Development Through Unity of King and People
By I.K. Pradhan
The King has indicated in lucid terms, the need of down to earth new dimensional realities, pertaining to crucial
national issues of the nation, the need for unity, enhancement of mutual understanding among all sectors and political
fronts. This is essential in harnessing united efforts in resolving the problems of the country, with highest priority
to the question of sovereignty, nationalism and national unity, that must pivot on the foundation of our patriotism for
the soil of the nation. Through the efforts of achieving togetherness, mutual goodwill and consensus among all, there is
every possibility for any issue to be well tackled from within the provision of the existing constitution.
Our political parties and political leaderships must try to understand that a majority of the sovereign people exist far
more, outside the premises of the political parties. It is this greater bulk of the population, who are the focal point
of democratic development and indispensable force in determining the destiny of the nation. The King as well as the
political parties ultimately must go to the people. The fundamental difference lies in that the King as the guardian,
preserver, protector of the constitution and democracy, has always gone and goes to His people, with the clear, august
purpose of strengthening national unity. This is exactly what is most needed for Nepal today. But the political leaders,
political parties have gone with their own limited individual and partisan interest, to beg for votes with their begging
bowls in quest of public mandate for governance.
Regrettably partisan governance of these same mainstream parties, has been badly crippled on account of poor performance
and failure to deliver to the people, during all these squandered years, since the restoration of the so called
multiparty democracy. It has never functioned properly, but demonstrated its utter political defection from the very
inception ever since 2046. The writing on the wall is clear. There is full transparency of this underlying truth, in the
light of non-shuddering cohesiveness of interrelationship between the King and people. This has taken deep roots in the
soil of the nation as the bedrock to support the solidarity of national unity.
It sounds quite foolish on the part of the politicians, political parties to become skeptic, with their narrow
perception to erroneously regard the turn of events, as being competitively threatening to their biased, prejudiced
polity in the name of democracy. Is it possible to impede the flow of natural fountain of popular sentiments and
allegiance, emanating from the hearts of the people?
Can any one neutralize what has been sprouting, at the behest of their own inner loyalty and support for the monarchy,
as the ultimate institution to anchor their hopes and aspiration? No, it is next to impossible, as adjudged from the
currently pervading self manifested, independent popular wave for felicitating, respecting and welcoming the King by the
people in their midst with renewed hopes and aspirations. The political parties need to instill in their minds that the
people at this hour, look up to the Monarchy with greater faith and confidence for the peaceful outlet to the impending
national crisis. They expect this in the true democratic spirit of securing their social, political and economic
justice, which are otherwise, caught in the jaws of serious aberration. The adverse situation has as the direct outcome
of incriminating, corruptive actions of the immoral political leaderships and incompetent, inferior partisan
governments, wearing the mask of false democracy all these years.
The King's categorical statements with profoundness have broken much fresh ground in clearing up the muddiness in the
vision of the existing political system, tarnished by none other than by the political parties and their politicians
themselves. In their own dissipating behavior, they vocalized time and again that democracy was under threat of
monarchy. It is nothing more than sheer meanness in trying to divert public attention for one's petty political gains
only, driven by individual ambition, whenever attempts are made by such elements to cover their own crimes, flaws and
weakness.
This is certainly the most deplorable, immature, short sighted and low morale practice of politics on the part of the
parties and their self-centered leaders. Their non-accountability to the country and people is completely ripped naked
before everybody. People can neither be coerced nor misled to run hay wild in the wrong direction, deceptively connived
by the crookedness of politicians and political parties. They have drifted far away from the genuine democratic
principles, resorting to political vandalism through pluralistic dictatorship and tyranny of dishonest leaderships of
party polity.
Times have changed. Youngsters of 1990 have become grown up individuals of late twenties of the present generation.
They are disenchanted by the repeated betrayals, allergic behavior of politicians and political parties. They are mainly
in search of prospects of secured occupation and job opportunities for existence, in the harsh environment of economic
struggle.
Politics must be practiced giving due priority, in bringing about positive social reforms and economic advancement.
