Most of the time when pro royalist expat nepali put a thread in Sajha supporting royal moves, they blame leaders of democratic movements being corrupt.
They are right. The leaders from whom we expected magical transformation in nepali society after 1991, most if not all, turned out to be dirty and corrupt politicians. Is it alarming that they oppose the whole notion of democracy because some of the leaders at the helm were corrupt? Or is it a matter of satisfaction that they oppose democratic movement only because of leaders (they would like democracy only if we had a selfless leader). Does that mean they like KG because he leads a selfless, uncorrupt and and clean govt?
But what my fellow pro royalist Nepalis seemingly forget is, one of the reasons why overwhelming majority of Nepali supported the 1991 mass movement (not parties) was the "CRRUPTION "itself. What people crave most these days (that is peace) was there and for some unknown and insignigficant reasons, KIng Birendra was in a way to make Nepal a Shanti kshetra.
So, corruption is perennial in Nepal, From Rana to impotent kings including rajendra, surendra BIrendra, Gyanendra et al to Koirala to newly appointed royal “pyadas†Kamal thapa, Badri Mandal (also a rapist) narayan Sing Pun
Not only corruption was rampant then (before 1991), development of Nepal was stalled. The power was centralized and Narayanhiti decided on every thing for you and me, right from prime minister to Nagar pramukh to villege ahairman (pradhan Pancha).The only difference was a few people who lived in Narayanhiti or were close to Narayanhiti or bhumuigat giroha or supported the autocratic regime got their hands on national 'Sampati". Panchayat produced a powerful English speaking elite group who sent their offspring the US for education. Some of those people who got in the US (byproduct of panchayat) are now at the forefront in supporting royal regime. Unfortunately, these same people also succeeded in disseminating the news that all democratic leaders were corrupt. They are now trying to misguide the new generation which grew up during democracy era, heard about the corruption studies, took democracy for granted but was empathetic to Nepali politics. Now since the country is in such a grave condition, all our parents are unsafe out there, it is easy to incite such neorevolutionaries who are unaware of the historical perspective. They do not know Panchayat, all they saw and heard was corruption stories of NC and UML leaders. I think what we need is a clear depiction of stuff we achieved during 10-12 yrs of democracy, something Panchayati regime could not in 30 yrs. We need to educate our new generation.
If you were politically aware during Panchayat regime, you know how deteriorated the situation was. You would be sent to life imprisonment if you dared to speak a word against sacrosanct royal institution. KG is determined to get those golden days back. Sometimes I am ashamed when a self sufficient Nepali stands himself behind the group of people who support royal regime because one way or another they or their kin have benefited from the panchayat or royal regime. This is a bitter truth, face it. Or else you could look into the past of such person who is actively advocating for autocratic royal regime. Nepali are good in “noon ko sojho garnaâ€
Unless you and I change, Nepal can not be changed. How many times have we paid bribes to get things done in Nepali govt offices? Have we ever ostracized our relative or neighbor coz s/he is a corrupt bureaucrat / leader? How many times did any one question their parents to know how they could afford his/her expensive school fees/ US education? How many times people have walked out of the Nepali gatherings coz there were corrupt people? Lets take some blame to ourselves. Still, we have the power to get into the system and fix it. Only Democracy offers you that opportunity.
One of the revolutionary things that happened in Nepal after 1990 was the corruption act. Before, the prosecutor had to prove that the money amassed by the convict was actually by "wrongdoing". Now the convicts have to show how they earned so much in a specified time span. It is true that the system was not perfect, but sooner or later people like Khume, chiranjeebi, bijaye, bamdeve, ravindre would have been brought under the justice and they would have paid the price. If it was not by the "desprem", the internal rivalry/jealousy among those corrupt leaders would have made it inevitable.
Compare the situation before and after 1990. WE had just 20 seats in medicine and 40 in Engineering. 6 goddam cinema halls in whole kathmandu valley, the mahendra rajmarga which was started in 2017 was still not able to connect Nepal east to west. These are just examples. There was a detail article in Himal which put these facts with figures. I strongly recommend every one to read it.
Before 1991 KG was a shrewd prince with high political, business and financial ambition., not a clean bishnu incarnation type he wants to portray himself. We all know there would be no smoke without fire. In panchayat there were plenty of smoke-Nmita sumita, colossal disappearance of invaluable idols from Valley, and BTW who introduced heroin to Nepal? Who institutionalized gold smuggling? Who used unethical tactics to crush govt owned janakpur cigarette factory so that shikhar and surya could lead the coveted tobacco market? Oops! Who killed the Birendra and dhirendra khandan?
So, we are not justified to support an autocratic regime because our leaders are corrupt. We can not burn down the house because we have lots of musa in house. Lets conrtibute in such a way that we can make a musa proof system. If that is too utopian, may be we can create a system conducive enough to trap significant number of musa.
