But the Monarchists Demonstrate Inertia

By Shashi P.B.B. Malla

Yet another corruption scandal of epic proportions has now engulfed the Himalayan Republic.

The Republic is due to commemorate its establishment today, but what is the raison d’etre?

The pillars of the Republic – People’s Democracy (‘Loktantra’), Federalism and Secularism – all lie razed to the ground. What remains is a Kleptocracy of Himalayan proportions.

It has now been revealed that the Department of Immigration at the international airport in Kathmandu, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been demanding bribes from innocent Nepalese seeking employment in foreign countries.

It has been alleged that the sums being syphoned off have been collected at the ministry itself and distributed among ‘high officials’.

The Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak himself pleads complete innocence.

How is it possible that a scam of this nature, taking place for a considerable period of time, could occur under the very nose of the minister?

There is no doubt that even if the Home Minister himself is not personally implicated, he has the moral and political duty to resign and allow the official enquiry take its due course.

The larger and more relevant question is why the Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli keeping silent?

After all, this corruption scandal of Himalayan proportions does reflect on the whole government.

And why doesn�ńt Sher Bahadur Deuba have anything to say…

After all, his Nepali Congress controls the home portfolio, and Lekhak is a senior leader of the party.

And how about Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the leader of the opposition, who is not doing his constitutional duty by remaining silent.

Unfortunately, even the so-called Nepali intellectuals, influencers and opinion makers have not thought it necessary to weigh in decisively.

The same can be said of the vaunted civil society.

Their collective motto seems to be:

       ‘Speech is silver, but silence is golden’!

By not taking a stand, the Monarchists/Royalists are also guilty of participating in this ‘conspiracy of silence’.

How can they justify their street agitation, if they are not willing to clarify their fundamental position in one of the basic problems plaguing Nepalese society in general and the Himalayan Republic in particular.

The tactics and strategy of the movement to restore the Hindu State and Constitutional Monarchy is too lethargic and inept to gain the critical mass to even challenge a tottering Himalayan Republic.

The movement is losing the very momentum that it already gained.

And with this, it is also bound to lose the support of the sovereign people.

The writer can be reached at: shashipbmalla@hotmail.com