Anil, If you have NO problem with Shiva's doing what he did, then, what is the BASIS of your saying that he must have done so because of "manipulation" or because of "social subversion" or because of any of the other arm-chair theories that you have come up with? Shiva's older than you, and can make up his own mind about his actions without being told that he is being "manipulated" and the like. Shiva's example does NOT give you a window to make generalisations about our various societies of Nepal. You talk about being critically opinionated, but an opinion that just throws generalisations and offers no basis for thinking what you think is NOT being critical. It's just being ideological under the garb of democracy. Finally, trying to live in a democracy is also about living with people who do things that one doesn't like but who have broken no laws and have harmed none. oohi ashu