We, Nepalese

While I write this, I believe it is better to present a disclaimer first. While I write this, I have nothing to give and take to and from any political alliance. I should write what I think is right. So, in here, at many instances, it may seem that I am loyalist to the party crowned now to the government. Nah! Disclaimer finished.

Leaders have very less to do with all the current mess of the country. It is us who are to be blamed. Our fate is decided by ourselves, not by any Tom, Dick or Harry. Period.

To start with, let’s have a discourse about our attitude that is slowly engulfing our society—and in the long run it will irreversibly affect to the coming generations. It is because what we show will be sowed in the kid’s mind. We have developed this wonderful habit or criticizing others, particularly the government and its officials. The categories who fall in the extreme brink of criticism are political leaders and bureaucrats. To divide it on parts; is not corruption an individualistic trait rather than a programmed chain?  Okay be it a programmed nexus of perverts and crooks, but are not there also the honest and the morally decent disrupting the chain?

People, constantly, are making mistakes. To err is human. From errors comes the perfection. But public seem to have developed zero tolerance to a mistake committed by a government staff. If there is corruption or irregularities involved, in every way he should be charged by law. But what if it’s just a mistake? Should not s/he be excused to improve? Should not s/he be warned and trained to not repeat?

Our whole system started to dissipate from the point where leaders stood to file the candidacy for elections. During the electioneering, they spent unfathomable amount of money. Black money or white money whichever could work. We saw everything and partook in the process. The sorrows of that partaking will never leave us, and by all possibilities, it will spread to our offspring.  Now we are bearing all the cost of electioneering of the leaders who won and who lost. They will come to our doors with ever fascinating forms: price hike or tax reforms.

More, we Nepalese tend to reprimand leaders relying on rumors. Even when we don’t know the full information and the source of information, we start talking it from our level and keep on expanding it. Eventually, it becomes sensationalized. In today’s world, it is easy by manipulating the social media platforms. Before sharing a thing or two why don’t we even bother to spend one more minute to explore if the information is right? Why don’t we ask to our soul to search whether the news encompasses both side of the story?

There are many examples, but I would like to quote a few here. One: nowadays we are full ears of hearing and reading news about Marshi rice. Featured on a photo are two influential leaders of Nepal—KP and PK. Flanked to the left is business tycoon Durga Prasai. Allegedly, it is from a meet that dealt with then- impending unison of two leftist parties, and the luncheon was hosted by the businessman in his own bungalow. The photo made infinite rounds in every media space but this is just one side of the story. But who cares?

Okay, the story might be true. However, before we jump to the conclusion need not we think over our assumptions? If a conclusion is backed by reasonable logic, it’s always the best. First question arose in my mind: who shot the photograph? Obviously, one of their confidants took it. The close confidant cannot leak that photo. If the trio sat there in a lunch in a private domicile of a businessman who had obvious advantage of their company, certainly they all did not want the photograph because these sorts of meet are expected to be highly classified. If they shot it for own personal purpose, it would not have made its way to the public.  If a journalist took it, he would not share it. If only one journalist was there, he must be the loyalist one. There could not have been any more journalists-if there was one- because if there were, some more photographs of the event should be coming taken from different vantage points. In this era of multimedia, why not a video leaked instead? Photo can be modified in a way that nobody could find out. For a moving picture, it’s way too difficult.

I don’t have a vivid memory right now but if I am not mistaken I have seen the same photograph of the two leaders having Marshi rice with Sarad Prasad Adhikari. My uncertainty about the photo emboldened to near certainty when I watched an interview of Durga Prasai by Rishi Dhamala on Prime Time TV channel. In that interview Mr. Prasai says, the photo was not his, it was someone else’s and was modified to heat the case. Mr. Prasai is said to have hidden motives to break through the cabinet decision for passing the medical education bill in order to gain approval for enrolling medical students to his B&C Hospital at Jhapa.

I would again like to assert: I don’t know the fact. The sensation that is flowing right now might be true but at least we should search for the grounds and analyze the story from the perspectives of persons from another boat. We always have to merge both sides of a story to appropriately interpret what might be true. We can use our judgment and ponder over. That’s called intelligence brake.

Two: in this rainy season a picture is trolling. The caption hilariously cites KP Oli’s big talks of ship. Also, it mocks some mayor’s so-called concept of smart city. “One house—one Swimming pool” or “buy own ship on your backyard road” are some legends used in this photograph.  

The photograph was taken in the May of 2017 and was made viral in India till August-September. It is from a section of MH-80 road that leads to Bhogalpur, a remote village of Bihar.  

I am not into Oli’s over-ambitious talks but I would like to raise one question about the photo. Before sharing it, have we ever realized this photograph is not even of Nepal? We take photo of any corner of the world and mock our PM. That’s not fair. We should admonish him; there are ways to render our advice reach him. But, criticizing for the sake of criticizing? I hate that.  If you can change something to make it better, do it. If we can’t, better don’t blame and mock others. It is easier said than done.