By Babbler

Who murdered Madan Bhandari?

Last week, UML remembered Madan Bhandari and Jibraj Ashrit by organizing different programs. For many times, UML led the government but it was unable to investigate the murder case of Bhandari and Ashrit. Bhandari’s wife even became the President but the murder case was not opened. One NC activist with the surname Giri from Biratnagar claimed that Girija Prasad Koirala had planned the killing of Madan Bhandari. Later, we saw a video clipping of K.P. Sharma Oli in which he was found saying that the late Girija Prasad Koirala wanted the former to organize a plot to kill Bhandari but he refused. He said that there were NC leaders’ hands in the killing. Be that as it may, the accident of the vehicle in which Bhandari was travelling was suspicious and it became more suspicious when his driver Amar Lama was later killed during the daytime in Kirtipur.

Leaders turn dealers

We know, Kulman was not a clean person as described. His tenure was extended by the then Water Resources Minister Barshaman Pun after a deal for paying 20 million rupees, according to reports.

However, he was a little honest as he managed to end load-shedding in the country. Immediately after Ghishing was ousted and Hitendra Shakya was assigned as the executive chef of the Nepal Electricity Authority, an unannounced load-shedding was introduced.

It was a wrong decision giving previlage to the businessmen in collecting past dues worth of billions of rupees. When the general public is compelled to pay heavy fines if delayed monthly payments, the businessmen are enjoying the hefty amount of dues and demanding special consideration to them. It makes clear that the leaders in the government are sided with the businessmen and working as their agents.

Milk and cat

A cat cannot wait to get milk at any cost. The Public Account Committee in Parliament has decided to form a committee headed by Manju Khand, wife of Sher Bahadur Deuba’s trusted NC leader Balkrishna Khand. Husband Khand was arrested and facing a case on the Bhutanese refugee scam. His wife, who is also suspected to be involved in the same scam has become the chair of the probe committee. Of course, she was selected to adjust the corruption case.

Nepal wants to stay in the group of LDCs

It seems, Nepal is willing to stay in the group of the less developed countries.  

Minister for Industries, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari mentioned that Nepal does not have a sufficient budget to graduate from the current Least Developed Country (LDC) to the status of developing country by 2026.

Such a remark intends Nepal’s reluctance in graduation of the country to the developing countries’ status.

The country’s economy is not taking the right course due to the wrong policies adopted by those in the government. Moreover, the country’s foreign grants will decline after graduation. These are the possible reasons that Nepal wants to stay in the group of LDC.

We know, under the present political system, there is no hope for the prosperity of the country. Perhaps, our membership in the LDC group is thus permanent.

Empty pocket, no money

The other day, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli disclosed the fact that the government is facing a financial crunch and has no money to spend. Such a remark from the government is an indication that it has already become a lame duck. Talking about the government’s efficiency, it is unable to spend the funds allotted for the development sectors. This is an indication that the government has already failed to perform. The contradiction is that commercial banks are holding excessive deposits and the Nepal Rastra Bank is withdrawing the excessive deposits from the commercial banks every month. Investors are afraid of taking loans due to financial uncertainty. Investors don’t see a positive economic environment, therefore, they are afraid to take loans. When cash is frozen in commercial banks, this is a symptom of serious problems in the economy. The government is unable to identify the problem that the economy is facing. Meanwhile, coalition partners in the government are fighting to assign one governor for more than two months. We can understand the priorities of the government from the delayed appointment of a governor, an economic advisor of the government.

Benefits from the Sagarmatha Sambad  

What concrete benefit has Nepal received from the Sagarmatha Sambad, this is the time to evaluate. Certainly, Nepal spends a huge sum of money in organizing the international conclave on global warming and climate change. Unfortunately, due to the poor diplomatic performance, it failed to bring high-profile representation from neighboring countries as well as from influential countries.

It seemed that Nepal wanted to make the international conclave the begging bowl in the name of climate change.

