ventilate their inner feelings in a direct manner. They do so in the larger interest of the people and the country.

It is widely believed that the if a nation were to flourish by leaps and bounds, she must have some courageous gentlemen in the society who could pinpoint the ailments of the country and come up with genuine formulae for the solutions to those issues and problems confronting the nation. The nation is not bereft with such men who have been talking on these lines with a hope either to bring the country back to the original track or on how to develop the country at a faster rate in order to meet the pace of development in the neighborhood. It is altogether a different matter that such valuable ideas and suggestions go to the dogs more often than not for varied political and unexplained reasons. This is culture of intellectual poverty on the part of those who should have listened to it.

A set is in Nepal which usually feels comfortable in not listening to the advices thus offered by the men who possess visions for the nation. Others have long-term plans for the country. The tragedy is that these brilliant ideas get lost in the midst of bad politics emanating from bad-political leaders.

Here is Mr. Khetan Mohan Gopal who at times comes out with his suggestions and proposals that if adopted could bring about substantial changes in the society. However, the fact is that his voices are lost in the midst of power corridors at Singh Durbar. But then yet this industrial wizard is neither exhausted with ideas nor feels discouraged by the sad behavior meted out to his ideas and views by the men who control Nepali politics.

Only recently Mr. Khetan in a bit of political mood has openly criticized the Nepali Congress for its non-delivery and malperformance for over a decade or so of its rule in the country. Khetan alleges that it was the NC and NC alone which brought Nepal to this chaotic state. In yet another jubilant mood he rejects the notion that we have ever had any sort of government since the King sacked Deuba government? "Those were the party-men in the so-called government who spent all their energies in recruiting their own party activists in lucrative posts while in power", says a beaming Khetan to a Tuesday weekly. "Can such acts be expected of a government of the sorts of Chand and Thapa", Khetan laments.

In yet another million-dollar revelation Khetan discloses that the bringing in of foreign financial experts to correct th disorders of Nepali financial institutions were a deliberate move of those who in effect brought the disorders in those institutions.

For example, Dr. Rawal, the current Governor at the Nepal Rastra Bank must be brought to book for his misdeeds in the Rastriya Banijya Bank when he was himself in charge of the bank. "In effect they have not been brought to improve the institutions but instead to cover up their own misdeeds", adds Khetan. Should this mean that we invite foreigners tomorrow to improve the political situation of this country?

In a sentimental mood filled with a sense of patriotism, Khetan proposes that if some fifty-sixty political/financial criminals were severely penalized, most of the country’s current ailments would be solved. In the same vein he says that I would have gone for awarding them capital punishment, but since it would invite the concerns of the Human Rights organizations and hence I would prefer them awarding heavy punishments so that others learn a lesson.

In the end, Khetan suggests all to act honestly what he or she has been told to do. A politician should remain as a politician and not become a businessman. Similarly, a businessman must continue with his business and not indulge in politics.

(Based on Mr. Khetan’s talks with Dristi Weekly dated 18 May, 2004).

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