Apropos of the news report “Depp mocks dog smuggling apology” (THT, May 10, Page 16), Johnny Depp and his wife Amber Heard had run-in with the Australian government over their dogs’ entry into the country on a private jet.

In 2007, Chelsea’s former mercurial manager Jose Mourinho had his dog flown out of England in a private jet, too, at a cost of Sterling Pounds 20,000 to evade quarantine and investigation, earning warning from the Bobbies.

Lady Gaga dresses her dog in a most lavish way imaginable. What is common between these celebrities? They are all dazzlingly successful people and probably owe their success to their extreme love for their mute friends.

God has obviously blessed them for their unrequited love for their four-legged companions.

In Nepal there is a contemptuous disdain for all animals, including dogs. We have no qualms about pouring kerosene and burning mice alive in a trap.

The first sight I witness on my first morning in a village outside a celebrated national park is bashing of a beautiful snake to death. I was taken aback by the thunderous aggression surrounding the death of the snake.

I did not reason it out with them for fear of sharing the snake’s fate. Many of us treat dogs as dogs, useless pieces of rags, fit to be run over under the wheels at every given opportunity.

My love for dogs involve run in with the locals who abhor my feeding habits.

I have come to the conclusion that we are condemned to poverty because of our hatred of animals.

Manohar Shrestha, Kathmandu

Coalition

The constitutional crisis continues to linger in Nepal and the question of stability of the present government has been raising eyebrows across the world “NC, UCPN-M, UDMF join hands to topple govt” (THT, May 5, Page 1).

All major negotiations to end constitutional troubles in Nepal particularly with respect to the continuing differences with the communities along the southern plains has not yet been resolved.

However, how the major parties aim to resolve the complex issues of Nepal in a time bound fashion is not clear.

No comprehensive common minimal program has been proposed by the opposition parties other than their decisive desire to rule the country.

Neighbouring India had demonstrated very ugly examples of multi-party coalitions in the past where no development of the nation was demonstrated due to complex relationship and obstacles put forward by various coalition members.

In Nepal, the crisis seems to be that all parties want to rule the country with no clear idea of good governance. The unwise cancellation of the Presidential visit to India has also come under severe criticism and seems to be an unwise diplomatic step.

Under the present circumstances, the best possible solution would be to dissolve parliament and seek a fresh mandate from the people of Nepal.

The party with strongest people’s mandate can then rule the nation more efficiently. Coalition governments have rarely been successful in the history of South Asia.

Saikat Kumar Basu, Canada