| Username |
Post |
| Biswo |
Posted
on 19-Jan-03 01:13 AM
I believe that it is time for UML secretary general Madhav Nepal to give up his post.
While Mr Nepal needs to be commended for taming his party's hardliners, and being more amenable to multiparty system, his other actions are regrettable. Mr Nepal's secretary generalship started with a national calamity: his cadres crushed windows, dismantled sidewalk railings and smashed telephone boxes demanding the investigation into Comrade Bhandari's untimely and mysterious death. UML , however, never really wanted a closure. Mr Nepal has perpetuated his love to unsolved mysteries ever since. When King G asked him to be in a commission to investigate the death of king B, he declined after , supposedly, accepting it.
ANNFSU, the sister organization of UML, lost its unquestioned lead in campus politics during this era. Mr Nepal and UML leaders chose the leaders of ANNFSU, despite the professed autonomy of the student organization, and so Mr Nepal needs to take responsibility for that too.
Mr Nepal's taunt of his fellow party workers in China Southwest Airlines case was shameful.It actually demeaned the sovereignty of our parliament. I mean is our parliament under UML central comittee? If not, how the comittee dared to criticize the parliamentarians for doing their duty and hinting the culpability of Mr Rawal?
Sometimes so irresponsible were the statements of Mr Nepal that once he said Nepal would sell electricty 'by satellites' to China. Hmmm. How many more years will he want to be general secretary?
While I commend Mr Nepal for his rightful stance in post Ashoj 18 politics, and his reconciliatory signals to NC and his good relationship with NC leadership, I believe that UML needs a transparent, democratic party structure, and UML needs to say goodbye to the old fox like Mr Nepal.
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| Paschim |
Posted
on 19-Jan-03 04:03 AM
Timely topic, Biswo.
For some reason, the under-read KP Oli (imprisoned for some 15 years, I'm told he hasn't studied beyond SLC) still appears more reliable and dependable as a leader than the unpredictable (but worldly) Madhav. However, Oli seems to be more polarizing than Madhav who did hold the fractious elements together this past decade (except that momentary split which left its "uddanda" orchestrator, Bamdev, reduced in stature).
UML now has an irreversible allegiance to bourgeois democracy. Like it or not -- and I don't, but will have to live with it -- a reformed NC and a better UML still remain Nepal's best hopes for whatever large-scale change we can usher (in the foreseeable future, after the current G-dust is swept). The clownish Royalists and the violent Maoists will not be able to become mainstream players on a *sustained* basis as long as they are both propped up by guns, and not the silent, unarmed janata. A fifth force is unlikely to emerge in the next 5-7 years.
Pashupati Rana's election to RPP presidency was a convincing one, and he has the mandate to make his little party more serious. NC, being NC, will not go away, and after the inevitable re-unity, perhaps become better-behaved. It will thus be good for the country to have a fresh, vigorous leadership at UML with an "agra-gaami" mandate. These 3 parties will have to hold the parliamentary fort in the country for some time to come.
I look forward to the "Battle Royale" in Janakpur. Don't over-do the verbal massacre, enjoy the sun, and contribute to Dhanusha's local economy liberally -- Best wishes Comrades!
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| M.P. |
Posted
on 19-Jan-03 04:16 AM
I agree with most of what Biswo-G says. During the first Teej after Dasdhunga incident, UML supporters had released a collection of teej songs that most night buses leaving Kathmandu for Tamghas, Sandhikharka, Pyuthaan and some other districts loved to play. The Kathmandu-Tamghas bus 'raped' the tape; I used to take the route six times a year (three round trips) and they must have played the same cassette in almost every of my trip. I still recall a verse from the song:
Madhav Kumar Nepal le bhannalaage kurlera
Jantaa jati thaali thokchhan maathi urlera
Ki ta bhane haami laai haamro netaa firtaa de
Haina bhane Girija sarkaar raajinaamaa de.
After Nepal was appointed as the Secretary General of the UML, I had a hunch this Nepal dude must have become 'a hero by chance'. Perhaps I was not the only person to wonder where other prominent leaders like Jhalanath Khanal and K P Oli had disappeared to have a responsible post like that of a Secretary General by some not-so-popular dude from Rautahat. Whatever was the reason that led this 'Girija of UML' towards the pinnacle of success, he was able to gather enough crowd in his favor to win articulate leader like Bamdev Gautam in the following convention. May be his hands, unlike that of GPK, are clean as far as *direct corruption* and nepotism are concerned, but Nepal has clearly failed the real test and therefore, it is high time that he leaves the post for someone else.
