By Rabi Raj Thapa

In Nepal, two main essential parts and instruments of good governance have been going through a lot of chaos, turmoil and uncertainties throughout history are political parties and police organizations working under their ad-hoc control and management. This is unfortunate that they are coincidentally entwined inseparably in all internal security matters concerned.  

It is believed that a healthy democracy can survive only when there is domestic peace and stability, law and order. It is a combination of the government oversight body like the Minister of Home and his ministry officials who control and dictate police chiefs and their personnel. It is the combination of these that determines the safety and security of life and property of the people they are entrusted with. In other words, sincerity of purpose and honesty on the part of the oversight bodies and professional competency of the security actors largely determine the fate and destiny of the people and the country as a whole.     

One commonality between politics and the police is their designation as “The Visible Government,” as both directly impact people's lives in various ways, including the safety and security of life and property. The police are considered the “Visible Government” because they are the first responders to incidents such as accidents and crimes. They are responsible for community safety and security, enforcing laws, managing traffic, controlling crowds, and handling riots to ensure public safety and order.nd police is that they both are coined as the “The Visible Government” that directly impacts people’s lives in all respects - safety, security of life and property of all. Police are called “Visible Government” as the first responders to incidents like accidents and crime; community safety and security; enforce laws; control traffic, manage crowds and control riots to ensure public safety and order.

On the other hand, politicians as oversight bodies are more of a visible government. But they pose a chameleon-like façade that changes color with the change of government in power. In police, there are some strict rules and procedures; but for the politicians, they take it is just like a Game of Roulette. The paradox is that they represent the same government and serve the same people; one by formulating the laws and the other by implementing through police power; both in the name of ruling Government. 

It is hard to say why Oversight Bodies like Home Minister and Ministry Officials feel overlords of police organizations in Nepal. As a matter of fact, the Home Minister is the second most powerful position after the Prime Minister in the sphere of power and influence. Despite their power, Home Ministers have become milking cows for the ruling prime minister since Nepal got a multiparty democratic system since 1990. Seldom, those home ministers realise that they were kept under the “Sword of Damocles” by successive democratic prime ministers since the 1990s. Former home ministers from Khum Bhadur Khadaka, Govinda Raj Joshi, Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, and Bal Krishna Khand to Rabi Lamichane are the best examples. Most alarmingly, they have themselves become victims of demagogues, commission agents and power-brokers lurking behind them like snakes in the grass and always playing around with police promotions, transfers and supply of logistics for perks and privileges in immoral and illegal means and ways.    

Today, it is disheartening to see pathetic home ministers using and abusing able-bodied seasoned police officers, terminating them and throwing their professional expertise and experiences like used plastic water bottles. It is even more frustrating to see the best deserving professional police officers sidelined and thrown into the gutter even when they are doing an excellent commendable job honestly and professionally.      

The only safety valve for any police chief and senior police officers is that political parties and their stalwarts cannot select and appoint their political cadre as uniformed police officers directly.

Otherwise, political supreme leaders have been appointing high-ranking police officers like “Our Man over There” from recruitment to promotion, transfer, reward and punishment in ad-hoc basis. One of the latest examples is the nomination for promotion of a Senior Superintendent of the Armed Police Force to become DIG in seniority so that he can be made Chief of the Armed Police Force in future.

Since the new wave of political movement to reinstate Monarchy in Nepal, Nepal Police and its new leadership will have to go through a hard litmus-test to prove its worth and efficiency.

Let’s cross our fingers and wish new Chief Deepak Thapa and his organization Good-Luck and All the Best!