The Himalayan Republic is in Terminal Decline &

The Himalayan Kingdom is Nowhere in Sight

By Shashi P.B.B. Malla

There is little doubt that the Nepalese people suffered a lot – and are still suffering – from the present political dispensation.

The social, economic and political edifice that the main political parties constructed after unilaterally abolishing the Hindu State and Constitutional Monarchy has not delivered.

The so-called leaders have turned out to be wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Like the Soviet Communists, the aging, corpse-like leaders and their supporters and apologists would like to believe that they are still sentient.

Loktantra – the self-styled ‘people’s democracy’ has turned out to be a chimera.

In this terrible situation, a large portion of the Nepalese people had placed their hopes on the monarchists/royalists to bring about substantial and sustainable change.

Unfortunately, it seems – for all intents and purposes – that their hopes have been dashed!

When new ideas and a bold, decisive and strategic plan is the need of the hour, a senescent leadership of the old school is propagating permanent street demonstrations to overwhelm the pseudo-republicans.

Borrowing Mao’s analogy of ‘protracted war’ is not only destined for failure, but also illustrates that the royalist leadership is clueless about how to proceed forward.

It bandies the banal action plan of satyagraha  and peaceful non-cooperation without contemplating their relevance in today’s Nepali society.

And then the monarchist leadership itself seems to have given up all hope for quick change by suggesting a long-term plan for participating in forthcoming elections to win the trust of the people.

This just shows that they are out of touch with the reality of Nepali politics.

The current Nepali electoral system favors the established, main political parties completely. There is no level playing field and free and fair elections are not possible – like in Hungary, Slovakia, Turkey – unless, of course, if there is regime change.

And considering their befuddled action plan, the current monarchist leadership is not interested in real change.

Confounding the dilemma, is the fact that the monarchists’ leadership not only has the time-line completely off target, and operating an antiquated action plan, it is also failing in its basic duty of informing the Nepalese people about the priorities of what is actually at stake, i.e. the end result.

Basically, it is not coherent in the means, and it is not transparent in the ends.

In other woods, the royalist leadership cannot see the wood for the trees!

A younger, more dynamic and purposeful leadership, having their hands on the pulse of the people, and immediately recognizing their needs, would first of all regularly and meticulously inform the Nepalese people that they would prioritize good governance and the rule of law.

This would entail having educated, experienced and non-corrupt individuals ruling the country.

The Hindu State and Constitutional Monarchy would be the icing on the cake, solidifying the Nepali identity.

The writer can be reached at:

shashipbmalla@hotmail.com