By Yug Bahadur The political upheaval in Bangladesh has certainly sent shock waves in Nepal as well. And why not, when even the weather in this country is affected by what happens in the Bay of Bengal, it is sure that the winds of political change in that country will also flow into our own nation. So, it was not surprising at all to see the discontent of youths, when Prime Minister KP Oli and Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba were hooted during a public programme in Kathmandu a week back. Further fuel has been added to the fire by reports that some youths involved in the protest have been arrested. The anger we saw among the youths on that occasion was alarming and it left no option except to compare the anger that was seen in the public when the head of the government of Bangladesh had to flee to another nearby nation. This writer had written much before the present 'experts' had started comparing Nepal to Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, at least the country had made some accomplishments in different sectors, including its economy. But here, our leaders are still only engaged in blaming one another while doing nothing for the common public. So they are in a more terrible situation than the leaders in Bangladesh. One comedian has satirically said that if these leaders don't make way for others soon, they may not even have any helicopters waiting for them to flee from Nepal. Like I have written many times about an American ambassador, I think his name was Moriarty or something, who constantly said that the former king may have to flee by hanging on to the tail of a helicopter, I still remember some of the prominent editors who echoed what he said and always repeated that what the former king was doing was totally 'unconstitutional'. This was to earn some favours by pleasing this most intervening diplomat. I wonder why these journalists are so silent when political leaders have not only been involved in nation-destroying corruption but have also changed many regulations to protect themselves. Is this constitutional? Don't only preach, pray practice what they said in the past, specially about the former king who had said he would hold elections within three years and who had also denied the army to use force to kill other Nepalese. It has no longer become a huge surprise when the leaders of different parties are at each others' throats like we saw some days back when a popular UML MP said that the civil war initiated by the Maoists in the name of the people was a 'violent' act. The leaders of the Maoist party prevented this man from continuing his speech and a situation of these people physically manhandling each other almost took place in the hallowed halls of the parliament which most of us look up to. It would be repetitive to say I don't belong to any party, so I can openly admit in writing that I don't know this MP who drew the wrath of the Maoists. At the same time, I also don't know either Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Baburam or other Maoist leaders. Yet, I am sure these people may be angry about what I say now, that is, violence cannot be excused no matter for what purpose it is used. The Maoists certainly pushed back the nation by destroying infrastructure and threatening entire communities during the 'people's war'. So they should learn to accept this bitter fact that what they initiated in the name of the people was not what this impoverished nation which had lived for centuries in harmony needed. They cannot hide behind the veil of the 'peace process' for the misdeeds and other criminal acts they perpetuated in the name of that 'war' for the people. Killing of innocent people is not acceptable, whether it was from the Maoist side or from the security forces. But why is the international community and also our so-called civil society leaders not squeaking even a word about such injustices the innocent people had to bear for more than a decade? Just blaming the former king is not enough. This writer would like to also name one fellow who was a United Nations official who came here to give a finishing touch to the much-touted peace process. But this person with his 'different' personal behavior wanted to sow his own seeds and also spoil not only the reconciliation of this country but also many Nepali youths by providing them attractive salaries, has no comments on the differences that still exist in this country, many years after he satisfied his own interests. Now the Truth and Reconciliation Law has already been officially passed, but will only this law be enough to address the miserable and sad experience of the families of the victims and also initiate some action against the accused who murdered innocent people? This decision of the political parties and the government has been welcomed by many Western nations led by the United States, but none have even put one word about the terrible ordeal the Nepali people suffered during this period of conflict. Shouldn't the Maoists and specially their leaders like Dahal be held responsible for the carnage they created? Otherwise, just making one more law will mean nothing, unless individuals are held accountable, no matter on which side they were working for. Why are these 'democratic' nations so silent about this aspect of the ten-year-old conflict which displaced hundreds of thousands of people from their traditional homes and also instilled a sense of high insecurity among the other innocent civilians, who were neither on the side of the government or in favour of the rebels? For example, what wrong had the strong leaders in countries like Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria or Iraq done, that they were hounded out and even killed with the 'free media' always blaming them and siding with the views given to them by their biased governments? Has such moves brought any peace to these countries just because one strong person disliked by the Westerners has been removed? The result is right in front of our eyes for us to see. Despite the constant propaganda and also the role of stooges who only want to please their foreign masters, here in Nepal too, shouldn't individuals like Achyut Kharel the then IGP of Nepal Police, then home secretary Padam Prasad Pokhrel and even Sher Bahadur Deuba who had put a ransom on the heads of top-level Maoist leaders also be blamed for the many deaths of innocent people because they fanned the violence in this country more due to their acts? Naturally, the Maoist leaders also must also be blamed, but who is going to do this? The always preaching foreign democracies, their stooges here or just one law passed by these very fellows? Maybe not those who blindly follow what others tell them, but many others have come to realize that if democracy does not go hand in hand with accountability, it will be an open invitation for anarchy to creep into any nation, even Nepal, once considered one of the most peaceful havens in the world. While we can say nothing to foreign powers who constantly want to see chaos in every poor country where they feel they have to make their presence felt, we can at least remind our own political leaders that time may be running out not only for them but to the concern of the people, to the nation as well, unless some damage control is done as soon as possible. The common people have no option but to stay here, as we have seen in Gaza, Ukraine, several nations in Africa and South America, but unlike what the preaching American ambassador said, it is not the former king, but the present set of leaders who will have to keep a helicopter in a standby position, so that they can flee and enjoy their ill-earned money which made the nation poor and brought it to its present miserable condition.