By Narayan Prasad Mishra Nepal had multiparty democracy in the 1960s when Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was the country's King. On December 15, 1960, he dissolved the parliament with several charges against the then government of the Nepali Congress Party on the charge of corruption, nepotism and favouritism, promotion of the party against national interest, failing to maintain law and order, etc. Political parties were considered the source of fighting among themselves rather than working for the country and people. At the same time, they were considered the source of corruption, nepotism, and favouritism against the welfare of the people. He introduced the Panchayat System, a party-less democracy with a new constitution, on December 16, 1962. Political parties were banned in the country. The system was called a partyless democracy as it had all democratic values except the parties - periodic election, parliament, elected government, a free independent judiciary, fundamental rights, etc. However, extraordinary power was vested in the King. Since then, there was a fight between the pro-multiparty people and pro-partyless system followers called panchas in the country until the end of the Panchayat System with the people's movement of 1990. As the parties were banned, the pro-multiparty people worked for their cause in whatever way they could against the panchas and panchayat system. In disguise, they formed different political organizations to work for their cause in this context. The student organization was one of them. That was their way of forming a group like a party, as the party could not be opened because of the constitution and law. The motive and aim of establishing and conducting these associations and organizations were political, not professional. It certainly worked for that cause and would have been necessary during that period for their motive. But now we have multiparty democracy. No one has to hide to work for a political cause, doctrine, or philosophy. We all know that our country has so many parties and may be the richest in the number of political parties in the world. In these circumstances, it is undoubtedly unnecessary, unwanted, and harmful to politicize educational institutions, corporations, factories, industries, businesses, or government offices through associations, organizations, and unions. But we know all our major parties have student organizations and associations. Similarly, they are conducting unions in different sectors - corporations, factories, industries, and offices in the country. We see the same situations even in professors' and teachers' associations and organizations with pro-democratic professor's associations, pro-communist professor associations, etc. They also function like political units. All these associations and unions are working as the political party's barking dogs and hunting tigers and lions. When you keep dogs, tigers, lions, or other animals or birds as pets, you certainly need to feed them and reward them for making them act according to your wish. All the parties are spending money on all these things and spoiling the atmosphere of professionalism in the country. It is so unfortunate that our leaders of almost all parties do not feel bad and ashamed to speak about the importance of democracy with this undemocratic culture in their blood. Everybody knows it. Everybody feels it. Very often, they show their undemocratic culture in dealing with their opponents. The organizations like Tarun Dal, Youth Force, and YCL are showing their strength and power over the general people through the strength and power of the group and party. We know the history of YCL and how much they terrorized the people taking law and order, police, army, and judicial power into their hands. Still, we see such incidents here and there though not much compared to the past. Because of these organizations, sometimes we see group fights between them, like gang fights between gangsters. That is very disturbing and heartbreaking to watch, which one would not expect n a civilized society.  

Vice-Chancellor Dharma Kanta Banskota

We know the recent case of locking the Vice-Chancellor's Office of Tribhuvan University by the Nepal Student's Union, an association linked with the Nepali Congress Party for the last few months with several demands according to the reports published in different newspapers. Just a few days ago, they had a fight between two student organizations - Nepal Student Union and the All Nepal Independent Student Union for locking and unlocking the Vice-Chancellor's Office at Tribhuvan University. That was so unpleasant to hear. Vice-Chancellor Dharma Kanta Banskota and his team expressed their inability to work peacefully. They even requested the government to protect them from the security threat on August 28 by organising a press conference. We all feel the case is political rather than educational. Because we know that is the way the educational institutions, banks, corporations, and government offices are run in the country. When the organization's boss is from your opponent group, you feel you have to disturb him, right or wrong, under your parent party's guidance and direction. This is the situation in our country where humanity is lost in the fight among political parties. After the introduction of the multiparty system in 1990, we know in general, the Vice-Chancellor also is appointed as some party's stooge and acts as the party leader or follower the same way, the students look at him and treat him like some party's leader or follower. The vice-chancellor and his team work as the representative of the political parties but expect to be treated like academicians and educationalists. They hesitate to accept the truth. That system was visibly established after the introduction of the multiparty democracy with its first Vice-Chancellor, Kedar Bhakta Mathema, Registrar Sudarshan Risal, and Rector Debendra Raj Mishra after the term of the vice-chancellor, B.C. Malla with his multiparty coalition team of the Nepali Congress Party and the Communist Party. Vice-chancellor Mathema is the one who is responsible for giving retirement to 21 dedicated professional high officials before the legal retirement age in Tribhuvan University's history in 1992; with his political strength and decision which I witnessed and experienced. At that time, Dr Govinda K. C. had not existed to help the victims and fight for justice as today. If he were, perhaps he would have gone to fast unto death for their justice against the injustice. In this context, I, with great respect, remember Sardar Rudra Raj Pandey, appointed as the vice-chancellor by King Mahendra in 1965, not because of his chakari (sycophancy) or being Pancha but by requesting him to be the vice-chancellor because of his multi-faceted knowledge, experience, contributions, and writings. He was the guru of almost all gurus of Nepal at that time and was equally respected by all - professors and students, society, and people. My late beloved wife, Shanti Mishra, and I had an opportunity to work with him closely and share and learn his knowledge and experience. I regard him as an ideal vice-chancellor to the extent of my knowledge. We must have a vice-chancellor of that knowledge, experience, and calibre who commands respect from almost everyone in the country. We must eliminate this wrong system if we want to develop our country with the participation of professional people in all sectors. Let us make our students and teachers pure students and teachers devoted to studying teaching and research, not politics. Let us keep free all our offices away from party politics. Let us make our vice-chancellor the pure vice-chancellor, not stamped as a political stooge of some party. Let all parties stop keeping different associations, organizations, and unions like pets of dogs, tigers, lions, bears, and jackals as their party commandos, gangsters, army, or police, if they love our country. Let us create all pure associations and unions where there is no ray of politics. It will be highly appreciable if they form an alliance on this excellent purpose and take the country on the right professional path to benefit all. Let them fight their political game in politics - election, parliament, forming and toppling the government but not in other holy places to study or work. narayanshanti70@gmail.com