Spread the love

BY BABBLER

We have heard many stories about the late Girija Prasad Koirala. Koirala was widely regarded as a power-hungry political leader who not only institutionalized commissions and corruption but also weakened the Nepali Congress.

Girija appears to be a kind of guru (teacher) to KP Sharma Oli, who has similarly projected himself as a power-driven leader within the UML. Oli amended the party statute to remove the 70-year age limit and contested the party election for the post of chairman for a third term.

In the process of clearing the ground, he restricted Bidya Devi Bhandari from obtaining party membership. The party election held on Tuesday was entirely dominated by the Oli panel, leaving little space for the Ishwor Pokhrel–led panel. Oli stands as a clear example of how far a leader can go in the pursuit of power.

What About Future Planning?

Developed countries are preparing national strategies for the next fifty years. By contrast, it appears that Nepal lacks even an effective plan for one-year. Yes, we have the National Planning Commission; unfortunately, it has largely turned into a recruitment center for political workers.

Today, Nepal’s apparent priority is to export its citizens abroad for menial jobs. Nepali leaders and academicians may be aware that our neighboring countries are heavily invested in innovation, and their progress often seems miraculous.

China, for instance, is working on extending human lifespan and claims it may be able to push it up to 150 years. Developed countries are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence, drones, and robotics across every sector. Tomorrow, the labor market is likely to be dominated by AI and robots, leading to massive job losses for human workers. In such a scenario, foreign employment opportunities could decline drastically. Has our government ever seriously considered this emerging reality?

When Will the Bagmati River Be Cleaned?

According to reports, Nepal has spent Rs 24 billion on cleaning the Bagmati River in the past three decades, yet the river remains polluted.

Apart from government expenditure, various organizations have launched cleanup campaigns, mobilizing volunteers every Saturday. Despite these efforts, there has been no encouraging improvement.

For effective results, the cleanup strategy must change. CCTV cameras should be installed at regular intervals and used to monitor those who pollute the river. Heavy fines should be imposed on offenders. At the same time, proper drainage systems must be constructed on both sides of the river, and the discharge of household waste into the river must be completely stopped.

Furthermore, as was practiced in the past, every new building should be required to construct a septic tank. Only then can we realistically hope for a clean Bagmati River.

 Courtesy: Social Networks

Democracy (Loktantra as we all know these days) can only work rather function when it is also practiced within/across political parties. This certainly has not been the case here. When leaders define democracy as per their own comfort, in no way will it promote democratic culture.

–Chandra D. Bhatta

If political parties bring the monarchy back into a parental/guardian role, the international community will accept it, because although their presence in Nepal has increased due to the republic, respect and acceptance for them have significantly declined.”
— Yubaraj Ghimire, senior journalist

Nepal Airlines Corporation, established in 1958, currently operates only six aircraft. Yet, despite having an approved workforce of 2,369 positions, 910 posts remain vacant while 1,466 employees are working. Among them, 855 are permanent staff, 336 are on contract, and 275 are daily-wage employees. For just six aircraft, the corporation has 79 pilots and 168 cabin crew, which itself reflects the structural inefficiency of the organization. Even while carrying a debt burden of nearly Rs 52 billion, the corporation continues to fly under the banner of “national pride.”

If an airline with six aircraft, thousands of employees, and billions of rupees in debt is still considered a symbol of national pride, then perhaps the problem is not with the aircraft but with the mindset and management that have failed to take off. Even if planes do not fly, the dreams of Nepalis are flying every day—yet toward a destination that never seems to arrive.

–Deepak Raj Joshi

If we delay crowning the king any longer, the country will cease to exist—things have already reached that stage!
— Ganga Tharu

BP never raised the issue of secularism. Federalism was not his agenda. He remained in favor of constitutional monarchy until the very end. In his view, the monarchy was so important that he never even considered an alternative. He believed that without the monarchy, national identity itself would not survive. King Mahendra imprisoned him for eight years and forced him into exile, yet even then he continued to advocate for the monarchy—because he understood its importance. Krishna Prasad Bhattarai believed in the monarchy. Ganesh Man Singh did as well. Bhattarai even left the Nepali Congress after the party adopted these three agendas.

— Prakash Koirala, politician

The UML is no longer a communist party.
The presence of images of temples and monasteries at the front of the stage during the 11th General Convention clearly signals an ideological shift within the UML. Traditional communist symbols—images of Marx, Lenin, Engels, and Mao—are gradually being pushed into the background. This political transformation is a matter of happiness.

–Bijay Khadka

Excerpted and translated by Sushma Shrestha.

A positive sign—Dr. Shekhar is gradually opening up.
This is good for the nation, the democratic movement, and the party. The more politically open and clear Shekhar Koirala becomes while remaining grounded in BP’s ideology and philosophy, the more certain his path toward becoming president of the Nepali Congress will be.

— Lokesh Dhakal

Excerpted and translated by Sushma Shrestha.