(Courtesy: Armugam Ananta)
The political pandits have indicated that the ‘civilized’ threat - to return to the jungle - was largely instrumental in the election results going Maoist’s way. It is well known that people were subjected to threats of extremely sinister nature should the outcome from each locale run counter to Maoist’s fatwa. Wide scale booth capturing and use of extreme coercive threats has perhaps been over looked by all concerned as the ‘necessary evil’ for the ‘peaceful’ conduction of the election!
Both NC and UML were beaten in their own game. Given their assumed vote bank and past records the two biggies had believed that the Maoists would creep in towards the bottom at best. Locally renowned analysts fared no better either. It is said that the Nepal Army was the only one which had correctly predicted the out come. Ironically the most astonished were the Maoists themselves who had not believed that the threats would work to this level.
Fearing a poor outcome at best and humiliation at worst, Maoist saw advantage in going to the extreme by creating a situation that led to second election postponement. Hoping that it would fare better under the proportional representation system it coerced in making the changes through the constitution amendment. They were against the PR system earlier only exposes the level of indecisiveness and immaturity among the top Maoists. But as the results started coming in it became obvious that the Maoists had ‘laddus’ in both the hands, as the saying goes in Nepali.
Fighting this election would have been quite difficult matter altogether had it been held fairly. And the Maoists knew that very well. Maoists failed miserably to seize the opportunity provided by the election to inculcate the power of persuasion (minus the guns and threats, of course) to its foot soldiers. Its leaders, on their part, have always talked soft and denied all excesses committed by its ex soldiers in the YCL attire. That was, and it still is, the ground reality. It is a reason enough to call this election, though peaceful, neither free nor fair.
Wrong footed by the unexpected results our neighbour to the South has already started damage control exercise trying to appease the Maoists. Historically, they always maintained a two ‘tongued’ approach on dealings with Nepal. They were talking sweet to Maoist duo on one phone, while at the same time, using another phone blockading exports of essential raw materials like clinker, cement and steel etc.
The South block and the Bihar government were quick to set up a seminar with most Nepali parties and the agenda was naturally Water for ‘mutual benefit’. We know how ‘beneficial’ these have been to Nepal. Besides the unequal treaty of 1950 there are many contentious issues that are still open. Maoists can prove their anti royalist credentials by righting the wrong, supposedly at the hands of King Mahendra on the Kalapani. The logical question is would the Maoist be any better then its predecessors?
In the home front comrades were extremely busy trying to appease the businessmen and industrialists as if repeated extortions, wildcat strikes, unruly labour union and instances of vandalism had never been a problem during the last few years. Making a ‘verbal’ U turn the Maoist duo now want massive jobs creation in new factories to be set up by the aggrieved parties!
The fundamental problem with the Maoists is that there is a complete reversal in all aspects of what they say and what they ultimately end doing. Repeated refusal to return the land and other properties Maoist seized during the conflict is one example. A very convenient reason given is that the owners have not put up an ‘application’ first! Owners, on the other hand, claim that they would be better off if strung to a tree and shot like Ram Chandra Adhikari, the headmaster, of Lamjung, than be humiliated thus. For the general public this is the common face of a Maoist at its best!
There is no denying that Nepal’s Labour act is seriously loaded against those who are primarily responsible for creating jobs. No entrepreneurs or a factory owner will move even a ‘millimetre’, forget inches, unless they get to see the fundamental changes made in the act that allows them the right to hire and fire as necessary. The present act is so regressive that any labour having worked for 240 days gets automatic right to claim a permanent status irrespective of the order status. On productivity and skills, a Nepali labour falls far behind others in the neighbourhood. In other words, despite being cheaper, a Nepali labour becomes expensive when the two are taken into consideration. So where is the advantage in creating jobs?
In a country’s politics a non performing party gets booted out while another party gets the mandate to govern the country. Getting elected once is not a mandate to run the country for ever and the Maoists should understand this first.
Running an industry is no different where one has to be intensively competitive in producing high quality products. For an industry productivity and discipline are of paramount importance. Our industries lack this competitive edge as workers take it just as a 'jagir' for life.
Labour are generally eager in demanding benefits while shy away from being competitive. It is a pity that politicians remember to talk about job creation only while making high sounding inaugural speeches. Our inflexible labour act is just concerned in protecting the ‘jagir’ of those already employed - it is least bothered about the level of unemployment in the country.
The situation does not look too bright with Dr. Baburam failing to spell out clear cut policies especially towards ‘hiring and firing’ that the industries desperately need. Jump starting an idle engine may just be one time solution. But if the Maoists insist on jump starting every time then there is no alternative for the industries than to give out a “Mayday” call as with a ship in distress.
Related Postings:
Riding the Republican Bandwagon
http://nepaliperspectives.blogspot.com/2008/04/riding-republican-bandwagon.html
They Shoot Journalists Don't They?
http://nepaliperspectives.blogspot.com/2007/11/they-shoot-journalists-dont-they-nepali.html
Earth to John Norris and Kanak Dixit
http://nepaliperspectives.blogspot.com/2007/10/earth-to-john-norris-and-kanak-dixit.html
The Pain of Losing a Nation
http://nepaliperspectives.blogspot.com/2007/09/pain-of-losing-nation.html
3 comments:
If there is one thing the “business community” knows only too well, it’s how to keep passing onto the people of Nepal the costs of whatever is paid to the Maoists or the other parties. In turn, the good people of Nepal, who have made such magnificent sacrifices in the 2 Janaandolans and just recently mandated the Maoists so generously to keep on extorting, know this only too well and one even better – that, in case of any unanticipated rude shocks, the gallant “donor community” can always be relied on to come through. And so this wonderful wheel turns, never that long for the worse, with a wobble or two every now and then – just to remind all to keep to “business as usual”.
But thanks anyway for inviting us to another fiesta for shedding crocodile tears – copious amounts of crocodile tears will certainly be shed for this too is a role that someone has to play.
Amen to anonymous above!
There are no morals, no principles, no rules and no regulations. Businessmen will claim they are acting in the best interst of their depositors and it will be business as usual. The increased cost is passed on to the consumer 100%. Not a doubt at all.
Already, we see the businessmen and their sons and daughters, running to be first to kiss the Baburam's ass.
Such is life my friend. If Gyanendra was on top, all these people would be kissing his ass and tomorrow, when India makes major plays in Nepal, everyone will be kissing India's ass.
Guarnateed. And all under the pretext of democracy, peace, human rights, fiduciary responsibilties, you name it.
The writer of the aricle is right on target. Maoist have proven "that end justifies the means" but the sad fact is people who believe themselves to be high on totem pole of intellegencia have wilfully compromised, betrayed their principle and have made mockery of democracy by aiding and abetting Maoist with self serving interest. The net result have been and will be, a nation without a nationhood hijacked to a point where only who can bend and break, lick balls and sell his own wife to maintain his vaneer of relevancy. A nation that has erased its past and has and knows no future- Nepal or is it community of Federal States with identity on ethnic, religious, and communal but not a sovereign country as one. India will always lend a hand and Bhauns will always feed the fodder to create schim within.
I hold it be true that if Nepal is declared Federal- this nation will not exist within 5-8 years. There is just too much artiificially created issues to cap it on one bottle.
Post a Comment