I really enjoyed your post, John. I have no doubt that you have spoken your mind and I
am glad to read a balanced post here in sajha.

Galt,

Till now I was a silent reader of all your posts and I used to admire your writings silently. Today, after reading your post I could not stop my self from writing a few words in your appreciation.

Indeed you made my day. After reading all those posts in Sajha regarding the current situation of our country, yours is the most balanced one. If each and every responsible Nepali citizen anywhere in the world think like you are doing now, it will definitely steer our country from this current confusion.

I hope your post will make all the readers think twice about the present and future of our beloved country.

Thats all good but should we go back to a dictatorship just because democracy was gotten by "hurling stones"? You have some noble ideas for what your life and country should be but fail to state what political system will get the country there. Invariably in the real world every country needs a political system for governance and administration. Clearly no one wants violence but there must have been a darned good reason why people took the streets in droves. I understand some of the frustration you have expressed and agree our leaders are at times idiots but democracy, however imperfect, is probably the best system to produce leaders in the long run. Even by other measures, a system with some degree of accountability, however faulty it may be, is more viable that one that runs on the whims and fancies of a select few who are acocuntable to none. Democracy is nowhere close to perfect but dictatorial monarchy is no alternative for it either.

John Galt,

I don't think anyone can dispute what you have written. A lot of Nepalis who will read your post must have gone through the similar emotions. But I am afraid you have missed the point. Neither all resort to violence and vendalism, nor can you take away the natural outburst of emotions of so many people. If you doing so you are undermining their emotions . I bet you don't welcome someone else's ridiculing your emotions, it is the same way with these people. This is the time of making decisions and taking sides because everyone has proved that they cannot be trusted. Your role even becomes greater now (that is if you choose to)!!!

By the way, I don't think you have to prove to anything to anyone. All you need to do is look at things objectively like you did in the rest of the things and call spade a spade.

yes indeed, your worst post ever!

not because it's political, but because this is an incredibly unbalanced account of politics in nepal.

so, ok you don't believe in giraja, makune and gagan thapa. how 'bout the king? you've kept quiet on this and i take it as you believe in him. what's he done to make you believe in him?

'Ironically, I believe in that police officer who fired bullets who was unable to find a way to protect himself'
....and you don't believe the person who died for protesting for democracy??

so it's all leaders' fault in the last 15 years. how about the king, you, me as people and the more importantly the society?

why do you have to keep saying you're not against democracy and again reiterate?? why? what makes you think we don't believe you??

To each his own!Galt..regardless, its nice to read an honest PERSONAL viewpoint.

I think we Nepalis are passionate individuals for a spur of moment thing. We get fueled radically a second and then give it sometime, complacency sets in. Then we forget about it all until the next POPULAR revolution arises.

It seems to me that some people in sajha believe that everyone should leave their respective field and join politics and study political science to connect with the present nepali nationalism or else you could be labeled a royalist, maoist or a party lobbyist. The very fact that people can't tolerate the difference of viewpoints justifies our undemocratic INGRAINED attitude. But then when you are abroad, and churning away your free time with a shield of anonymity and weapon of complex words, it really does feel like you've accomplished a lot. Well, at least it makes it easier to overcome the guilt. Amen!

"The very fact that people can't tolerate the difference of viewpoints justifies our undemocratic INGRAINED attitude."

Very well said Oys.

There is a circle of people who pretends to be neutral when there is some situation like this in nepal. But these people are the first to take advantage of by missuse of political power. They say like they have no sympathy ..... bla... bla... bla.. and say like the protesters who are killed went there to enjoy their own death bla... bla... .In their model of democracy, there must be one of their relative in power and they can take advantage of politics.........

tapaswi

And the good thing about them is that they always say they are not against democracy and and of course they are not agianst democracy. they even don't hesitate to say Gyane is democratic if they get advantage from the
gyane's ministers....

tapaswi

.on the other hand, this shunning of politics by the very people who are "more educated" and "would" support "more educated" people in politics is the problem. there is a certain hypocrisy here, but perhaps that's too big a word. but i just feel like if you do not contribute to the political discourse, and want to stay as far away from it as possible, then why criticize what's happening politically?

and oh yeah, one is criticizing when one says >>But this is not the proper way<<

do it and show it. at least show what you prefer and shed this skin of pseudo-neutrality and pseudo-stoicity. i exhort you.

it is easy to complain, but to set an example...well, i'd like to see that, instead of just impotent "holier than thou" statements. it's easy to see oneself as a victim no matter what happens, perhaps the laudable act is to accept your vulnerabilities but express your resilience and creativity!

and i respect your sentiments. that's why i feel that it deserves a criticism from my perspective.

That was really a nice post Mr. Galt....

nice think tank
like it
might be john right

John, I admire your style of writing and your choice of beautiful words. With all due respect, you are just one of those bystanders who expects some good changes in the society but lack motivation and confidence to be a part of that change.

I don't know about other leaders/opportunists but I personally think Gagan Thapa can be a good leader for Nepal. If someone thinks he/she can contribute as a better leader, then they should come forward and prove themselves. Presenting ideas by writing books and novels is a different thing, being a leader who later becomes a part of nation's history is completely different thing.

