Kathmandu:

Reduce your debt and you may just increase the number of mourners at your funeral. It’s an ancient belief that ‘you should repay all loans, extinguish the fire and uproot your enemy or any of these can one day take your life’.

According to Hindu tradition a person owes a debt gratitude to his father, mother, society and the motherland. A person can only remain respected and live happy if he does not owe anyone anything. As a nation, we must use the same yardstick.

Today, Nepal faces a total debt of Rs 324 billion which amounts to almost Rs 13,000 for every citizen. We should, as soon as possible, shrug this burden off our shoulders and become a free nation.

The total population of Nepal is around 26.2 million. Out of this, almost 50 per cent populace live below the poverty line, leaving the debt burden on the other half of the population to repay the debt. If 13.1 million Nepalis decide the nation to help repay its debt, then Nepal can be relieved of all the debts. For this, every Nepali will have to contribute Rs 26,000.

So, the idea is to start a ‘campaign for a debt-free nation’.

As in the case of earthquakes, flood and other natural calamities, people have always been extending helping hands. Let us once again unite to free our country from the debt-trap. Let’s start a campaign to collect fund and send our own share of money to the fund.

Let’s request the prime minister to start deliberations in the parliament and make a public announcement for this purpose. The prime minister — in the changed political context — should not lose this opportunity of freeing the nation of external debts.

In the same manner, people from higher income classes and the upper middle income groups should contribute as per their capacity to this campaign. King Gyanendra can also play an active role in this noble cause. He can sell a part of the properties of late King Birendra and his family members and contribute in the fund.

He even can offer a part of his properties and that of his family members to make Nepal a debt-free nation. The proceeds will be enough to pay off the whole debt of the nation and significant funds would also be left for the development of the mother-land.

In the same manner, Non-Resident Nepalese (NRN) can also contribute according to their means in order to fulfill their responsibilities towards the motherland.

Every Nepali should deposit an amount equivalent to or at least 50 per cent of the amount spent by his/her family annually on occasions such as birthdays, marriages, anniversaries, festivals and feasts and become party to this campaign.