By Yug Bahadur

Almost everyone seems to believe that the nation is in turmoil now and this author feels the same.

It is a virtual cliché to say what many other critics are saying of how the political leaders have failed and the people are in a desperate situation. For example, when it was a very difficult task to even enjoy the recently completed festival of Dasain and Tihar what troubles must they be facing now with all the political troubles we will soon see? This is a truth, but the spirit of the people has not died down and we still expect things will be better in the future. This is the weapon used by politicians almost all the time to fool the people in a common manner.

Whatever, it is always better to be more positive-minded and not lose hope no matter how visionless and petty-minded our political leaders are. That is what will keep the spirit of the citizens alive.

The hardship of the majority of the people is not a hidden fact anymore. The constant exodus of the citizens, specially, young people, is something which will have a long-term effect on the overall economic growth and development of the nation. However, there seems to be no option than to go to some foreign land for better opportunities and make some income. The leaders seem least bothered about this drain of both skilled and unskilled manpower. The political leaders are happy with the remittance sent by such workers and seem only interested in getting into power, no matter what happens to the country and what foreign power makes them simple puppets to which tune they have to dance.

This is the scenario now as well.

Yes, we all have understood that corruption existed for decades back in our country and other places of the world, as well, but the blatant manner in which our political leaders, bureaucrats and security personnel are involved in this sort of activity is disgusting. That is why the people are so frustrated not only with the leaders but even with the system.

Before we talk about the different political systems we have seen in our own lifetime, let us first talk about the hardship of the people in general. These days one often hears of how thousands of people don’t have even enough to have two square meals per day. That is why even poor people are leaving the country by taking loans so that they may earn some money.

The problems of the unskilled individuals who don't have opportunities and who don't have political or powerful connections are understandable. What is irksome is even skilled people leaving the nation to serve in foreign lands. This is quite absurd.

It is really an annoying fact for people who love their country why these fellow citizens don’t want to make a better Nepal instead of making some other countries better? Not only their guardians, but the nation has also invested in making them skilled, but they don't seem to care for their own homeland which made them what they are now.

Now to once more talk of corruption, we all know that this social disease existed hundreds of years ago as well. But this menace surfaced more after the 2036 BS referendum when the late Surya Bahadur Thapa headed the then Panchayat government which he had to defend at any cost. This author personally knows one minister who not only took huge bribes at that time, but even his own son made millions of rupees.

People expected things to change after the political change in 1990 after the re-ushering of multiparty democracy, but things actually got worse. Corruption became institutionalized during the time when the late Girija Prasad Koirala became the prime minister and this social vice was taken for granted, both by the government and also the society.

This was the beginning of the end for good governance in the country and also the beginning of hard times for the people in general. If any time can be called a dark history in the country, this was the beginning of it and the political leaders are mainly to be blamed for what wrong changes they have brought, which they always say proudly, they have done for the 'people'.

Now things have taken even a worse turn, with virtually all the leaders being accused of being involved in either one or the other corruption cases.

This is already a bad scenario, but what is more frightening now is the twist that is taking place in the political scenario of the country.

The media, specially, the online ones, have not played a good role as well. As far as they get more views, they don’t seem to care what harm they are bringing in the society by distorting information and confusing the public on many issues.

This is actually where government monitoring must be shown and sorry friends, such a policy of the authorities cannot be called as any kind of censorship, as far as I am concerned, it is some sort of a discipline that has to be introduced in the media by the government.

The media should not be prosecuted, we all agree, but this does not mean it can spread disinformation and bring division in the society. This is where information technology has been misused to the hilt by not only those who pretend to be journalists, but also by some leaders and conspirators as well.

As a person who has long been associated in the media field, one sad part this writer feels is that the nation is now heading towards a dangerous political conflict.

Before, we had seen all the political parties, including the Maoists, joining hands to oust the then King. But now we are seeing the political parties fighting against themselves for their own interests.

The difficulties of the people are nowhere in this game of political struggle. This is serious and the country would become more vulnerable for outside powers to play here in Nepal. That outsiders are influencing political developments is very clear, but our leaders seem bent on only pleasing those who back them, not at all caring about the plight of the majority of the people.

All these developments may mean nothing for individuals who can flee from the country and live a life of luxury with their ill-gotten wealth in some other place, but why don't their blind followers realize this?

Most close observers say that a political collision is about to take place. Even in the case of the arrest of Ravi Lsamichhane, some leaders have already started taking sides. It is difficult to say who will come out as the winner. Like mentioned by this writer time and again, just arresting individuals will not be enough, not even if the government is able to arrest the notorious GB Rai. Their assets must first be seized and nationalized, so that the deposits of the poor people who naively put their hard-earned money in certain cooperatives are returned back to them, if possible with interest.

Sadly, this seems to be wishful thinking, with politicians only wanting to take benefit of this situation in one way or the other.

For now, the Nepali Congress and the CPN (UML) seem to be in control and any close observer can say that smaller parties cannot do much, specially when they themselves are divided.

But the biggest worry is about the plight of the nation and the hardships of the common populace who cannot go abroad or live a life in security in their own motherland.

It is now time for the people and not the political parties to make a difference for the future of the nation and the next generation as well. Like said before, the spirit of the people cannot be doused.