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There was a huge hue and cry and hot debates as well as sharp allegations and counter-allegations among the political parties with regard to the huge fund embezzlement through different co-operatives for the personal gain of some swindlers. Thousands of Nepali citizens had deposited their hard-earned money in different cooperatives for rainy days. But when they knew that their deposits were embezzled, they hit the streets demanding the return of their deposits and legal action against the culprits. Some culprits have been caught, some have been absconding, while some others have been walking freely by misusing the state power.

Who raised the issue?

The Nepali Congress, with support from some other parties, strongly raised this issue in the parliament and on the streets. For almost three months, they obstructed the parliament demanding the formation of a broad-based parliamentary committee to probe the scam and suggest ways to recoup the deposits, recommend action against the culprits and resolve the crisis facing the co-operatives.

Probe panel

After long and painful days, obstructions and scuffles, verbal allegations and counter-allegations between the ruling and opposition parties, a seven-member parliamentary investigation committee (PIC) took shape with a concrete Terms of Reference (ToR). The committee will recommend ways to improve the overall condition of the cooperatives by conducting an in-depth study, focusing particularly on 20 crisis-ridden cooperatives, list those cooperatives, which financed the Gorkha Private Media Network using the depositors’ hard-earned savings, apart from the individuals, including the office-bearers, responsible for the scam. Let us hope that this committee delivers.

Political strategy

But this is only one side of the coin. The other vital and interesting side is the role and the strategy of the three big parties in this whole gamut. The main political strategy of the Nepali Congress was to win the depositors’ minds and support by raising and supporting their issues on the one hand, and weakening and—if possible—to break the coalition government and topple it. Whereas the desired end of the CPN-UML’s strategy was to drag the country toward mid-term polls by keeping the ruling coalition intact. 

For this, the strategy intended to bring the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) to its fold, create a rift between the NC and the ruling CPN (Maoist Center) as well as between the NC and the RSP.  

The strategy of the Prime Minister in particular and his party—the CPN (Maoist Center)—in general was to create an environment of mistrust between the NC and the UML, and position himself  as a mediator between the two big parties.

Who gained, who lost?

Let us re-examine the strategies. The NC made a compromise and moved one step back, making it partially successful with the realization of its core demand—the formation of a parliamentary investigation committee. On the downside, the party could neither make mention of Rabi Lamichhane in the TOR nor could it break the ruling coalition. The UML is happy as the party managed to get the support of Lamichhane, the chair of the fourth largest party in the parliament, and keep the ruling coalition intact. The Prime Minister is happy and satisfied as he proved himself to be a successful mediator, saved his government and widened the rift between the NC and the UML. All in all, it was a win-win scenario for all principal actors.

Merits of TOR

Now, let us talk about the TOR of the PIC. The TOR is generally good and positive as it is touching upon the core issues, problems and challenges facing the cooperatives. There is sufficient ground to believe that it will be able to drag out the crisis-ridden cooperatives from the vicious circle of mismanagement and mis-appropriation. For this to happen, though, the PIC should work independently and fairly on the basis of facts and figures. It should rise above a partisan outlook and work in the best interest of the country and the people by giving concrete recommendations vis-a-vis the crises-ridden cooperatives. The core issue is the depositors’ funds siphoned off to Gorkha Media Network and its embezzlement. What amount went to the network, who all are the cooperatives and individuals involved in this scam and what is the current status of this scam? The committee should bring out the facts without fear or partiality. The probe committee should keep in mind that the whole country is following the developments very seriously and carefully. The cooperatives’ victims are even more careful and alert, so the relevant actors should be honest, performance-oriented and accountable to the people.

Duty of stakeholders

Media outlets, intellectuals, opinion-makers and even politicians should provide their full and unconditional support to the investigation process. The PIC must complete its task within the given timeframe as any delay in the probe process is likely to invite conflict and confrontation with the victims staging street-based protests, giving rise to law and order issues and contributing further to political instability.

Duty of PIC

The onus is on the PIC to understand and internalize the gravity and dynamics of the issue. The political parties and the government should also take this issue very seriously because innocent Nepali citizens are furious after losing savings totaling billions of rupees. It is a genuine issue of the people and all relevant quarters should address it properly and steadfastly. 

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Narendra Modi was sworn in for his third consecutive term as India’s prime minister on Sunday. The ceremony, held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, was  attended by leaders from neighboring countries, highlighting strong regional ties. 

Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Maldives’ President Mohammad Muizu, Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk, Seychelles’ Vice-President Amhed Afif, and Mauritius’ President Prithvirajsing Roopun were among the attendees.

Modi, who began inviting his neighboring counterparts when he was elected the prime minister for the time in 2014, has continued with the tradition for his third-term as well, apparently signaling that he will stick to ‘Neighborhood First’ policy. Under Modi’s stewardship, this policy continues to evolve, focusing on mature, nuanced, and practical responses to regional issues. 

A prime example is India's measured approach to anti-India rhetoric from Maldives President Mohammad Muizu, who attended Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. Enhanced development and economic partnerships with neighboring countries have also marked this period, achieving greater regional connectivity, infrastructure improvements, and stronger development cooperation. Now, all South Asian countries are seeking an enhanced economic and development partnership with India avoiding geopolitical and other issues. 

