The proxy rule

Our foreign minister bunks the cabinet meeting for a photo session with an ambassador only to declare that no border encroachment has happened. This is the height of insensitivity.

By Basanta Lohani

The anger pervades the land. More than the anger, the anguish is percolating. What happens tomorrow nobody knows. The republic is fragile. Yes, our society like any other is an extended form of individual collectiveness. Thus, absurdity in some form is inherent. But how do we the Nepali people cope up with the ongoing drama, transcending the Theatre of Absurd. This is an everyday drama, which is sad, comic and violent, breeding never-ending pain and agony. It stopped generating even the peals of laughter long ago as it paled into void. The political characters have become impossible, thus, losing their bottom line. The plot is just power grabbing at other’s behest. Is it a ‘proxy rule’? Here I remember few lines from a poem:

Appears to me dejection absolute -

A state,

Where I keep pace in vain,

With time's flow, a protraction in absurdity.

We have a prime minister but no government. It is incomplete even after almost three weeks of its formation. It took ten days for a three-member cabinet to become nine-member. But most of the ministers discharge their ministerial responsibilities without having any portfolio. As the newspaper report goes, the Indian ambassador tells that he has already asked for the cabinet expansion. His today’s interview has a kind of residual undercurrent of a viceroy psyche the way India was ruled as a colony.

The eighteen-year-old Khagendra Thapa Magar brought to Kathmandu the other day for his registration as the shortest person in Guinness Book of World Records is only eighteen inch tall and weighs four kg. If this government continues at this rate, it will deserve no lesser a feast

All the three major coalition partners of the new government are in disarray. It is all because of the greed. This very greed has always been politics in Nepal for alleviating poverty to such an extent so that people can be prosperous. It is more so now while ushering an era of ‘New Nepal’. Surely, politicians comprise people. Thus, their poverty has mitigated to such an extent that they have metamorphosed themselves into the stinking new rich of our country. While serving the people, they have surpassed those in business whose profession is to earn money. Politics is the most lucrative profession in Nepal for name, fame and riches once one is tamed by the lords.

We can see what is happening to the party holding the key of the government - Madeshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF). When head gets profuse rain, river swells. So does passion when brain gets profuse external ideas or stimuli. MJF is split decisively for this government to continue. This party was split quite a few times earlier too for specific convenience. Ask its Chairman Upendra Yadav who is yelling at the top of his voice how Indian agents destroyed his party while his deputy J.P is parleying in Delhi to contain Gachchhadar.

UML’s strong man K.P Oli, who has relieved party president J.N Khanal from almost all the decisive work, is currently in Delhi for medical checkup. If we jog back along our memory lane, the leaders of the seven political parties were in India for medical checkup prior to the delivery of 12-point understanding with the Maoists on November 22, 2005. Let us hope there is no delivery except recovery of the government this time. Girija Babu’s health situation is not very good either. But he achieved his feast the way Nepal’s Great Poet Devkota described once: Life is the richest feast for man here born". His greatest feast for having born here is his success in making his daughter lead the NC ministers in the present coalition. He deserves congratulation!

How much are we to hear their lies, cope with their betrayal and constantly see their deceitful faces? The nation is plundered; the institutions are on the verge of tearing apart; the monkey business continues with new vigor. Our land is being encroached and people in Dang villages have had to runaway for new shelter. But our foreign minister bunks the cabinet meeting for a photo session with an ambassador only to declare that no border encroachment has happened. This is the height of insensitivity.

Only 17 percent of our land is cultivable. Our southern neighbor is constantly ponding our land by building unauthorised barrage even up to the point to no man’s land and displacing millions. From Girijapur barrage in river Karnali to Babai, and from Laxmanpur to Rassiyal Khurdalotan, it is the same story of pain. Another barrage across the Saptakoshi in Dagmara is in the offing. The Indian state minister says: "Nepal only seeks advantages. Sometimes it should also accept losses caused by projects." This is another height of insensitivity. What advantage have we received except being cheated.

Ours is a nation. Like you, I am born to die. But this nation continues forever. Let us hope a statesman will come someday with a vision for this country.

Lohani is a Kathmandu based writer. He can be reached at: bklohani@hotmail.com

(Editor’s Note: Nepalis, wherever they live, as well as friends of Nepal around the globe are requested to contribute their views/opinions/recollections etc. on issues concerning present day Nepal to the Guest Column of Nepalnews. Length of the article should not be more than 1,000 words and may be edited for the purpose of clarity and space. Relevant photos as well as photo of the author may also be sent along with the article. Please send your write-ups to editors@mos.com.np)

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