By P.R. Pradhan

A section of people is advocating that the people will turn into “praja”, defining it as slaves from citizens if the monarchy is restored. While defending republicanism, they are expressing such a view as a large number of the population is demanding for restoration of monarchy replacing the present republican order. Talking personally, this scribe experienced those active-monarchy days, multiparty democracy after the people’s movement in 1990 and now experiencing the “looktantra”. We didn’t feel an odd situation under the king’s direct rule, neither were treated as slaves. Nevertheless, we see the leaders behaving their party workers as slaves today.  

It doesn’t matter if anybody else has an objection to my opinion, however, under the King’s direct rule, the nation’s politics was stable; there was the rule of law and good governance. We felt proud of being a Nepali national.

When we talk about the present-day political system, I prefer to say it is the summit of anomalies, where, good governance is absent, also, the rule of law and political stability. Political leaders and bureaucrats are practising kleptocracy, poor people are over-burdened with taxation in different titles, the government revenue is exploited by political leaders and their workers, jobless youths are compelled to go abroad for dirty work and the country’s economy is retained from the remittance sent by our youths shedding sweat in the Gulf countries. In the past, politics was considered as a social work and an opportunity to sacrifice for the nation, now, it has become a profession, moreover, this has become a business for making money without an investment.

The government undertakings, Himal Cement Company, Hetauda Cement Company, Hetauda Textile Industry, Janakpur Ciggrratte Factory, and Birgunj Sugar Factory, among others, were operating very smoothly. One person from one house was getting jobs in Janakpur and Birgunj cities. Local people were getting employment in different government industries. The Royal Nepal Airlines was adding one after another aircraft and successfully operating flights to Japan and European destinations and was preparing to fly to the USA. Today, the Janakpur Cigarette Factory premises have turned into the secretariat of the Madhesh Province, furthermore, all the industries have already been closed. After the introduction of the multiparty system in the country, the government undertakings were ruined due to political intervention, corruption and commission. Nepal established a new record in organizing different scandals. After the shutdown of the government undertakings, those political leaders started to occupy public properties in a planned manner. The Lalita Niwas land scam, Tikapur land scam, Balmandir Scam, are the few examples in which the political leaders are directly involved but are not punished.

Political leaders and their party workers or say those Jholes (bag porters) claim that there is a democracy and a right to express in this system. Sure, this is true that they can speak everything against the opposition parties and leaders but cannot speak a single word against their own leaders. The UML workers cannot speak against K.P. Sharma Oli, the NC leaders hardly speak against Sher Bahadur Deuba and also the Maoist activists cannot speak against Pushpakamal Dahal. These leaders are performing the role of a dictator in the party. Dr Bhim Rawal, a patriotic communist leader, who shed his sweat for the UML, could not remain in the party. Yogesh Bhattarai, a youth leader, has become helpless and is not getting any chance after he opposed Oli. Madhav Nepal, Bamdev Gautam and many others had to quit the party when Oli disliked them.

We are the living witness that Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Ganeshman Singh and many others had to quit the Nepali Congress party after criticizing Girija Prasad Koirala.

Baburam Bhattarai, a one-time partner of Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda, has virtually lost his mental balance due to discrimination from Prachanda. It would be better to ask about the behavior of Prachanda with Mohan Baidhya, Netrabikram Chand, and many others, and how they were ousted from the party. Should we call it a loktantra (democracy)? Those party people are not enjoying the freedom to express themselves. They are being exploited by their leaders who are performing dictatorship in the party. The three “powerful leaders” are enjoying the post of prime minister again and again and there are no others in their respective parties to challenge them. Is this a freedom?