Otherwise, it cannot survive the test of time. It must wither away and this is inevitable on the time scale. In this
context, the King has succinctly dispelled all doubts created by politicos that there was ever any threat to multiparty
democracy, from the monarchy. But it is also significant to note that HM is rightly and equally firm in reiterating that
it is also imperative for the multiparty democratic system to definitely adhere to certain essential political conduct.
One is apt to state that it is absolutely relevant to the current need of improving the tarnished character of the
democratic polity, whose norms and values have been severely ruptured by our own visionless politicians and parties.
Their bad governance has not helped the nation to progress, rather there have been setbacks and regressions in
practically every frontier. It becomes most unwise and irrational to give way to in-discipline, political anarchism and
unwanted over-freedom in the name of liberty and sense of freedom in constitutional democracy. In this regard, the King
is firm in His belief that multiparty polity must embrace political conduct and the appropriate way of life to be in
consonance with the norms and values of democracy.
The democratic medium, must at the same time, ensure creation of a congenial environment for flourishing economic
development and in establishing harmony in the society. It has been reaffirmed in the Royal address that the Nepalese
Monarchy upholds nationalism, multiparty democracy and social justice as the topmost priority with foremost concern.
Timely emphasis is also laid on the expediency of settling mutual differences through peaceful dialogues based on
patriotism as the fundamental uniting force.
The core of the Royal address stressed on people as the primordial reality, deserving unfettered, consistent
consideration in resolving any problem and mutual difference. It is also made clear that the monarchy has always
regarded the popular consent as the guiding factor, while the intimate relation of the King and the people functions as
the main shield of Nepal. The will of the people has always been pursued by the monarchy as evidenced in history. The
address also signaled that political, social, economic and human resource development needed to be advanced within the
framework of the multiparty democratic polity for prosperity of the people, if Nepal was to carve its own place among
the comity of nations. There is no denial of the fact that our nationalism, democracy and progress of the nation must
complement one another.
In the context of the country being crabbed by difficulties and unprecedented complexities, the King has laid importance
on the need of adopting reconciliatory measures, rather than giving way to recrimination. He made his stand clear that
Nepal's monarchy, democracy and national development are inseparably inter-linked for the prosperity of the people. In
the creation of a dynamic and prosperous Nepal, there can be no deviation from acknowledging the fact that
constitutional monarchy and multiparty democracy are the vital pillars. It has to be borne in mind by each and every
body that sound judgement of the people supersedes all considerations. Individual political ambition for vested motive
should have no place in healthy and positive development of democratic polity, which cannot be compromised for petty
interest of anyone. The politicians, who have done injustice to the nation, and indulged in the political power game to
disrupt peace, rather than aligning in its favor deserve nothing more than condemnation by the people and the soil of
the land.
It is to be well understood by all concerned fronts that the central theme and crux of the issues raised in the Royal
speech need to be assimilated positively, in the larger interest of the welfare of the country and the countrymen.
Things must be viewed on the basis of their own intrinsic merits without prejudice. The veil of political bias, must be
removed, on the part of the politicos, who are driven only with their one sided narrow and petty aims. All must reawaken
their conscience and see through the hard facts of life. People essentially desire establishment of law and order,
restoration of their peace and social security, disturbed through adverse political circumstances and administrative
disorders of the partisan governments themselves. Down to earth realism is such that the countrymen and civil society in
general have supported the views of the King in the welfare of the nation and the people, through the need of adopting
newly emerging international agenda of market economy, good governance, transparency and corruption-free practices.
The government must make a progressive move to infuse in the agenda of Nepal, these global developments of today. The
King has appropriately pointed out that the future of the country and the security of the people cannot be held hostage
to serve one's ambition and desires. The nation and the people, at present are categorically concerned only with
developmental, progressive actions and seeing productive results, which they expect to be in conformity with their
popular aspiration. They have heard more than enough of satiating, empty humbugs of politicians and witnessed their
vested interest political power games at the cost of the nation and the citizens.
These hollow perceptions have no place in the realm of burning reality of the need of resolving the impending national
problems, sitting heavy, as deep rooted pain in the necks of Nepalis. Peaceful outlet and lasting security are the most
sought after conditions currently desired by all sectors of the society and the citizens.
ENDS