The Jana Andolan II has been “successful” in opening up of the “pandora’s box”. For our political parties and the political leadership, this is the period of transition. And in the transition period what we have witnessed is but “natural”. The leadership seems to be suffering from a strange schizophrenic notion that politics and political leadership can not only survive but also thrive in chaos. The present bizarre drama indicates that our priority lies in two things: power and money. The present state of affairs indicates that impunity is strategically institutionalized. Vandalism, extortion, bandhas, blatant violation of the basic human rights-are some of the daily chores which every citizenry has been gifted with by our long cherished “loktantra”. A conspicuous absence and display of insensitivity of the state in protecting the people and the public and private property amid such frenzied turmoil makes people rather cynical about democracy.

The sight of the students manhandling their own teachers and professors and smearing their faces and a conspicuous silence of the responsible authorities indicate that such new cultures are going to be institutionalized in our New Nepal. And strangely enough- it is not condemned but rather rationalized. I fear two representative characters that are showing strong presence in our societies these days: one who is “shameless” and the other who believes only in “muscle power”. Only state machinery can tackle these two characters. The state has oversight agencies to curb these impudent folks. Such agencies can make these characters naked. But do you have faith in such agencies? Are they unbiased and independent? And it is “natural” that they are also the victim of our “transition”. The state can with all authority deal with those who believe in” physical force” with counter force and pacify them. It is unfortunate that both of these machineries are also waiting for this transition to end in a “logical conclusion”. Both of them are mere spectators in this crowd.

Every protestor or the protesting “gang” should understand that “ bandha” has lost its efficacy as a means of protest. The people in general do not sympathize with them, forget about having empathy. We seem to have completely lost human sensitivity. We are dehumanized. Homicide and attempted homicide are no more a criminal activity for us- it is another means of political protest. Tit for tat- follows suit.

The perpetual denigration of human values and politics devoid of basic minimum ethics and principles, a stark absence of leadership with a strong national vision and roadmap for a peaceful, prosperous, inclusive and empowered nationhood are our tragedies. The truth is that the propensity of man to imitate what is before him is one of the strongest parts of his nature. When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other. What are we taught in schools, colleges and universities?

What are our younger

generation taught by the political parties and the political leadership? The “schooling” from early childhood does matter.

Whereas some events in the past were the outcomes of one’s conscious choice and deliberate effort, in a good number of incidents, including perhaps some of the most significant happenings that have determined the course of one’s life, it has been played by unforeseen happenings variously attributed to chance, coincidence, the influence of stars, Karma or Providence. I believe in the views of Sri Aurobindo when he says that the apparent freedom and self-assertion of our personal being to which we are so profoundly attached, conceal a most pitiable subjection to a thousand suggestions, impulsions, forces which we have made extraneous to our little person. Our ego, boasting of freedom, is at every moment the slave, toy and puppet of countless beings, powers, forces, influences in universal Nature. This has been corroborated by the recent cries of the top political leadership when they left power and those who have insatiable hunger for power. And in Nepalese politics we say what we do not do. Because — it is not we who say it and it is not we what we do — we are just instruments in the hands of these hidden forces of life.

We Nepalese had a strange mythological belief that only Lord Pashupatinath can save us. Alas!

He was subjected to blasphemy. We have been subjected to a mockery that we are the people of the land where the Buddha was born to preach the message of non-violence. Once Swami Vivekananda among his fellow disciples said that “the greatest misery lies in hope.” We are hoping against hope. That is why we are miserable. Every

time we have given our political leadership our “benefit of doubt” they have

time and again betrayed us. How long this will continue, and how long can we sustain this transition which has become periodic. A fool learns from his own mistakes, a wise learns from other’s mistakes and who does not learn from mistakes is not a man at all.

All this forces me to come to the pathetic, fatalistic conclusion that we are heading towards doomsday.

Khanal is Director, Nepal Telecommunication Authority