Although a newuser, now I am attempting to join in the fray of Sajha Stalwarts. Hopefully, no one will question my eligibility. It is Ashu's comment that has forced me to put my opinion in this thread. Otherwise, I used to be a loyal reader to both guys- Paramendra and Ashu. Both of you have good English, probably helped by your lengthy stay in the USA (Ashu, I guess is a Xaverian) and it's always nice to read well written composition in English on Nepali issues. I hope you guys will acquit me for putting subdued English in your discussion for I don't have strong linguistic skills like yours. First, although I do not fully agree to Paramendra's reply (specially the first paragraph in which he has used all of his limited knowledge about the shortcomings of Nepali people to lambast his critic), I think Ashu deserves more bashing then that for his silly comments(by his back ground and standards). Paramendra has picked up the right sentences to strike and hit the right target. I will just add my disagreements to Ashu's analysis. I am really disappointed to see the U turn Himal media has taken in the recent weeks but I am not surprised at all. For the bondage between the Dikshit family and the Madan Sumshers since decades, it was obvious that Kunda and company would soon revert to their family values and sway towards the palace hierarchy. When Himal media decides to make a turn, people like Ashu don't have many options to choose from then reciprocating their ideaology with the Dikshits. After all the Dikshits were splitted into pro monarchists and pro democratic halves in the recent years and there must be a good bargain hunt that has softened the stance of the moderate/ democratic dikshits to allign with their hardliner dikshit brothers. Ashu is just a pawn in the sacrificing gambit step taken by Himali Dikshits which will unfortunately prove to be a suicidal move for themselves in the time to come. I still hope they won't take this funny step and re think a new move. I will be back to Ashu's comment soon, in the mean time few months ago(months before the royal take over), I had written a letter to Himal media and the following is the extract from that letter: ''Once the King begins to act as according to the recent submission of the Royal Council, what do you expect? Kathmandu based diplomats have already indicated that they would not stop the King from taking the final authorities and the big western medias have rightly predicted that our country is becoming a failed state sooner or later. This is an alarm bell. The western scholars had warned in the same way about Afghanistan in the late seventies and their predictions on Nepal may come true because they know the interest of their nations very well.This is the time for Nepalese politicians, students, scholars, press and everybody who love the country to resist fiercely against the menace of the big Royal take over. Imagine if pro democracy leaders are taken into custody, people disappeared and killed en masse and press freedom aborted; on top of it the maoists carrying on with their act of terror and violence in much larger scale. Can anybody assure that this can't happen? Has anybody the real power to stop the King from doing what he intends to do? The danger is looming ahead and it's time to do every bit of our strength to make the King realise that he will have to face fierce resistance from the public in order to fulfill his ambitions. Lets not allow the royal henchmen to have the last laugh. We cannot wait for thirty more dark years again.'' Himal published almost every thing from the above comment but excluded the following sentences: ''This is the time for Nepalese politicians, students, scholars, press and everybody who loves the country to resist fiercely against the menace of the big Royal take over. Imagine if pro democracy leaders are taken into custody, people disappeared and killed en masse and press freedom aborted; on top of it the maoists carrying on with their act of terror and violence in much larger scale. Can anybody assure that this can't happen? Has anybody the real power to stop the King from doing what he intends to do? '' And from there on, I had the suspicion that one of the most trustworthy media in Nepal in fact do not support the real cause of democracy. I think the above anecdote challenges Ashu's analysis which I have quoted below. ''Thankfully, I have seen that other people -- despite their self-confidence and compelling pro-this and against-that logic -- too have NO better batting average when it comes to accurately forecasting our short-term political future. Remember, some time ago, intellectuals and journalists were all over Mohammed Mohsin for daring to suggest that Nepal might become an autocratic state soon. At the time, it was fashionably knee-jerk thing to gang up on Mohsin ad infinitum and ad nauseum for making that remark. A few months later, look, where Nepal is now. Could any one of those intellectuals and journalists even have dreamt the state we are in today in Nepal? No. '' Furthermore, without raising eyebrows to Ashu's capabilities, I have to add that the Bahuns or other elites of Kathmandu think that they are superior to other bahuns or elites from outside the valley. The irony is that their forefathers shifted to Kathmandu and started serving the king and the Rana prime ministers and reaped reward for their servitude in the form of transforming 'Guthi jagga' to their name. They sold those land and built bungalows and started up business in Kathmandu and now they boast of being elites closer to the rulers. What a shame? Those bahuns who woked in the stables of Rana Prime Ministers think they should remain the only elites in the country. They think that no middle class families from the outside of the valley should not have a better home, should not start a better business and should not be better educated. St. Xaverians and the Budhanilkantha groups think that they are the only prolific English learners in the country and they should remain the same. But in the last 15 years, the bahuns and chettris and other so called elites from outside the valley have outclassed the ones from inside, displaced them in their own den(Kathmandu), excelled in business(the Gyawalis of Kantipur overtook Dikshits of Himal). Schools outside Kathmandu have started teaching as good english as in Xaviers or Budhanilkantha and taken the majority of SLC board. Today There are many Nepalese outside the valley who are taking education in the USA and UK. In the past only some Sharma and Lohani and Tiwari and Dikshit could afford this. And all this has panicked the elites in Kathmandu. So , although they know the advantage of democracy and disadvantage of autocracy, the likes of Ashu tend to tilt on the side of autocracy. They don't believe in their competence and seek protection from the palace. This is absolutely ludicrous. No offences guys, just my opinion. And again to Paramendra, please do not behave as if the Indians are all united. And as if they don't run after American dollar. We know how a Punjabi behaves to Delhiwala, How a Gujarati eyes a Madrasi. Probably you are also aware that the Indians have introduced so many kinds of frauds in America and Europe in specailly business and banking sectors. In fact, Indians are not only partly responsible for creating mess in Nepal, but also in the whole world. US, UK, South Africa, Carrebean, Fiji, Gulf everywhere. Any way, I salute those who have emerged from zeros to heros. You have performed better then us neigbours- hats off. But don't make a mockery of us. You are not much better in totality.