Insanity at its worst

EDITORIAL

With four people killed and 24 injured in the powerful bomb blast in Ramanand Chowk of Janakpur Monday, a gruesome picture has emerged of how terrorists carry out such meaningless acts. With the common people being targetted, it shows the mindless face of the perpetrators. Reports have it that Janatantrik Mukti Morcha has owned up the responsibility for the explosion. It speaks of how such outfits rely on violence to create terror among the people. Just recently the police had highlighted the fact that cases of explosives have seen a four-fold rise in 2068 B.S. than in the previous year. This obviously points to the easy access for criminals to explosives used to kill innocent citizens who want to live peaceful lives. The recent blast in front of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) in Babar Mahal took a toll of three lives. These incidents show that the perpetrators do not value human life as they should. It is a grievous act to kill people in cold blood, and the dead cannot be brought back to life, and the government cannot remain mute spectator. The government should mobilise all its resources to nab the terrorists. The quicker it is done, the better it will be before the murderers carry out further atrocities.

There are people who believe that as the Constituent Assembly (CA) tenure end draws nearer there will be such incidents in many parts of the country. But, that should not be so and should be avoided. Violence when and wherever it be has to be condemned in the harshest terms. But, condemnation is not the end, the criminals have to be brought to justice at the earliest so that it will prove a deterrent to other criminals with similar bent of mind. In this context, it is worth noting that the Terai region has been tormented by abductions, robberies and murders, to which the state has not been able to respond in an effective manner. That puts on top the question of the efficiency of the security forces, who unfailingly speak of their bolstered security plans being implemented. When the capital itself has not been made secure with whatever security plans that have been publicised, it seems difficult to believe that the rest of the country would have the necessary security measures to thwart all criminal activities, including the use of explosive devices.

The culture of violence can be said to have reached its peak during the insurgency period, and now that seems to have spread like wildfire to make a mockery of whatever law and order is being maintained in the country. The state or rather the government cannot be lenient by taking this deadly bomb attack taking the lives of four people and injuring many more as another mere criminal act. The masterminds

behind this attack have to be pursued and arrested to give the message that crime does not pay. Over and above that, the law and order situation has taken a battering in recent days with many incidents unheard of before the insurgency. Moreover, as this dastardly attack took place when a two-hour long shutdown announced by Mithila Struggle Committee protesting the UCPN-Maoist’s federalism proposal, was about to end is a pointer to the fact that there are elements bent on disturbing the very fabric of sanity in the country.

Drive on

A new provision is set to be in place where traffic rules violators will have to go to a bank instead of the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) to pay the fines. It is alleged that some traffic police took advantage of the previous arrangement by indulging in corrupt practices. This had apparently led to the lack of transparency. With this new procedure in force those having to pay the fines will be facilitated. However, the disadvantage is that those having to pay the fines will have to go to two places in order to get their license back. They have to go to the bank to pay the money due, and then to the office of the MTPD or its subordinate traffic unit in order to get their license back. However, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages as the dealing would be more transparent. Furthermore, this would also save the MTPD and its units much work.

Thus, this new arrangement that is to come into effect very soon will do wonders for the image of the traffic police accused by some of corrupt practices while collecting fines. It behoves on all to cooperate in this innovative endeavor so that it is successful.