Boiling over | Our View | EDITORIAL | ekantipur.com

MAR 19 -
Since the aftermath of the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections of 2008, there has been a steady increase in anger and disillusionment towards the political class. This has been manifested in various ways. During the repeated extensions of the tenure of the CA, for instance, there was widespread accusation that the nation’s politicians had proven themselves to be incompetent in completing the peace process and drafting the new constitution. This anger was not directed towards any particular party. In conversations on streets and in teashops across the country, abuse was heaped on the political class in general and on all of the political parties. During such occasions, politicians have the natural tendency to shrug off public criticism. They claim that they are subject to many pressures, events are not under their own control and they are doing the best given the circumstances. This may be partially true in some cases. But there have been recent events in which much public irehas been aroused, and in these cases, it has been justified.
Public anger at the current time is mostly directed against the Maoist party. There have been a number of reasons for this. First, it is natural that the public directs their attention mostly to whichever party is in power. It is to this party that all claims are directed, and if these are not satisfied, anger emerges. This, however, is not the only or the most significant cause of the public rage against the Maoists. The real reason is the utter negligence shown by the party’s high command towards matters of good governance and a tendency to use the resources of the state as their private purses. Reports regarding the corruption in which Maoist leaders are engaged have been around for some time. This gave rise to some disillusionment. But public anger boiled over in an unprecedented way when the government decided to provide a grant of Rs 20 million to a team of Maoist cadres—led by party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s son—so that they could climb Mt Everest.
There is in fact no justification for the provision of such a large sum of money to the son of one of the most powerful politicians in the country and his friends.
Prakash Dahal has now rejected the government aid, after heavy criticism from all corners. But it is to be noted that not only has he shown no remourse over his actions, but he had initially attempted to justify his appropriation of state funds by claiming that it was meant to pressure the parties into drafting the constitution and completing the peace process. As has been pointed out by many, the justification is a laughable proposition. It is clear to all that this was a personal whim of the Maoist Chairman’s son that has no bearing on politics at all. Additionally, although the government aid was officially rejected, that Prakash Dahal and his friends have endeavoured to put a spin on the entire debacle by claiming they have been wrongly accused, only worksto further undermine their credibility. The public fury that has been aroused over the government’s decision needs now to be taken as a wake-up call by the Maoists.