Lull Before the Storm

By Dr. Rabin Man Shakya

There were palace intrigues and political maneuverings even during the rule of Lichhavis and Malla Kings of Nepal. But as far as I know from the history of Nepal, ordinary people were not cheated by the Lichhavis and Malla rulers.

Cheating and humiliating the people especially the ethnic communities of Nepal started right after the advent of Shah dynasty in 1768 AD.

The process of cheating the people by the ruling elites of Nepal during different periods of history went on unabated. Even today, this process is going on. Living conditions are deplorable in Nepal. People are facing multitude of problems after the earthquake and Indian economic blockade. The nation is plagued by lack of law and order, insecurity, joblessness. Corruption and misuse of power are rampant in Nepal. There is not enough water to drink and load-shedding is a perennial problem.

Given the greed for power and the government's utter negligence of the grievances of the people, it looks like the Nepalese people are destined to be deluded and tricked by the rulers for ever.

The tendency of cheating the people by the ruling elites that began in 1768 right after the Shah dynasty's advent is still continuing today too albeit in a subtle and unseen manner.

The recent protests and agitation of the ethnic people are only the justifiable outcomes of the continuous cheating and suppression of the people by the ruling elites that started in 1768. It looks like the protests and agitation of the ethnic communities have come out quite effectively recently. The decision of the Madheshi parties to ease the agitation is just a lull before the storm. Ethnic conflict is still looming large anytime soon, which is justifiable given the uni-cultural nation and one-language concept we have been living in for centuries.

The government and the mainstream political parties should come to a consensus to justly address the grievances of the ethnic people, before it again bursts out.