I wonder whether the remark symbolizes repentance on the part of UML or if it is only a political ploy. For the UML I know has a long history of partisan culture. They have penetrated into every field: Government, business, economy, society, education, arts, culture or sports. From positions in police force to civilian jobs, from lucrative revenue offices to glamorous foreign services, from private to public enterprises, from office bearers of academy of arts or science to that of the state university, from ethnic forums to peasants’ bodies, from Film Development Board to Pashupati Development Board, from Sports Council to Social Welfare Council, from professional groups of students, teachers, lawyers to trade unions, from the Diasporas to British ex-Gurkha’s Association, you name it – they have affiliated bodies or party loyalists everywhere. They even run NGOs/INGOs and businesses like hospitals, schools and publishing houses, albeit covertly. Party loyalists are assigned as reward in such places and levies or other political benefits are acquired through them in return.
Partisanship has spoiled the social and cultural fabric of the country by dividing communities and society down to the grassroots level.
This is not to say that UML alone acts this way; Nepali Congress has been doing the same thing although with some difference. As the party is too disorganized to have proper records of workers or to have institutional mechanisms to monitor, NC nominations mostly take place on the basis of shared benefits and connections with leaders or power centers on an individual basis. Conversely, Maoist or UML selections happen to be institutional undertakings based on records and carefully monitored till the end.
The partisan battle started during the 1990s as two main political parties and archrivals of those days – NC and UML – worked with a zero-sum mentality. Each envisaged that one’s rise was possible at the cost of another’s fall only. In a bitter contest to expand and consolidate their party base, the two formed or encouraged ‘sister organizations’ in almost every field. Students, teachers, Diasporas, bureaucracy, artists, cultural groups; no area of national life or society was spared. Later, with Maoists joining the mainstream and with the emergence of Madhesi parties, the menace reached new heights.
Now even commissioners of the constitutional bodies designed for check and balance like Public Service Commission, Election Commission or Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority are appointed on the basis of bhagbandas among major political parties rather than on the basis of ability, integrity and political neutrality. As the Constitutional Council that makes such appointments comprise of, among others, the prime minister as well as the leader of the opposition, the two secretly allocate quotas among them to avoid possible disagreements.
With the change of government in Singha Durbar, most people from chief secretary and secretaries to producer of ‘Ghatana Ra Bichar’ – current affairs program of the state-owned radio – to secretaries in the village development committees are changed. In fact, such transfers become the #1 priority of every newly-formed government of this poor, problem-ridden and war-torn nation. Even most journalists, whose foremost professional ethics should be to maintain political neutrality, are divided into rival groups such as Press Chautari, Press Union and Press ‘Revolutionary’, each affiliated to a different party. Those ‘journalists’ run propaganda mills of their respective parties in the cover of weekly newspapers.
The Maoist’s recent attempt to change the army chief was aimed at penetration, politicization and ultimate seizure of the national army. The act, although unsuccessful, dragged the army too into political divide; now the senior brasses in uniform are being branded as Congress, UML or Maoist loyalists – something unknown until recently. Maoists have successfully infiltrated into the civil society groups as well.
Now, with regard to anything, no single truth exists in this country; varying truths of different parties – sometimes even opposites – prevail. Excessive partisanship has thus wrecked the nation’s morality. Corruption has been institutionalized; crimes have often gone unpunished because of the political mix. Institutions are destroyed; values and norms have decayed. Everywhere, work culture and professionalism have given in to unproductive politicking; inefficiency and underperformance have been rewarded. Hardworking, honest, talented and educated Nepalis are fleeing the country out of frustration.
Partisanship has taken a great toll on the nation’s economy and business. The evil has spoiled the social and cultural fabric of the country by dividing communities and society down to the grassroots level; even close relatives, neighbors or co-workers are often at loggerheads along party lines. Thus party men may have benefited but countrymen have suffered; parties may have emerged victorious but the nation is losing.
jeevan1952@hotmail.com
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