By P.R. Pradhan

Dirty people in politics

Politics has become synonymous with a club of dirty people in Nepal. Talking about our leaders, they feel glory for being jailed on the charge of murder; they speak lies to the people; they are involved in policy corruption; they are involved in occupying public property including government land; they are directly involved in daylight loot; they are working as the agent of those brokers developing plans to exploit the nation’s treasury.

Talking about our Prime Minister and chairman of the UML, K.P. Sharma Oli, he is a great liar. He feels proud in explaining his stay in jail. In fact, he was jailed on a murder charge. Just recently, he blamed the kings of Nepal for exploiting the nation transforming it to the present poor state. The reality is different. The kings contributed a lot to the economic upliftment of the country. Until 1990, Nepal’s currency value was double the currency of Bangkok. Until 1990, Nepal was self-reliant on agricultural products. Industrial products contributed above 16 percent of the GDP. Along with the introduction of the multiparty democracy in 1990, in the name of liberalization and open market economy, the government sold out many government-owned industries. The then prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala and his relative, also the finance minister, Mahesh Acharya, accelerated the process of disposing of those government undertakings almost free of cost. Those cunning businessmen, who occupied valuable government property, didn’t run the industries but disposed of taking personal gains. After the shutdown of those labour-consuming industries, the unemployment rate increased and the Nepali youths were compelled to go abroad for dirty jobs. Nepal gradually turned into an import-based country. This is a burning example that how Nepal’s economy has been ruined by political leaders taking personal benefits.

Since 1990, we have witnessed many big scandals but culprits have not been punished. The real enemy of the nation’s prosperity is our so-called democratic political leaders. If corruption is controlled, 90 percent of the present disease from which the country is suffering will be resolved. Unfortunately, curbing corruption is impossible under the present political model and from the present political leadership. The Royal Nepal Airlines has been ruined due to the government intervention and also making it a political workers' employment venue. Many profit-making government undertakings were either disposed of or closed down due to the massive politicization.

Since 1990, we have seen the Lauda Air scam, Czech Air scam, Sudan scam, Melamchi Water scam, wide-body scam, OMNI scam, fake Bhutanese refugee scam, cooperatives fraud scam, Lalitaniwas land scam and many other scandals in which, senior political leaders are involved. The late Girija Prasad Koirala was directly involved in the Czech Air, Lauda Air, Dhamija and Sudan scandals but he was not punished. Maoist Center’s Supremo Pushpakamal Dahal was involved in the manipulation of funds allotted for the PLA. Dahal was not punished, nor he was under investigation. Of late, we saw the Bhutanese refugee scandal, the Lalita Niwas land grab scandal occupying public land at Baluatar, the Balmindir land scandal, the Teramox scandal, the Security Press procurement scandal, wide body and narrow body scandals, and many other scandals. Leaders from the three political parties, Nepali Congress, UML and Maoist Center are directly involved in such scandals but only government officials have been punished. Without the involvement of the political leaders, such scandals cannot take place, unfortunately, they have not been punished. Once, Nepali Congress leader Sekhar Koirala said that the Nepali Congress could not stay out of power as almost 50 percent of the MPs would be jailed if their files related to scandals were opened. In fact, when Chechen Jha was arrested on the charge of being involved in the Bhutanese refugee scandal, the then government collapsed overnight and the present NC-UML coalition government was formed. The present government was formed to save those high-profile leaders, according to reports. Once, the then CIAA chair Lokman Singh Karki had planned to catch big fish. He had planned to arrest many of the MPs including senior leaders but one senior CIAA member, who later became the chair of the CIAA, disclosed the plan and overnight Karki was suspended following the registration of impeachment against Karki in Parliament.

Clearly, the political leaders, who enjoyed power since 1990, are responsible for the present poor state of the nation. If they are allowed to loot the nation and if the country practices the present modality of the political system, it is sure that the country will further ruin, perhaps, becoming a failed nation.