Except with Bhutan, India's relationship with neighboring countries witnessed many highs and lows during Modi’s first two terms as India’s prime minister. With Nepal, significant progress has been made in cultural, economic, and development spheres despite past disputes like the economic blockade and the map row, which still cast a shadow over the relationship. Trust between India and Nepal is yet to return to the high levels seen in 2014.

India’s relations with Pakistan remain strained, affecting regional cooperation and the functionality of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Ties with the Maldives are also fraught, with little signs of improvement. As a regional leader aiming for global influence, India is expected to play a proactive role in mending ties with its smaller neighbors and addressing their concerns. 

Over the past few years, India has projected itself as a leader and voice of the Global South or more importantly South Asia. As a strong prime minister, Modi and his government could have played a vital role to resolve the issues with the South Asian countries. In his third tenure, Modi leads a coalition government. It might not be easy for him to take decisions without the consent of ruling partners.

Nitish Kumar, chief minister of Bihar and his Janata Dal (United), the second-biggest ally, will also have a greater say when it comes to Modi government’s Nepal policy. Though India’s external policy is under the control of the Union government, of late, states are having greater influence on those countries which share borders with them. 

A significant concern for India is the growing Chinese influence in the region. While India seeks to reduce this influence, its neighbors are increasingly looking to China for assistance and investments. As Modi looks ahead to lead India for the historic third consecutive term, smaller neighbors like Nepal will be keenly watching India’s ties with China, because they believe improved India-China relationship will make it easier for them to deal with both countries. 

But foreign affairs experts say the India-China relationship, strained by border disputes, is unlikely to improve soon, impacting India’s relations with its smaller neighbors. Modi’s third term presents a long list of tasks to strengthen ties with neighboring countries, essential for regional connectivity, collaboration, and stability. The Nepal-India relationship, in particular, is expected to sail smoothly without major hurdles.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has left for New Delhi, India on Sunday to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

He left for Delhi at 1 pm today.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire, National Assembly Chairman Narayan Prasad Dahal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure Raghubir Mahaseth, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha and high-ranking officials had reached the Tribhuvan International Airport to bid farewell to Prime Minister Dahal.

He was accompanied by his daughter Ganga Dahal, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Padam Giri, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal and other high-ranking government employees.

Indian Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to take oath for the third term this evening.

During the visit, Prime Minister Dahal is also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Modi, according to the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Dahal is scheduled to return home tomorrow.

Have you ever read a book and wished you had read it sooner? Do you have a book that you wish you could forget the story of just so you can reread and enjoy it all over again? Is there a book the lines of which made you feel seen and heard, almost like the author was in your head? ‘The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches’ by Sangu Mandanna is that book for me. I loved every word of it. I wish I had picked it up months ago when I first saw it at the bookstores and not waited for as long as I did. 

The book was slightly reminiscent of ‘The House on the Cerulean Sea’ by T.J. Klune which I had loved. Klune’s story was about a ministry worker who arrives to check in on some children with magical powers. In The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Mika Moon, a 30-year-old witch, is invited to the mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches (Rosetta, Altamira, and Terracotta) how to control their powers. The characters and setting also felt somewhat similar to Klune’s book. But both the books have their own unique charm, and while I’d recommend both to those who haven’t read them, I’d recommend Mandanna’s book if you want a light, feel-good read. 

When Mika arrives at Nowhere House, she meets its inhabitants and is immediately charmed, despite Terracotta’s attempts to drive her away. She knows she’s there to teach the three children and thus only there temporarily but she’s never felt so at ease and at home as she does there. Ian, Ken, and Lucie, the people who reside there, make her feel welcome and loved. Then there’s Jamie (who like Terracotta doesn’t want Mika at the house) who she’s increasingly becoming interested in. She thinks there’s a good heart masked by a brooding personality and scowling face. 

But teaching the children to control their powers doesn’t seem to be the only issue at Nowhere House. Ian confesses that Edward is coming and that’s not good. Edward is Lillian’s attorney. Lillian is the owner of Nowhere House, and the one who brought the children there. She’s a witch and an anthropologist who travels extensively for work. And she hasn’t been back in over a year. Ian worries that if Edward sees the children when Lillian isn’t around and something happens to tip him off to the fact that these aren’t normal children, they will be taken away forcefully as Edward doesn’t like anyone at Nowhere House. He’s always been looking for a reason to throw them out of the house and he will have found one.  

Mika doesn’t have much time to make sure the children learn how to keep their magic in check. Then there’s also the issue of Primrose. She’s the oldest witch, one who is self-tasked with the job of keeping all the other witches safe. She believes the only way to do that is for every witch to stay alone, without the company of other witches since a lot of magic together can be troublesome. There are three (four including Mika) witches living together at Nowhere House and if Primrose were to find out they’d all risk being separated. The only reason Primrose hasn’t figured out yet is because Lillian has cast protective spells over the house. Without Lillian to recast the spells, Mika fears Primrose will eventually find out and enforce her rules. 

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches is a simple, heartwarming story of found family and love. The characters are endearing, making you want to give each of them a tight hug and tell them that everything will be okay. The writing is good. There are many lines and passages that you will want to mark or reread—they strike a chord. There’s just enough tension in the story to keep you hooked. You want to know how things will unfold but you aren’t stressed about it, which is a really good, comforting feeling when you are snuggled up with a book. 

Fantasy fiction

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60018635-the-very-secret-society-of-irregular-witches 

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Sangu Mandanna

Published: 2022

Publisher: Hodderscape

Pages: 318, Paperback