---> Whether it was his leadership that initiated the 'national calamity' or it was the already started national calamity that ruined, or improved, his position remains a question. Just like in the song above, many think it was because of the role that he played after Dasdhunga incident that he became the Secretary General. These could, however, be rumors. If they are not, it is the party and not Nepal who should be blamed for all the vandalism that took place immediately after Dasdhunga incident.
---> He proved his shyness when he, apparently due to the party's decision, declined to join the investigation team. By doing what he did, he probably saved the party's face (I am sure after the report on royal messacre was published, other communist groups would have charged UML of being pro-Gyanendra, etc) but could not save his own. I still remember how he fumbled in an interview with one of the BBC correspondents after his party decided that he not join the investigation team. He clearly did not have any strong reason as to why he was shying away. If he could not convince one journalist, he probably can not convince all his central committee members, and all the time!
---> Nepal's role in SouthWest China Airlines case was indeed shameful. If K P Oli and his team, that had clear UML domination, could come forward and say Bhim Rawal was guilty in the scandal, poor Nepal could have done the same. Even GPK would not have done what Nepal did unless it meant saving the ass of one of his close relatives--Mahesh, Shailaja, or Sushil. Culprits are culprits, and they should be punished even if they belong to one's own party. Nepal is yet to realize this. The incident only proves that Nepal can not rise above party politics and work for the country. There is a popular saying by one of the US Presidents who once said, "sometimes I wonder which party I belong to." I believe that's how a political leader should be like. You vote for/against an agenda not by whether your party supports it or not, but whether you personally think that passing the agenda helps the country and its people. Issuing a whip to all party members is one of the few things that I hate about Nepalese politics. You do not follow the mainstream, you become ostracized and soon action is taken against you--what a bullshit!
I hope Nepal goes out of leadership so that some better leaders take over his responsibility. UML's nine months' governance has proved it's way better than Congressis and the ex-panchas. It is time for UML to recover its lost fame and strength. And the best way to achieve that goal is to get rid of feeble, corrupt, and undemocratic leaders (shouting in favor of republic wont alone make him democratic) like Nepal. Aaudo UML Convention maa bhaag lina aaune sampurna UML kaaryekrataa harulaai shri swasthaani maataa le yehi sandesh puraaidiun!
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| Biswo |
Posted
on 19-Jan-03 04:10 PM
Paschim and M.P.,
Thanks for the input.
As for Oli, until last year, Oli definitely was unquestionably the most popular UML leader. He is caustic in his speech, and does sound like a polarizing figure.And Mr Nepal is exaggerating the king-Oli meeting and that might give him some leverage in the Janakpur Melaa. I am not a great fan of Oli, I am not even a fan of Mr Oli, but I know most of the UML cadres like him. Even when UML people talk about UML's 9 month, they point to the fact that not a single person was killed by police at that period (Oli was home minister).
But the major question for us is do we want Nepal's major parties to be under one person forever? How long is enough for Comarde Nepal? (Life-long, no string attached job of kingship is already a problem for our country!)And I hate the way Comrade Nepal loves to (perpetuate) scandles.
This is tough time for UML, but UML needs to be more democratic and transparent. The only way they can make themselves honest, transparent and democratic is by making themselves more democratic and open to their cadres, and eventually, to the people of Nepal.
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| noname |
Posted
on 19-Jan-03 04:32 PM
>>Mr Nepal has perpetuated his love to unsolved mysteries ever since.
:)
The only party that practices inner party democracy and maintains a certain level of transparency in SAARC region is BJP. NEPAL TA JHAN RAJA BHA MULOOK HO. Ironically, its RPP that has more democratic norms than UML and NC. In case the parties dare to maintain inner party democracy and transparency, many critical problems the country is facing now can be solved.
When only quality of the leaders holding a post is 'the post they are holding', I have doubt that Nepal would leave the post. What about Oli daring to fight till the end without a threat to break up the party? I doubt an 'unofficial' candidate winning in a communist (?) party.
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