Street agitation is a "part-time" recreational job to keep cadres' morale high - Bharat Lal Nyachhyon, Proprietor, The "Tian Rui" Restaurant, Thapathali, Kathmandu

I spent my childhood in Ga-bahal in the Patan district.

Likewise, I obtained my entire education from Kathmandu up to becoming a Management expert. However, I am at the moment running a Chinese Bistro, The TIAN RUI, located at Thapathali, close to the Banking office of the Nepal Rastra Bank.

Well my opening into the domain of politics should be some where after the decree of the 1980 referendum by late King Birendra. Me and a few of my colleagues were arrested that time for having dishonored certain referendum rules. Being a democratic minded person, it was only but natural that I took the side of the democratic forces represented by the Nepali Congress.

My fondness towards the Nepali congress was due to the fact that for me it was only this party which advocated liberalism, freedom and had worked for the democratic standards and values since decades and decades. Moreover, since the erstwhile system did not allow all these freedoms to the people, I measured that it would be better if I joined a social- political gathering that was guided by democratic ideals in letter and spirit. I also thought that it would only be a democratic system that will garner people's involvement for the cause of nation's development.

I also believed in the hypothesis that in order to build a nation, the people needed free atmosphere which could only be allowed if the nation have had a democratic system.

Regrettably, the ideals that congress campaigned relentlessly for decades is cramped today only in the theories but not in practice. I am of the opinion that had other political forces been liberal and fairly democratic as congress, the congress of today would have already collapsed with no trace even of the party. Thanks that NC's competing rivals in the national scene lack these qualities that the congress is surviving yet. Moreover, the congress is still alive for it still provides one the impression that the party is in favor of democracy and its universally accepted and adhered morals. The vibrant and the energetic congress of the bygone era is nowhere to be seen today. Like it or not but this is a hard certainty.

There has been a predisposition in the party's leadership to push its own men or relatives in higher positions caring little about the contributions of those in thousands who brought the party to this stature. The leadership can't escape this allegation and thus Girija Babu as the president and the guardian of the party too must accept this allegation.

The party broke because of the arrogance of the party leaders on both the sides. The NC leadership could not analyze in advance the games being played by those who wished a vertical split in the party. Undoubtedly, the party split did benefit anti-democratic forces in the country.

Girija-Deuba tussle?

Regarding the moves of Deuba and Girija, let me put it differently. I see both the leaders committed a crime and thus were answerable to the people in general and the NC party in particular. The manner Sher Bahadur Deuba was served an provocation of 24 hours was if bad then those who served the ultimatum too were bad guys. It should not have happened at any cost. Here again, the sentinel of the party can't escape the blame for the split in the party.

King's moves of October 2002?

The men picked up by the King after the October moves were not that popular and proficient enough. Neither they could understand the real intention of the King then nor could match with the velocity with which the King wanted to move. In effect, the leaders chosen by the King spent most of their precious energy in deriding at the system. Instead they should have acted against the fraudulent behavior of the leaders who had handled the system for all along twelve years. They should have hit hard at the inconsistencies that had crept into the system due to the shortsightedness of the leaders of the system. Unfortunately, the King's team considered that the people were against the system. However, that was not the fact. The reality is that the people were not against the system in place but rather were tired of the leaders who were corrupt and had remained instrumental in giving a very bad shape to the popularity and the honor of the system. The result was that the people suspected the very moves of the King and his men in the government.

King's move then was correct but the manner it was carried through were objectionable. The present setback which the King's move is facing today could have been well averted had the leaders gone in for local level elections and brought the Maoists to talks.

Now it is more or less a proven fact that the country has embraced regression.

Of the street movement? Well it is a mechanism to keep the party cadres in motion. To me it is a sort of "part-time" recreational movement which will lead nowhere.

Having said that let me admit that the street agitation has at best brought the issue of parliament restoration to the fore. Those who opposed this idea in the past too appear convinced. This is a good omen indeed. I also see some point in it.

In effect, it could be one instrument to keep the system alive in letter and spirit.

Maoists movement? Well this appears to me a political romanticism of the highest order. It is a movement that has at best used all the political parties of the country and concurrently has been used by the parties as well at different intervals of time in the past. At times it is alleged that some alien forces too have used this force as well.

I still don't know what Maoists movement is in effect? Is it a political one or a terrorist outfit? No clear definition as yet has come. The tragedy is that Nepali leaders when not in power see the Maoists as a political force and when in power call them as terrorists. The fact that can also not be easily dismissed is that the self-styled sympathizers of the Maoists have been doing so out of fear. I doubt its cadres to have joined the party on a voluntary basis. I consider the Maoists to be a feeble force. However, what makes them muscular is theirs having guns and effective use of violent activities.

My submission under such circumstances would be to all: restore the parliament; initiate peace talks at any cost; accept the idea of going to the constituent assembly elections even if it restored peace; all the leaders should possess positive attitudes in the larger interest of the nation.

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