Drawing lessons from the virtuous Pandavs, the Indian government recently tried a similar adventure in law-making. To please the suppliers, the draft of the ‘Nuclear Liability Bill’ had a clause of the effect that the suppliers could be held responsible only if they ‘intentionally’ caused an accident. This was an attempt involving greater creativity than the Mahabharat episode.
The much talked about Mahakali treaty (or dispute?) between India and Nepal also has its root in similar kind of wordily creativity. As far as my understanding goes, it wasn’t any different from the stories we have heard and watched in our movies about illiterate people being fooled. The thumbprints at wrong places or the zeros added later on a signed document are our visual versions of such experiences.
But the question is: Who is being fooled always and why?
The language of the ‘Interim Constitution’ is such that the politicians cannot give the nation a government, forget the constitution. After seven attempts, the leaders are still shamelessly leading us. May be, at last, it is time for everyone to think: How much do words matter? What is the definition of legality? Who is the torchbearer of the nation—of the people? Whose words should we follow? What kind of words do we need?
Oh yes, before I get on to a more serious note, have you heard or read about that boastful utterance of Jhalanath Khanal – “People blamed us (CPN-UML) of being indecisive, we have decided to be un-decided.”
Words have different connotations.
For a writer, creating an ‘Aswaththama’ is a matter of creative achievement. Ved Vyas also had an intention to subtly satire on the duality of morality; I am sure for myself but don’t quote me. He should be and would be proud of this at least.
For the bureaucrats, writing the intention clause was a ‘yes minister’ kind of feat. You want to get anything done that is impossible through plain words, trust our ability to twist them. Their command over words and their ability to un-solve simple matters into linguistic puzzles to insert and hide such ‘intentions’ is the strength they thrive on. And politicians bank and cash on that.
For politicians it’s a game. And for the writers and journalists, the rule making.
As one spears through the opiniosphere above the country’s politics, taking side becomes more difficult. The paper and the electronic media are full with all kinds of hooting. But why should that surprise us? It’s always been there in all games and all amphitheatres.
Majority of the words are about personalities. Such commentaries are an easy way to fill the word counts for pieces. Because personalities are prominent, behaviors are visible and pomp and show makes an interesting read, this shouldn’t surprise us.
There are other types of specialists who try to twist everything red or white and always see a greater depth in the prominent and evident power plays. One such piece, by a recent red writer, urges us to not take this power-game just as a power-game but look for the clash of principles underneath. As Budhdha’s nirvana is beyond concepts and there hasn’t been another Buddha in 2,500 years, this enlightenment also seems to be beyond the grasping abilities of others.
It’s time we stop fooling around.
The world is not red and it’s not getting redder. Neither can it be black or white or any other color in singularity. But those who seem to benefit by making it red have only two options. One is to paint our corner of the world red, which in today’s flat world is impossible. The second is to wear red tainted glasses yourself and be happy with what you see. But, surprisingly, these neo-red intellectuals are going a step further to find a third option. They are trying to paint everyone’s glasses red.
We, the people, realize the importance of a right word at the right place only when we find ourselves fixed in a catchy situation. But those who are supposed to ensure that words don’t create such fiascos are conveniently and shamelessly silent.
The whole problem lies in not realizing the importance of words. Words that are written as treaties, words that are uttered as promises, words that are supposed to be written as guidelines for future, etc are all being treated as mere marbles in a child play. That’s the whole problem.
But there is a silver lining here too. History proves that even controversial personalities with great flaws have risen to the occasion driven by the situation. And we can count on words to raise them to a revered status later if they do the bare minimum required. And heroes, we will always need.
The founding fathers of America, much revered they may be today, had feet of clay. Borrowing from the book ‘Power and Greed’ by Phillippe Gigantes; John Hancock was the biggest smuggler in Boston, Henry Laurens was a slave trader and George Washington and Ben Franklin had participated in land grabs of dubious legality and morality. But to them the world owes today’s America.
It should not and it won’t take long for educated and aware youth to discard the leadership of these ‘leaders’ if they continue what they are doing right now. And it won’t take long for a system to take place where power plays will be driven by national interest rather than personal greed and ambition. And writing means rule-making and honest refereeing.
But, the cause of worry is for the generation that is impatient and dejected looking at the world at large and the possibilities that they imagine for themselves and for the nation. As one of my friends very rightly said: “For a nation, 10 to 15 years maybe just one small part of its history, but for an individual this time-span of his productive phase is all that is there in life.”
dinkar.nepal@yahoo.com
Related story
When words fail
