By Yug Bahadur

The festival season has passed for now. Yet, the way people were affected by high inflation in the markets dismayed the lives of many citizens and we came to learn from the media that complaints of even the people living in Kathmandu could be heard, and these people are considered more well-off. So we can imagine what difficult conditions the others in far-off places had to face even in just trying to enjoy these two big festivals.

But sadly for the nation, the end of the festivals seems to be the beginning of more turmoil. For the political parties and their cadres, this may be alright, but for the common people, it will mean more hard times. No surprise the majority of the people are so disgusted with the leaders and also their supporters who always seem ready to agitate, not for the good of the citizens but for their own benefits.

Now it has been reported that almost all the major parties are planning some sort of protest, but there are two who have already started their agitation programs, they are the Maoists and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), whose leader is still in police custody.

The surprising thing is even the UML, whose president now is the prime minister of the country, is also planning an 'awakening' protest concentrated in Kathmandu. This is absurd.

More absurd is the fact that none of these parties seem to be protesting for the interest of the common people, they are only interested in their own political objectives. The media is also at fault for giving much coverage to these selfish programs of the political parties.

First to talk about the RSP, whose leader is in custody, isn't this the same party which had said it was totally against any type of protest which would disturb the normal life of ordinary citizens? But now it is trying to influence the court and also the government by holding protests, though it has few supporters in this campaign. Further, the party, specially some ambitious ones,  also seem to be shedding only 'crocodile tears' for its leader, as some want to be the leader themselves. For instance shrewd Swarnim Wagle and DP Aryal among others. All these people, including Lamichhane, seem to be glued only to their aim of getting to power and nothing else. Still, on Lamichhane, we common folks have come to know from the media that he ditched his first wife, who is suffering from depression now. Similarly, he had a child with another woman while still in the United States, which Lamichhane has admitted. Now he is married to another woman. So it is really beguiling as to why some smart women are shouting hoarse for the release of this very man who has betrayed so many women. 

All this author can say is, let the law take its own course and don't try to interfere either in the personal life of the accused or in trying to blindly protect him.

It is really saddening that nobody seems to be anxious about the problems of the common citizens, including the two big parties in power. The biggest party at present has mainly remained silent and the UML has also not taken any action against one of its parliamentarians, who has also been alleged to be involved in one cooperative scam in which millions of rupees are involved.

At least the UML has saved its face by taking some sort of action against the former internal affairs minister of Koshi Pradesh, who has been suspended from party membership. Just suspending a person is not enough if he or she is guilty of abuse of power or other activities. This author has repeated this argument many times when individuals are suspended for a short time or transferred, but actually, no punishment is meted out. This is no indication of any 'good' governance. But let me add, it was some sort of a 'bold' move by at least arresting this former provincial minister for some time.

This is a very personal opinion, it is true that politicians are very corrupt, but those in the government for a long time like the bureaucrats and security personnel are also equally to be blamed. Their source of income must be investigated, but sadly the investigative agencies also seem to be dominated by other corrupt people.

Therefore we have said time and again that the mindset of society has to be changed first. Corruption should not be tolerated and society should not judge the success of any individual just because of his or her wealth. They must question their source of income and boycott any individual who has illegally earned wealth. Fate will definitely punish such people who have cheated the nation one day or the other, but for society to change its mindset, the law should punish them so that it will deter others from following this same wrong path.

But who will implement such laws? This question is important and one of the reasons why the majority of the people are dismayed with the current lot of leaders is the double standards they are indulging in.

As said by a popular TV host, 'our political leaders are not only cheaters but also dictatorial'. This author completely agrees with him and no prominent leaders of any party, whether old or new, can escape from such allegations. They want to stay in power, even if they are in jail.

Take for instance the assurances that the newly born RSP's president had given to the people about many things, he, nor his party has done anything to make the people believe in such a young leader of a young party. One person who just returned from Pokhara complained about how the traffic movement was virtually paralyzed because of the protest of RSP leaders and cadres. Isn't this the same party which had said it would not  hold such protests which would affect the normal life of the common people? To talk of the older parties will probably be like pouring water on a sandy beach.

They are totally useless and their leaders believe only in the power of money, nepotism and favouritism. What more can we say about such a narrow vision outlook?

To end up on a sad note even after celebrating our two biggest festivals, Dasain and Tihar, we are seeing a very bleak future even as the climate is getting colder, so perhaps we have to tighten our belts to face even more bitter times because of the same people who are supposed to depend on for writing a better future for us.