Waiting for genuine leader : From the core of the heart

Jana Andolan II was a watershed in the political history of Nepal. The 240 year-old monarchy was abolished, and Nepal became a republic. People had supported the erstwhile leaders, who still are here, with the mandate for change for the better.

After the April revolution’s success, there was no looking back for the leaders, mainly GP Koirala of NC, and Maoist chief Prachanda. They were hailed as the defenders of democracy, loktantra and the nation. Their stature seemed to swell by the day, and all the seven party leaders were making promises that belied fulfilment. It was more like a competition between them as to who presented a more revolutionary fervour as regards the people’s aspirations. It did not take long for people to realize how these leaders had taken them for granted, and used them to be in power.

The leaders were and

are still in delusion that whatever they want for

their personal gain is the need of the people and

nation. They think they

are not only knowledgeable but also full of wisdom, so they don’t need to think about the people and the country or ask what the people want, though the people have given their

life and made incredible sacrifices for the reinstatement of democracy which had been earlier usurped

by the monarch. The quest for democracy continued, culminating in the historic Jana Andolan II wherein

the placard of the image of the supreme commander

of the 2046 Jana Andolan I that is late Ganesh Man Singh was carried with great pride. The same leaders who had hailed the 1990 constitution as the best had, without hesitation, announced Nepal a republic, and now it is federalism.

The people have become or are fed up with the revolutionary speeches, promises and abuses, sans all that is practical and sensible in the interest of the people and the country. The Maoists are talking of seizing power, jana ganatantra and saying there is need for more sacrifice of millions of people and so on. It is all quite confusing for the people Lately, because they are not in power, the Maoist leaders have been taking up illogical issues which do not make much sense to the common people. The whole issue for them is that they must be in power anyhow. Why could not they keep the promises they made not to desire any post or be in power. They ought to learn from the 1990 popular movement’s supreme commander Ganesh Man Singh who believed in the power of the people and that sacrifices are also possible if you really care for the people and the country.

At times, the Maoist chief is all praise for the late king Birendra saying that he was a nationalist, and so the Maoists had an agreement with him, which is quite

off the mark, because Nepali Congress had been at

the forefront in all the turning points of the country’s history such as the 1950 revolution, 2036 students’ movement, 2042 civil

disobedience movement, 2046 Jana Andolan I and the last 2064 Jana Andolan II, and its true leaders never had an agreement with any king, apart from the Nepali Congress accepting King Tribhuvan’s moral support in the 1950 revolution. It was mainly the Nepali Congress which had stood firmly against the autocratic king after the 1960 coup. Many of its leaders and party members were jailed and exiled for long.

The Maoists had the unity with the king when there was democracy in the country. Such a pity, they did not like the politicians who fought for democracy but liked the king. For them, nationalism meant to be against the 2046 achievements and buying arms from China. The Maoist chief said that they wanted King Birendra to be like king Sihanouk of Cambodia. They wanted to show to the people that like in Cambodia the communists and king can work together for the people and the nation.

The Maoist chairman

and the Maoists must know that the people do not want a social transformation, as Pol Pot did in Cambodia, to the already suffering Nepalese. What working together of the king and communists for the people and nation is he talking about? The non Maoist leaders can do nothing when their party workers and people are being killed except condemn the incidents and feel sad. They should not forget that Nepali Congress party members also commanded much respect from the people, and were not helpless as its leaders are now feeling. During the 2036 students’ movement, there were mandales. In those days, the leaders, the torch bearers of the Nepali Congress party, commanded much strength and respect as they

had character that is the principles and morality

that formed the hallmark

of democrats. Those

mandales were wiped out by the democratic students on their values of democratic strength as immorality could not stand in front

of morality.

Today, the country is in dearth of real democratic leaders. Once there is a real democratic leader our country’s problem will gradually wane, we will not be in a mess or in confusion, insecurity and poverty like now. Who will be this maverick leader or say Messiah who will, of course, not have a magic wand to solve our problems.