Overdue galvanisation The security situation in the country is taking a hammering with threats from various quarters. Among the pledges made by the government, a foremost one was to improve the law and order situation so that the people could heave a sigh of relief within a short span of time. But, if recent events are anything to go by, acts of vandalism, murders, extortions and kidnappings, to name a few, are still rife. Armed outfits, most of which consists of criminals, are striking terror in the minds of the peace-loving people. Some organizations of political parties and affiliated bodies are also found to be indulging in anti-social activities giving rise to much apprehension about real peace materialising any time soon. The government is duty bound to provide security, and it has made claims of having made some achievements in this direction, and the law and order situation could see drastic improvement in the near future. Since security is a matter of immense concern, it is only right to provide it with due priority. With this in mind, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Tuesday has directed the officials of the National Defence Council (NDC) to activate it and prepare a new national security policy. This would be done by revising the present one so as to deal with all threats to the security, no matter what they may be. Incidentally, the Prime Minister has called the meeting of the NDC for the first time since he assumed office, and its last meeting was when Pushpa Kamal Dahal was the prime minister about four months ago. The national security policy of a country should not be in the interest of any ruling party, but for the overall good of the citizens. Governments may come and go, but the national security policy should remain intact, guided by the fundamental security objectives reached through the consensus of the various political parties. Since the implementation of the national security policy would largely be the responsibility of the security organs, they should be spruced up so they can carry out what is expected of them. In this, the NDC has an effective and pivotal role to play. So that the security organs can perform as expected, these should be rid of all anomalies such as making the senior officials more democratic, accountable and transparent, and in the case of lower officials, to make them disciplined and responsible. It has been now decided to hold meetings of the NDC at regular intervals. These should be opportunities to evaluate the security situation and the performance of the security apparatus so as to ensure security as desired by the people. In the meantime, Nepal should also be sensitive to the security concerns of its neigbours and ensure that Nepali territory would not be used for activities against them. To this end, Home Secretary-level talks between Nepal and India has been fixed for the beginning of November focusing on bilateral security issues and concerns of both the countries. In this age of rapid globalization, instability in any part of the world could have repercussions elsewhere as well. As well as addressing its national security concerns, Nepal should also be sensitive to those of other countries, particularly its neighbours.

Foul aplenty The inclination of the Tower of Babel seems to be slowly revealing itself courtesy the specific mouth specifications with the arrangement of the tongue, teeth, vocal chord and the rest that the human beings have been endowed with graciously. More so are the political leaders who have modified the natural endowment to the rigours of speaking the mind that metamorphoses without even a moment’s notice. The life of a politician by all standards is not a very “tight-rope” walk—stances change as and when the petty interests surface. For a casual observer that the ordinary people are, the ways of our revered leaders are so transfixing that nothing can be discerned but the haze that clouds the vision. Saying this is a tribute to the mighty ones who rule the roost, whether in power (formally) or otherwise. Just think of the ministers in the cabinet and CA members, or the fiery ones in the opposition, all types wield power to the extent of turning mole hills into mountains. It may make sense to them, but the genuine stakeholders, the people, have been held hostage to the all too confusing and ever-changing vocal renderings by the political gurus all in the name the so-called agendas of national interest.