Today, Nepal appears to be inextricably bogged down in a grisly morass of corruption in its ugliest form. Its tentacles have so deeply and extensively penetrated the country's governing system, be it federal or provincial, that not a single sphere of national life has remained insulated. From the political domain to business and industry, bureaucracy to judiciary, and educational establishments to security agencies, all are plagued by the "primordial evils," as George Orwell once defined corruption. Of them all, national politics and bureaucracy are the most fouled sectors, where moral degeneracy and economic malpractices are running high.
Even during the Panchayat regime (1960–1990), economic malpractices were some of the serious ailments that afflicted its governing mechanism, and several punitive actions were taken against public figures indicted thereof. However, it was limited to a small coterie enjoying close proximity to the power center or those belonging to the lower echelons of the administrative hierarchy who resorted to it due to economic compulsions. But its intensity and magnitude were not so menacing and outrageous, nor did the country have to face international disgrace like today.
With the ever-distending specter of economic corruption on one hand and an acute dearth of moral imperatives among power brokers on the other, norms of democratic culture in Nepal are progressively derailing. Similarly, owing to the indiscriminate politicization of bureaucracy by successive governments over the years, professional morale among senior bureaucrats is at its lowest ebb. As a result, taking maximum advantage of favorable circumstances is the prevailing mode of bureaucracy today.
Tooth Decay is not a curse
Over the last thirty-five years or so, Nepal's leading political actors have been playing like children slinging Machiavellian mud while pretending to keep their hands clean. Public service in the Nepali context has become a euphemism for a public trough to eat out from. Irrespective of their political creed, almost every national leader is possessed by an insatiable lust for material affluence. With self-centered leadership, a battered economy, and all-pervasive corruption in its wider applications, Nepal looks to be heading towards an uncharted political terrain with no light at the end of the tunnel. Every national leader swears allegiance to the principles of "people's will and welfare," rhetoric that Nepali people have been listening to for over three decades now. But when it comes to practice, their actions invariably run contrary to their pledges and betray the people's hopes and aspirations for parochial advantages, economic or otherwise. Under these infelicitous circumstances, Nepali people are confronted with a momentous question today: shall we continue to be as we are today?
Nepal's existence as a viable sovereign nation-state appears to be increasingly threatened by the subjective expectations of the people and the adverse socio-economic conditions they are obliged to live with, owing primarily to the abject failure of consecutive governments to translate their public commitments into reality. Their hyperbolic platitudes and rehashed political gimmicks, designed to mesmerize naïve people, have simply projected them as flashy bamboozlers and unbeatable comedians.
A section of the Nepali people holds the view that the mushrooming growth of non-governmental organizations following the collapse of the partyless polity in the early nineties has largely contributed to the growth of economic corruption in the country. It may be true to a limited extent. But they cannot be held entirely responsible for the current volume of scandals, numbering a few dozen and involving scores of leading politicians of national eminence. However, one should not ignore the contributions that these INGOs and NGOs have made over the years, especially in sectors like rural health, women's welfare, water supply, education, and environmental conservation. If any of them were found deflecting the funds intended for the target group or projects, the ruling government concerned was morally obliged to take appropriate actions against such defaulters. However, it was never done for the obvious reason that many of Nepal's political parties were reaping adequate benefits from these organizations voluntarily or by means of extortion.
A few weeks back, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly declared that the financial aid provided under USAID's programs was largely misappropriated by Nepal, triggering a temporary suspension of financial assistance to this country. Due to this drastic measure, uncertainty looms over all U.S.-aided projects, including those under the MCC grant assistance of $500 million, at least for 90 days. One of the U.S. officials even went to the extent of disclosing that more than 80% of the funds provided through USAID or other U.S. donor agencies did not reach the target group. His assertion implied that the funds were deflected somewhere else. These revelations, though based on undeniable proof, are extremely damaging to Nepal's reputation before the international community. But the ruling coalition maintains an enigmatic silence as if all is well outside and is blissfully happy inside its cozy political cocoon. It is appropriate to quote here: "Nero fiddled when Rome was in flames!"
Similarly, the criminal disclosure of human trafficking of a few hundred Nepali nationals under fake identities as Bhutanese refugees, reportedly with the connivance of some leading political figures of the country, is another disgraceful example of high-level corruption. The investigation of the case is being conducted at such a snail's pace that it gives enough room for speculation that, like many other scandals of similar gravity and magnitude, this issue too could be dumped into the deep freezer for eternity. Likewise, the smuggling of contraband, investing funds in foreign enterprises, depositing money in overseas banks, and acquiring commissions from state purchases are some of the highly ignominious scandals reported by Nepal's media, alleging involvement of various public figures. Though the general public may give the benefit of the doubt to those allegedly involved, Nepali taxpayers have a right to know the veracity of such scams and want to see that such economic criminals, whosoever they are, are brought to book.
Will the Oli government demonstrate its political honesty and courage to do so?
