Non issue made issue!

The sad events that have unfortunately followed in series after the Hritik Roshan episode in the length and breadth of the country could safely be said that all those whatever happened bode definitely ill for this nation. The Nepali national sentiments that virtually remain in slumber for years and years suddenly gets its shape and that too in a very violent form as and when Indian film actors like Nanda, Dharmendar, Madhuri Dixit and the likes utter derogatory words against our population and the nation as well. In the process some verbal war of words takes place here and across the border and the respective governments find it very difficult to bring the whole-disturbed atmosphere under total control. The final outcome has been that innocent people on either sides of the border have been the victim of our meaningless fanaticism. This is too bad and unacceptable. In our understanding, the feelings for one’s own country should remain in our hearts all along and that too in active form. The feelings must be utilised for constructive purposes and not in a manner what we observed during the event. The fact is that Nepal-India ties have absorbed such calamities several times in the past. The fact is that our linkages at the people to people level are profound and deep-rooted which absorbs such occasional shocks easily as and when they do occur. There have been efforts to destabilise Nepal-India relations by persons like Malkani on either sides of the border but the timely and appropriate reaction and its instant correction by concerned sides have every time calmed down the people’s ire. The Indian government’s prompt reaction to Nepali feelings and the subsequent friendly messages coming from Delhi all hint at the fact that our ties will not be swayed by irrelevant and unfriendly remarks made either by Malkani in Delhi or his counterpart in Nepal. The South Block by quickly responding to Nepali feelings and its immediate response to the Malkani utterances perhaps has saved the bilateral relations to touch a new low. Our man in Delhi also deserves appreciation in having been able to sound the Nepali reservations over Malkani’s notorious remarks. Malkani in turn also understood the gravity of the situation and thus apologised unconditionally. Wisdom prevailed on both the sides.

However, what is unfortunate this time is that the event that caused so many lives in Nepal-read the Hritik Roshan remarks-has not yet been substantiated and the poor boy in Mumbai has been repeatedly clarifying that he has not uttered any such remarks which insults Nepal and the Nepalese people. Without substantiating the allegations, our national feelings, our love and honor to our nation apparently went to the dogs. To possess deep national feelings for one’s own country is not a crime. But what is a crime if such feelings are based on petty whimsical matters such as the one the nation witnessed just last week only and which causes colossal loss to the prevailing national unity, national integrity, and communal harmony and above all to the bilateral ties and to the national economy as well. Sudden outbursts of national feelings and sentiments on trifling matters only will demean the meaning of what we are talking about.

The continuation of such sad events for long is neither in the interest of the people involved in such business nor is conducive to the overall health of this democratic system. The chaos must come to an end.

Frightening signals!

The gelatins which were made to explode in the private quarters of three congress functioning stalwarts Sunday evening amply hints that the law and order machinery in the Kingdom has already gone to the dogs. That some elements could place the explosives in their private quarters at broad day light and the security men could not trace the wrongdoers forces us to think that what ever is happening in the country is not good for the health of the system. By way of reference what could also be deduced is the hard fact that when big-wigs like Sushil Koirala, Gobind Raj Joshi and minister Dilendra Badu were not safe from the attacks of the miscreants, talking about providing of the security to the common men is simply impossible and hence undesirable as well. The timing of the bombing has come at a time when the entire nation is at a fix. For example, the congress conflict is at its all time peak; the nation witnessed bundhs for days and days; national economy is about to collapse; the insurgents in districts have their own "functioning governments", the Hritik Roshan unsubstantiated remarks against Nepal and the Nepalese continues to haunt the nation; the government at the center has lost its legitimacy because of the very existence of a similar government in the districts; people suspect the presence and the very existence of the government; the talk of providing good governance to the people has taken a back seat ; the law and order situation has touched an all time low; Nepal-India bilateral ties witnessed a minor jolt and the killings of some innocent civilians by the police men during last week’s sad events and the fresh demand made by the nine left parties for the resignation of the home minister and his noncompliance to that and the subsequent Nepal bundhs and a hosts of other seen and unseen troubles all put together have weakened the very stamina of the nation. The bombings also hint at the fact that the Maoists insurgents as per their declaration were very much in Kathmandu and can exhibit their adventure should they wish to do so.

Talks and only talks could be the solution to this overly stretched Maoists imbroglio. The people can’t remain hostage of the Koirala government’s arrogance and stubbornness regarding its looking at the Maoists and their activities. The terror of the policemen during the day and the same of the insurgents during nights must come to an end. The international community based in Kathmandu also should understand the gravity of the situation as it has already obtained in the nation and do the needful in convincing the Koirala establishment to resume the now abruptly suspended dialogues with the insurgents and save the nation from the approaching collapse. Any delay made in this regard would mean the declaration of several more people’s governments’ in the districts whose declaration itself will be sufficient for the intellectuals to question the very legitimacy of the Koirala government at the center. The growing penetration of the insurgents in the districts and the government’s total failure in arresting the deteriorating situation there might prompt some quarters to intervene in the name of the people and the nation.

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