First of all, we have to reduce the emission rate to zero. For this, tree plantation in the urban areas is also important. If every household is told to plant at least four trees at their houses and if the local bodies will plant trees on roads and highways, it may play a remarkable contribution in controlling global warming. Accordingly, to control wildfires, firelines should be constructed and also to control temperature, ponds have to be constructed around the jungle area. Accordingly, Nepal should develop solar plants and also wind-turbines generating energy. If the Nepal Electricity Authority will purchase energy produced by the house owners by placing solar panels on their rooftops and it will be supplied to the industries, every house will become ready to produce solar energy. The government should not invest in it. There are many ways to reduce the climate change impact without investing a single rupee. Why doesn't the government think about such ways?

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

King Gyanendra was asked by India to permit handelling the Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and provide Nepali citizenship to 2 million Indians, and after King Gyanendra refused to do so, the country became a republic, the royal institution was gone from the country, and the country became secular.

King Birendra's love for the country was also the main reason for Chandra Shekhar's presence at a gathering in Chaksibari in 2046 BS (1989). King Birendra's dynasty was gradually destroyed in the name of establishing democracy in the country after India refused to give him the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and citizenship to 2 million Indians.

No other leader has been able to stand up to the love of the nation as much as the kings. The main objective of the Vedic rule is to maintain people's power, dharma-satta, nation-satta, and rajasatta in an orderly system. The country's development and prosperity can only be achieved through creative work while preserving power.

Deepak Raj Joshi

It is blamed that King Mahendra handed over Kalapani to India, but the fact is that when he reached Peking, he signed a five-point treaty with Chinese President Liu Shao-chi on October 5, 1961, establishing Nepal's rights over the Kali River, Tinkar, and Limpiyadhura, which was the first treaty to recognize the 1816 Sugauli Treaty with Britain from another neighbor.

Kishor Shrestha

To create a country free from foreign interference and corruption, this system must be abandoned.

To change the situation,  changing the system is obvious. Let's unite in continuous protests starting from May 29.

Dr Shastradatta Pant

King Gyanendra made a big sacrifice. He had the power but handed over the Crown to the people. He is a great personality. Unfortunately, the people’s representatives could not handle the situation and we are feeling the absence of monarchy.

Kunti Moktan

An immigration officer at the TIA can earn an additional 2-3 crore rupees per year. For that, he needs to pay some amount in advance at the time of transfer. If an under-secretary level employee is stationed at the airport for a year, he can earn around five crore, compared to an officer. It is very difficult to go there without an investment. This time, the branch officer, after making arrangements with the Home Minister's secretariat, is said to have paid five lakh in advance, according to news sources. They are said to have to pay in instalments monthly after reaching there to the officials who transferred them there.

Bhismak1962

Measures to save the country from bankruptcy: Scrap the National Assembly; scrap the Provincial Assembly, establish only 341 local bodies, reduce the Parliament size representing 1 MP from one district, reduce the cabinet size with 10 ministries, remove the District Coordination body, stop personal use of government vehicles, suspend unnecessary constitutional bodies.

Narendra Bikram Chand

Even though it was late, justice was granted to Rabindra Mishra. The government's actions have become extremely biased and discriminatory. There is still a need for more vigilance.

Bhimarjun Acharya

King Mahendra assumed absolute power after seeing the pro-India character of political parties and leaders. He built the East-West Highway in Nepal. He built the Kodari Highway connecting with China. With China's and other countries’ support, he opened industries across the country. We are living today on the infrastructure built by Mahendra.

Modnath Prashrit

Despite a few exceptions, mostly in Nepal, being 'rich' means political party leaders engaging in corruption and commissions and government employees engaging in policy corruption and bribes.

Muma Ram Khanal

Under the guise of communism, Oli and Prachanda are turning the country into a hostage and deceiving the country and its people. The country is losing. We, the Nepalis, have become mere spectators.

Ritubarna Parajuli

No doubt that Girija Prasad is the main character behind the transformation of the Nepali Congress into the Maoist agenda. The entire credit for bringing the Congress onto the streets with the Maoist agenda goes to Girija Prasad.

Devaprakash Tripathi

The beauty of federalism: The central government granting billions of rupees in exemptions on value-added tax, the provincial government even not introducing an internal audit control system, and the local bodies spending millions on food, rent, and hospitality that the law does not permit.

K.P. Dhungana

(Excerpted and translated by Sushma Shrestha)