If there is one thing that distin­guishes our leaders from the leaders of other countries, it has to be their total disregard of the public and public opinion. Even in the people’s democratic dictatorship of China, the lead­ers have realized that it is in the interest of the communist party to first gauge public opinion; and only then only decide on what needs to be done. This explains the immense public support for one-party dictatorship there. But in our democracy it seems that our opinions, hopes and aspi­rations do not matter at all. We were told that when democracy came to the country we would all become citizens from serfs. Per­haps millions participated in one after another revolution against the feudal system, but here we are, still serfs. Our misfortune is that all our revolutions have been in vain. All we did was replace one dictatorship with another.Now we have something worse than a dictatorship. At least in dic­tatorships these days the dictators try to address public concerns and take on development activ­ities to quieten the opposition, and they are concerned about their image in and outside their countries. But in our system, just because the leaders were voted by us—yes, the silly us—to power, they seem to believe that the fin­est trait of leadership is to appear oblivious to people’s sufferings and their valid concerns. The fact that they are elected seems to give them immense power to do what they wish and to blatantly violate the laws of the land. And we feel helpless instead of empowered, unlike what we were promised by those inciting us to revolt time and again.

 

The second important trait dis­played by our leaders is blaming past governments for all the prob­lems in order to silence critics. Five months may not be a long time, but it is still enough to make people feel something good is happening. But nothing of the kind has happened. No wonder the collective mood of the “sov­ereign citizens” of Nepal is that of despair, and we have been in despair for the past 50 years. We haven’t been blessed with a sin­gle, thoughtful leader since the demise of King Mahendra.

 

While many of our analysts and the members of the self-pro­claimed civil society have criti­cized the way the government has been dealing with Dr Govinda KC and the use of force against unarmed protestors in Jumla and Kathmandu, no one dared to speak against the system that allows a handful to do what they want and however they want. Because the ones screaming their lungs out in Kathmandu against the heavy-handedness of the pres­ent government were also those who hoodwinked us into believ­ing that with “this” revolution, with this leadership, all would be honky dory. We listen to them enthusiastically but none dares ask these dollar activists: why did you support the same leadership when it was in the opposition? Thus aren’t you too responsible for the present mess? So much for the impartial and “thoughtful” civil society!

 

The ones who claim that KP Oli is displaying the signs of a dicta­tor know it well that Oli is doing exactly what the previous govern­ments were doing for the past 50 years. Going by what’s happening now, it will continue to be so for the next 50 years.

 

It is useless to dwell into what happened and how we can change for the better. To add to our misfortune, there is no one nor an institution we can look up to. Nepal is not going to change, as is evident from the fact that all those delivering inspiring speech­es have already sent or are in the process of sending their off-springs abroad. Something has gone terribly awry with this land. We don’t know what exactly. But how come that in a country of 30 million we don’t have 30 real nationalist leaders?

 

We can be certain of one thing though: there will be many more revolutions promising to empow­er us and we will enthusiastical­ly participate in those, but they won’t change a thing. We will continue to be serfs, unhappy with our lords but too weak to do anything about it.