Posted by: Surendra Shakya June 11, 2020
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Reposting with images that I could not upload because of blogpost technical glitch.
When the current government was formed following the election win by the parties who took illegal money from NCELL to spend in the election, the wiser mind would have foreseen that it would not be working In favor of ordinary people. Sure enough, for the first time in their lives, Nepalese felt the severe pinch of taxation, an issue that has caused so much pain that one day it will blow up against the government. The chagrin of the people was charged more when it became a trend for the elected officials at all levels misusing the tax money on purchasing expensive vehicles for their use.
Now, following the lockdown that has lasted for more than two months, business people are feeling the pinch. As if to add fuel to the fire, the finance minster ordered the business to submit their taxes before the usual scheduled time. While the business community has been reeling from the loss of revenues, and increasing expenditure, there has been no indication that things could get better.
Kathmandu became the venue for the people to speak up against the government excesses. People were expecting that lockdown would quiet down in two months, looking at the example of China. Instead, in Nepal, things have been going the other way. Now, the infection total in Nepal has crossed four thousand, and the quarantines are becoming the nursery of spreading new infections.
Having been tired of the government lack of transparency, the youth of Kathmandu gathered around the Baluwatar PM residence with placards to show their displeasure and put up their demands:
- Tax cannot be cleared on the demanded date
- Mishandling of the epidemic has to be stopped, especially the release of infected people with asymptomatic symptoms
- Demand to increase the PCR testing
- Government’s lack of transparency in the Covid-19 procurement.
The people asked the government to show the results, not the Rs. 10 billion reported to have been spent. Opposition political parties are also asking for the government to be transparent about that figure. In response, the PM’s response is not to worry about the transparency at all, and focus on the virus.
On the surface, what was happening was according to the democratic rights of people to peacefully protest the action or policy of the government. But the things took a sinister turn when the higher-level officer arrived at the scene. He ordered the clearance of path, and suddenly the police started using the baton and water canon against the hundreds of youth protestors.
This could be only the beginning of protests what is bound to get bigger and fiercer. Police have been coercively shutting down businesses that are opening in defiance of the ineffective lockdown. New Road and Mhaboudha business owners have been enraged by the refusal to reconsider this policy.
There has been another political issue that has riled people up. In the parliament, Hindi was spoken to taunt the Nepal government and people taking the opposite stance to the nation relating to Kalapani and Lipulek. More statements are coming in interviews to the media to diminish Nepal’s status and even existence. All this effort to undermine Nepal in front of India is definitely not sitting well with the population. This could also become another flint to spark serious repercussions.
If the lockdown is extended again, there is likely to be more people coming to the streets in defiance, and clash with the police. As the mass increases, crowds will not be easy to disperse. People against MCC are also waiting for the opportunity to show their displeasure. It is likely that all the dissatisfaction could add up to cause a major revolution in Nepal as soon as the lockdown ends or even if it is kept in place.
Incompetency of the government is exposing its dishonesty. People are seeing through it all. A small spark is all that is needed in this volatile situation.