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We are still debating on the “golden era” and “black era”, especially about the Pous 1 move. King Mahendra introduced the partyless Panchayat System in 2017 BS by suspending the then Nepali Congress-led government. Nepal made great achievements in all sectors under the King’s direct leadership. The country’s downfall started after replacing the partyless Panchayat system with the multiparty system in 1990.

This year also, on Pous 1 (December 16), different broadsheet dailies described King Mahendra’s move as “black day”, on the other hand, different groups observed the day as the “golden day” nationwide. Moreover, after the 2006 April uprising, adopting secularism, federalism and republicanism, perversion has been witnessed in all sectors. None of the government organs is strong enough to protect the nation’s sovereignty, independence and Nepali identity. The situation has gotten worse and if the present political system is prolonged, very soon, the nation is going to be bankrupt and fall into a debt trap.

Leaders of the big political parties, mainly the Nepali Congress, UML and even the main opposition party, Maoist Center, are in a power-sharing deal and enjoying power turn by turn. They are less bothered about the country’s plight. Rampant corruption, daylight loots, bad governance etc. have become normal practices. Reports state that deposits from Nepali nationals in the Swiss banks have been inclined but the Nepal government is reluctant to investigate and punish those involved in money laundering. Such anomalies have been witnessed in all sectors. Many leaders in power are found involved in different scandals but organs constituted to investigate corruption and crimes are unable to do their assigned jobs.

The government has failed to collect targeted revenue even after imposing heavy taxation on citizens; the government lacks investment capital for infrastructural development; every month, the government is collecting local and foreign debts to meet its general sector expenditure, say, paying salaries and allowances to the civil servicemen and also the people elected representatives. Now, the government has reached the stage where it has to take debts to pay back instalments with the interests of the past debts. If this trend continues, very soon, the country is going to fall into a debt trap.

A handful of people enjoying the government position are becoming multibillionaires overnight without doing any work but the rest of the people are facing a very hard life and going abroad for dirty jobs. Should we say it is a “golden era”?