The country is now on the cusp of constitution implementation following the successful completion of three tiers of elections. Local level governments have started their functions despite shortages of human resources and adequate infrastructure for the last nine months. Provincial governments are in the process of getting shape and might take full shape within a week. Likewise, the new federal government likely to be headed by KP Oli at the central seems to take its chair this week. If everything goes well, the provincial and federal governments will start functioning from the third week of February. If we closely look at the proportion of women representatives in the leadership positions in all the three tiers of federal structure, there does not seem to be a sign of satisfaction. Of the total 35,041 representatives for 753 local units, 14,331 (40.9%) women representatives were elected at the local level elections. However, only two percent of them were elected for mayoral and chair posts. Another discouraging scenario highlighting the role and intention of major political parties, mostly dominated by male leaders, who never get tired of talking about social inclusion, was seen while appointing the provincial governors. Likewise, none of the chief ministers for the seven provincial governments is a woman. In the seven provincial elections of 330 representatives, only 18 women (4.84 %) were elected under the FPtP system.

Rai Biren Bangdel, Maharajgunj

Sheep story

A political leader was addressing the sheep community to seek votes in favour of him before an election. He promised to gift each one of them a lot of woolen garments if the sheep community voted for him and pave the way for victory.

After the meeting, the joy of the flock of the sheep knew no bounds. After all they have been promised deluge of woolen garments! While the adults were rejoicing, suddenly a kid innocently dropped the bombshell—”But from where will the leader procure such a huge amount of wool to make those garments?” The sheep community went to dead silence after foreseeing their fate in near future if the leader indeed wins the election! This is a story doing the rounds in social media which also reminds me of that Hans Christian Andersen classic “The Emperor’s new clothes”. When all the “educated” “enlightened” “experienced” adults were applauding the “beautiful dress” of the King, it required a mere “uneducated” “inexperienced” child to point out the King’s stark nakedness!

Actually right from that child to the sheep baby or lamb—they had appropriately utilised their common sense unlike the adults who are generally gullible, forsake their minimum common sense at the drop of a hat and allow themselves to get brainwashed by bankrupt shrill rhetoric!

It is high time the “matured” adults drew inspiration from the children brigade.

Kajal Chatterjee, Kolkata