By Shashi P.B.B. Malla

Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has often been denigrated for talking nonsense.

However, now and then, he does ‘speak truth to power’ and lets the cat out of the bag.

This happened very recently when he spoke at a programme in Basantapur organized on the occasion of the 21st National Jyapu Day.

He said that ‘the current coalition government was formed to end political instability and take Nepal from corruption to prosperity’ (Republica, Dec. 16).

Whether he intended it or not, Oli underlined two basic facts troubling the body politic of the Himalayan Republic:

First, the Himalayan Republic was plagued by chronic political instability, and

Second, corruption was endemic in both the public and private sectors.

Unfortunately, Oli did not elaborate on the background, history and sources for these maladies.

He only made a blank defence for the formation of the calculated coalition of strange bedfellows of Communists and Social Democrats:

‘The government was formed with the collaboration of the two major parties to counter efforts to sabotage the political changes in the country and discredit the parties that contributed to these changes by spreading unnecessary confusion’ (Republica).

A careful analysis of this loaded statement reveals that there is a fundamental contradiction between the inherent political instability presently reigning supreme and the so-called ‘changes’ brought about by all the major political parties after 2006-2008.

Oli and the dons of all the other political parties are not willing to accept that they and they alone are responsible for the country’s current state of affairs.

They are also ultimately responsible [if all ‘leaders’ and apparatchiks were personally implicated or not] for the rampant corruption.

Logically, therefore, the main political parties were responsible for the ‘changes’ leading to ‘Loktantra’, and also for the ensuing political instability and unbridled corruption.

Oli is basically blaming phantoms for the miserable state of affairs in the current political dispensation and for ‘spreading unnecessary confusion’ [whereas he and his fellow pals/dons are the prime movers].

Unfortunately, Oli has also stooped to using the tools in an autocrat’s toolbox. He has virtually dubbed genuine patriotic critics of the current corrupt regime as ‘anti-national and anti-social elements’ by claiming that some forces have been spreading rumors to break Nepal’s unity (Republica).

Oli then goes on to express frustration that the anti-corruption bill has been corrupted. If things can’t be done in spite of a two-thirds majority, why is he at the helm of state? Will Sher Bahadur Deuba do anything differently?

And the sheer audacity of Oli’s thinking is that he blames ‘the people’s representatives’ for the mishap. If this is not the last straw, what is?

There is no way out of the present impasse, at least under the present dispensation. Elections will also not bring any relief.

Nor will amendments to the Constitution bring about a sea change.

We have become a ‘nation of sheep’ because we are being manipulated and fooled all of the time!

The writer can be reached at: shashipbmalla@hotmail.com