King yet to clarify why he selected Deuba-the 'incompetent' one again

-Kedar Subedi, Editor, The Rastriya Bimarsha Weekly, Kathmandu

I am occupied in this profession since 1982 tentatively. The first newspaper which provided me a break was the then SAMIXYA Weekly, a very popular and most read weekly among the critical Nepali brains. It was upon the joining of this weekly that I declared that I would from this time forth remain as a journalist for the rest of my life.

For me, media was a profession, which facilitated me to express my own, and others' feelings and push the ideas for the consumption for the wide spectrum of the readers and hence in my eyes this sector is one of the best among the multitude of the many. This prompts me to announce that any one who so ever is in journalism can augment his or her career to the satisfaction of the others provided he or she adheres to the basics of the profession. I am happy being in this vocation.

Well, Samixya weekly for reasons got closed which made me to move to BIMARSHA weekly.

Including my stint at the Samixya and the present stay in Bimarsha weekly makes my engagement in this sector more than twenty-four years.

It would be an act of sincerity and modesty as well to reiterate that some prestigious Journalism awards have come to my bags. Thanks all those who appreciated my views worth the decorations.

Journalism for me is both a business and a profession. Both appear interlinked. It is also a occupation that forces one to decide on how to lead the society towards better and to send message across the society on how and why the societal evils widespread in our environ is damaging the very societal fabric. Journalism, as I see it, is not a profession to hound a Prime Minister. Neither it is a profession which should make or unmake a prime minister. I disagree with some who have been exhibiting their pre-eminence complexes in that regard. This is just intolerable.

If it wouldn't be a matter of self-praise then I wish to tell you that one of my columns, the "Popular Episodes", which is at the moment to the tune of seven hundred in series, is under a research by one student at the Ratna Rajya campus. It is these episodes, which have uncovered so many irregularities in government and society. The day such episodes come to the open, the government tries to correct those irregularities upon studying the write-ups. It is a good sign, which is what as a journalist I wish to happen.

Professionalism? Yes those were different days and now we have a different political atmosphere. To me, still, we haven't changed for the better. I observe we more often than not still write editorials possessing certain bias. The editors or for that matter the publishers have some hidden agenda in their writing. Prior to 1990, we devoted our time and energy in changing the system. At the moment, we concentrate on how to replace one minister or any one bureaucrat by the other set. This is a bias, which is what should not have happened.

I don't think that there has been a enthusiasm for journalism. We have many media institutions and thus the students. To me the flood of journalists in town should not mean that they have come or wish to join this sector because this profession has a charm of its own. We have the potential but not to the extent that is being advertised. However, there is also a bad trend in this profession wherein one joins one media house and upon gaining experience for quite some time he or she prefers to quit the first one in lieu of the other wherein he or she is seduced for greater facilities. The practice goes on and on thus destabilizing the entire media sector. A threat looms to all who have been promoting such a negative trend in journalism.

There has been a change in the society of late. What is for sure is that if some news appear in the press, people act in response to it which heralds later a change. Equally true is that Nepal today is being run under Royal decree, which in itself is not a healthy happening to begin with. However, we all have been accepting it pleasingly without knowing that such precedence bode ill for the overall political health of the country.

I would bluntly agree that it is we the people, the political parties and the civil society who have contributed for the failure of the state. The Maoists are not to be blamed for our own failures.

I am in dilemma on how to characterize the political parties. Whether they lack a real and strong leadership or they themselves do not wish the country to run as per the rules of the land is what has been puzzling me all along. But then yet what is confirmed is that I don't see the existence of political parties in the country. Most of the parties have spelt out their agenda in their manifesto, however, whenever they are in power, they either forget or try not to adhere to what they themselves claimed while drafting the manifesto. This exposes their internal weaknesses. It is in this background that parties have lost their credibility in the eyes of the people. Take it for granted. Moreover, our parties never reveal their sources of income. They lack internal democracy and at times behave that they were superior to the state. It is not. The state is paramount. Add to this we have leaders who don't have stand on their commitments. Look, the Iraqi incident should have been mourned, but our leaders kept on making lectures and lectures only.

King's role? Well! Well! Well! The Nepali Royal must have remained a debate less institution. Unfortunately, it is in the debate. The parties are in debate. The ministers are being questioned. The leaders' integrities are being challenged. It is at such a time the royal institution, as a de jure guardian of the state, should have been a place for the citizens for solace and shelter. However, unfortunately that is not. The King, as I see it, should have stuck to his own Royal expressions both in words and deeds. It is not that. The King has yet to explain as to why he selected Deuba as nation's prime minister when he himself had dubbed him as an incompetent one some two years ago? Does this mean that he has picked up a political animal that even this time can't hold elections?

Whom should we call our parent, or our guardian? If it is not the King then who else? The King must see that his revered institution is under severe attack from all quarters.

Maoists to me appear like a misguided political entity that enjoys in chaos and violence. It is the education sector that has been hard hit by their violence. Even the media men have not been spared. It is up to them as well to ponder whether Nepal should invite foreign forces on our soil for the solution of this issue?

The solution to this issue has got to come from our own leaders, good or bad. It is the king and the king only who can bring even the dissenting voices together and get an amicable solution to the Maoists imbroglio. I think that if the King summons all the political parties both in government and in the streets and tells them all to find out a solution that satisfied the rebels as well, I think the solution would come right here in Nepal. However, the question is why the king is not doing so?

Headline | Dateline | National |  5 Question  | Editorial | Letter | 2nd Impression | Views | International | Tête-à-tête with Amandine | Past