Past nineteen months of King’s rule too have not been able to solve problems confronting the nation

Gagan Thapa, General Secretary, Nepal Students Union

I basically come from Solukhumbu where I was born.

My fondness towards the Nepali Congress began when I was a teenager. Those were the days when the party was outlawed by the then command. Since most of my connections possessed penchant for the party, it was only but natural that it had its bang on my tender thinking as well. This is how I entered into the party-politics.

By a sheer chance, one astrologer had told me in advance that one day I would acquire name and fame in politics. I did not believe then. However, that has come to true to a certain extent.

Later when I came to Kathmandu for my schooling in the early 1990s, looking into the demonstrations against the Panchayat regime, I concluded internally that Nepal and the Nepalese needed democracy. Add to this, in the school itself, the demand for a democratic state was already under forceful debate.

Interestingly enough, my parents too had nourished a desire to see me as a doctor or for that matter an engineer. However, that was not to happen. Instead, I collected an intense craving to serve the country and the people in whatever ways I could, being in politics. It’s already fifteen plus years of my vigorous involvement in politics. Albeit, the politics I do is on behalf of the students.

As regards to the presumed height I could have attained over these years of my engagement in politics, well what I wish to say is that the recognition and a bit of prestige whatever I might have gained, have all made me more responsible. I feel that a sort of greater responsibility has come over my shoulders, which I must continue, in the larger interest of the people, the country and in the name of democracy, and of course of the students whom I represent.

Till the other day, I used to be a cadre of a political party. Now I consider myself being accountable for the entire society. This demands from me more seriousness and active involvement in the field wherein I am today. The supposed height I have ( is it that?) so far attained has made me to conclude, "We can bring about a considerable change in the society and the country".

It must be told here that the past thirteen years of the system what is in place today could not gear itself in favor of the people for whom it was meant which resulted in the development of a negative thinking among the population regarding the very suitability of the system. A bitter lesson that was learnt over these years is that the political parties must remain committed to the people’s aspirations and delivery goods if the system were to continue for long. However, the agitation that is going in for one year or so has made me to think that it is only democracy that is able to satisfy the needs of the people. The democratic system was not at fault at any point of time. Faulty were the deeds of the leaders of the political parties. We all must act in a manner that sustains the system.

As regards the slogan in favor of the republican order of late, let me tell you that it is not a slogan that is there under the spell of frustration or any temptation. What we have felt that it is the monarchy that has always come in the way of democracy. All that we want the King to assume a role that is prescribed to him in the 1990 constitution.

The fact is that Nepali Congress has ever championed the cause for the cause of constitutional monarchy. The puzzling fact is also that the NC has ever been attacked by monarchy. This is very difficult to understand.

We wish that the King remained as a benevolent monarch. If he does so will automatically make him a popular monarch.

I wish to communicate to the King to consider the fact that if he is a King of the 21st century; the people too belong to the same century. Thinking too has changed. He should act in a manner to what he talks and declares. Let me add here some comments. Well, taken for granted that after sacking Deuba his intentions were all pious and good that could have been guided by his sincere desire to act in favor of the people. However, the past nineteen months of King Gyanendra’s rule too have not been able to solve the Himalayan problems confronting the nation. The issues and the problems remain intact. How to take this?

Now the King, as a serious monarch that he is, I am told, must not think that he could on his own and alone could sort out the issues plaguing the nation. He must now take the support of the political parties in order to provide a safe landing to the national issues.

Well, I don’t think that the political leaders this time will cheat the nation for petty political gains, the chair at Singh Durbar, for example. The issue should not be who would be made Prime Minister? But how the appointment is made is our concern at the moment. How the political impasse comes to a settlement is our concern. The sovereignty must come to the people and it has got to be guaranteed that it would henceforth remain with the people.

If the leaders commit mistakes then well it would have a terrible negative impact on their own credibility which is already declining. But then we the students possess the confidence that the leaders this time will not deceive us all this time for trivial gains.

Talking on Comrade Prachanda’s presumption that we the students in one way or the other had been of tangible support to their cause is a misnomer. Comrade Prachanda took us in a different way which he should have not. To tell frankly, we are the ones who oppose to remain under the clutches of any one or any party.

To conclude our sloganeering in favor of republicanism by the Maoists as to have been aiding to their cause is at best a narrow thinking indeed. What should be clear to all and sundry that the question of the transformation of a society can’t and should not be a matter of certain groups’ very individual issue.

Comrade Prachanda must know that his pronouncement of the republic and ours is wholly different. The fact is that they were only similar in name but exclusively poles apart in its political content.

We stand for freedom but they have a different theory of republicanism. The fact is that the political plane on which our theory of republicanism is based is different with those of the Maoists.

In these circumstance, Prachanda’s talking high of my moves have no meaning. What we have been doing is for the betterment of this generation and for the generations to come.

However, I don’t think that the Maoists issue could be sorted out through the use of armed forced by the either side now in the struggle. Talks must prevail.

(Based on tête-à-tête with the editor)

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