Ideological Infection in Nepali Politics
Winston Churchill once said, “Politics is almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war, you can only be killed once. But in politics many times.” from six-decade, we have been killed in many ways. People have already established the federal democratic republic. Recently a growing frustration to current politics is also alarming for all the political parties. There have been many changes occurred in the name of people and nation. Many Nepali has offered their lives and many are still suffering. But, in the name of change, a few handfuls of people have been changing their lifestyle, and the country always scrawling at snail pace.
Basically, two major ideologies have been exercised in Nepal: democratic and communist. Both seem the same, in essence, because communist is also a democratic communist in Nepal. Both parties had a history of the struggle for political change; they have been ruling interchangeably and keeping on assuring to change the nation’s fate. However, this rhetoric is never seen in pragmatize because of their political quagmire. After 1990 political parties have emerged in Nepali politics. Most of the party’s Ideology, political ideals, and morality have been captured by some of the core cadres of their party. There is no scarcity of the intellectuals in all major party but most of their intellectuality is being used to blanket all immoralities of corrupted leaders. Their suggestions, thoughts, and intellectuality remain as a lamentation. All parties seem on the caravan for this corrupt politics. There is no one, who doesn’t criticize the politics and there is also no one who doesn’t carry the party’s flags during elections — this is a great irony. People’s political psychology also badly damaged.
The problem is in seed, not in the environment or outside. Most of the party’s ideology, beliefs, and agendas have been blurred by the opportunistic group. These kinds of the group are infecting continuously the parties’ beliefs, ideology, ethics eventually the whole mechanism.
As human heart, which circulates fresh blood to all part of the body, Politics also need to circulate such a strategy and plans to improve all the area of the nation with a clear vision for all people of the nation. But, unfortunately, this sensitive or pure area itself became defiled and corrupted Their principle and practice quickly have been liquating.
A book written by Lok Raj Baral and other two writers, ‘Leadership in Nepal’ writes that most of the leaders gave less than ten percentage priority in ideology. This small research made all the difference that we have been suffering. There are so many great leaders in every party. They have been cornered; it needs clear ideology and mechanism or system. A bad culture contaminates a good leader. The ideology of any party is the soul of their party. When the soul leaves the rest of the thing remains dead. Therefore, parties are becoming lifeless flocks. If the ideology or thought and vision are not prioritized politics slowly turns into a mass of opportunists; everyone concerns about profit it becomes like a business. This is our history.
The oldest party Nepali Congress which also claims that major role, they played in Nepali politics. Their ideology also always remains in puzzles. Even they are claiming they are democratic socialism which just seems to worship occasionally, most of their practices are related to capitalism. This party’s members spent most of the time hue up from the Koirala family’s hegemony rather than reviewing the political ideology and strengthening their inner democracy in their party. Some are still lamenting about forgetting the BP. Koirala’s national reconciliation idea. Because of this ideological dilemma, When they have gradually lost their grip form people and communist got a chance to emerge. In fact, they lack ideological clarity. The issues they have been politicizing are already monotonous. This party needs also an urgent transformation. There are some young and intellectual leaders who advocate BP Koirala. But old front line leaders of the party are clouding them.
Nation’s socio-economic inequalities, geographical closeness with communist of China, and India’s open border made a huge impact to emerge communist party in Nepal. Above all, the Nepali Congress failed to address the people’s sentiments. The failure of Nepali Congress opened the ground for communist. Nepal’s communist movement was highly inspired by the independence movement in India and the success of the Chinese communist revolution of 1949.
The CPN-Maoist is the party that was founded on Marxist, Leninist and Maoist ideology. Which experimented the ten years of insurgency they called it ‘People’s war.’ People had a huge hope with them and their ideology. They have had great influence in Nepali society. They also failed to address as they have promised. Eventually, it was also fragmented in many groups, and remaining a group led by Prachand safely landed his party, in CPN UML. Prachand’s ideological flame was extinguished by dissolving in KP Sharma’s lap. Both are as co-chairman in position, they glued party but still, the ideology is remaining in shadow for them. They are still struggling to distribute positions and titles to their group. They are now huddling together for the position. This newly named party NCP is being a bunch of fragmented groups, it is like a carnival than a party: there are many unseen coiled fractions. The core motivation of those fractions is just position. Maoist ideology gradually fused with the same thought developed by late MadanBhandari “People’s Multiparty Democracy.” CPN UML also has a long fractional history. Factionalism is a major attribute of Nepali communist.
The evolution of Nepali politics is making people more frustrated. The old paradigm parties surely disappear soon, if they will not revitalize and review their principle and practices. New parties are also appearing in Nepal. Especially led by Dr. BaburamBhattarai his party recently again merged into Tarai based party which is totally surrounded by the same people from the previous party. He is an experimented leader. Because people have already witnessed his ideological deviation, which he called himself it’s a great leap. Another party is led by Rabindra Mishra ShajaBibeksheel also fragmented because of poor ideological base it became more like NGO than a party. Some Tarai based regional party emerging and dissolving one into another they are also not different than other political parties. When political parties lose their ideological gravity other everything falls apart as Gandhi described among seven sin one is “politics without principle” it is the worst sin that whole nation needs to indemnify.
India’s Prime Minister NarendraModi has won twice, remember it is not only because of his dynamicity there are hundreds of other leaders in BJP equally qualified like Modi. But why they are winning because of their strong ideological strength. What they believe they do. They are economically developing their nation as they campaign ruling in the same tune. China is a communist nation inviting all investors to continuously developing the nation. Both giant nations are developing rapidly though both have different ideologies. But, they are strong in their ideology and in practice as well as. Nepal should take a benefit from both in this geopolitical situation making clear balanced vision, strategy, and ideas.
When the political ideology becomes feeble there is the greater possibility of raising all kinds of authoritarianism. It is an ideological crisis; it is alarming every area of the nation. Now, people have more problems and difficulties than before. This ideological infection is turning into like cancer in Nepali politics. Therefore, people need a fresh ethical and dynamic political party or radical improvement in the existing party is urgent. As Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problem with the same thinking we used when we created them” We need such a leader who can attune with people and solve the problem form this politics of power for money and muscle.
RupsinghBhandari
Author of conscience’s Quantum