I don't know why some people in Sajha trying to push Gagan Thapa at the forefront of our Neplai politics. He is no one in Nepali politics other than in couple of threads of sajha that might have been created by his close friends or himself.
I strongly believe that Nepali Congress party is the one who did most wrongdoings in the past that led to the present crisis in the country. None of the followers of Nepali congress is capable of leading this country for sure. They all are corrupt, follow favoritism, nepotism, and are disgusting.
Thus, none of them should be allowed to lead the country at the time when it needs a great leader.

....

I am wondering may be one of my replies to your response in another thread might have offended you, I hope i am wrong. Let me allow making some of the comments on your account of present movement and politics...


Yes, you are right most of the leaders are "corrupt and inept" BUT how about Gayne who has increased his salary and allowances some 50 times or more than his brother used to draw then. He spends couple of lakhs to build western-style toilet in district for his less than a day visit. Several lakhs have been spent to make welcome gates and all those rallies in his support. He can not use toilet that common Nepali uses. He spent tax payer’s money in his daughter's marriage. Kamal Thapa has been given authority by the king to spend 5 lakhs per day as a pocket money. I don't have to talk about Pancheharu Tulsi Giri et al.


We can not blame party for the corruption without looking at why they are inclined to be corrupt even though some of them must have been aware of moral and legal implication of the corruption.

Running a political party is an expensive business. Taking part in the election needs heck lot of money and most of the politicians are full timers. If, the party leaders get 10% of what king is looting now then I think they would work hard for the nation building! You can not expect someone to work full time with highest efficiency and dedication and not get paid well.

Unlike in US and other developed countries where politicians come into politics after they get established into their respective professions and once they complete their terms into public offices they return to their respective professions, for example, this is exactly what Al Gore did couple of years back, politicians in Nepal and other south Asian countries do not have strong professional background. They get pray of short comings in our system. We may have to look at this part of the equation too.

We need to develop some short of provisions within the constitution to have certain amount of funding to run the political parties (like in here) so that we will create an atmosphere where leaders with outmost moral virtues can join and lead the party politics but not a fool but rich like “Narayan Koirala” come into play party politics. This takes time and it does not happen over night, it is like an evolution. But to have these kind of set up you need to have multiparty democracy in place. This is why you need Loktantra. King or Maoist will never let this to happen.

The bottom-line is you can not always distrust party politics; they are the only legitimate forces to govern people of 21st century, whether you personally like some leaders or not, it does not matter, you can mistrust a politician, a politician could be corrupt and inept, But the existence, effective functioning as per the inspiration of people and improvement of the institution of political party is more important than defending an autocratic and regressive monarchy.

Some specific criticism to the remarks that you made yesterday in another thread and in here…

You mentioned that
“He… crying his lungs out ignorant people urging them to cast vote does not make one a leader, neither does a number of years he has spent in jail, writing political jargons which sounded good only while reading.”

You are absolutely right; BUT silent submission to autocratic King never generates good leaders as well.


You also mentioned that
“Nepal was still not decentralized, corruption reached its acme, projects were suspended, Kathmandu ran out of water, load shedding evoked series of crimes and we still rant for political freedom. If I say I do not support any kind of political movement, I am darted with strings of stinging rebuke and stigmatized as non Nepalese. Why can’t I just be a simple person who just wants to write sometimes, listen to music, play with my daughter and help others if time and money permits. Why do I have to support or disregard any political movement to vouchsafe my existence?”

Absolutely you don’t necessarily have to vouchsafe, but when you said in another thread that the present movement is just “a political stunt”, and “you feel no pain, guilt and happiness for the present movement” and “the diseased in Kalanki has witnessed the death because it was his call”, to me these were insensitive and off the line for someone who wants to be an apolitical.

Teti hoo, I hope u would take this as a constructive criticism. I agree to disagree with your views on present people’s movement and the matter of politics, for the rest of the matters we are together. How is Bhauju doing these days and lots of love to Urvi; I may visit you guys soon.

BTW, earlier i was referring to this thread: http://www.sajha.com/sajha/html/OpenThread.cfm?forum=2&ThreadID=30403

John Galt:
You ae brillient You must be a matured person. Well said. We need to end Shah dynasty in Nepal.

John,
I really appreciate your thoughts and I could see some of my feelings in your thoughts. Bravo.. keep it up.
-Shiv

Very well said. I am speechless coz you spoke my mind. I respect every right of people to dislike Gyanendra because of his bad credit but I am not in a state of marching out in the street to elect some old gullible leaders whose failure has been traumatizing the country for so long. A decade long failure can not be the part of trial & error epoch. However, I am not a king supporter too and if I were to vote, I would absolutely vote against the present monarch system. But, at the same time, I feel less fortunate to follow Girija or some Makune's footpath.

aru ma ke bhanam ek se ek janni haruko agadi....

austu

Even though we may be very far geographically, we share your sentiments. Recent survey has shown than at least 60% of Nepali janta want monarchy in some form. You did a good thing by speaking your mind.