It was just yesterday I was writing about anarchy rampant in the country and today I have just another example. Having promised my fourteen old cousin that I will get her some CDs, I hurried to Gongabu approximately 15Km away from my home. Long jam in the road suggested that something was not right. Jams are something we have learned to live with but they are surprise on Saturdays. But being the most volatile areas where people bring their frustrations to streets for smallest reasons like their chicken being run over by a vehicle, I didn’t care. More than that I was in no hurry and was enjoying the mp3s with the head phones plugged into my ears. The news was reading about disturbances brought about by hike in the fuel prices. Since law does not abide anyone we have jams when people swerve their vehicles in wrong places, driver reverse their vehicle in the busiest of roads, they stop anywhere when they see passengers. The passengers signal the vehicles to stop whenever and where-ever they want, they argue for fare even they know the exact fare. These are common things and they in fact help to let out the frustrations in the common man.
I was in the jam for about 45 minutes, when I was almost to my destination a young boy whose look suggested he was a conductor, came running to the bus I was in and asked the driver to return. His body language and his expression were indicating he was infuriated. The police had gathered at places with their batons and shield and people had gathered to see what was happening. Presence of police, does not give one the feeling of security in places like ours where they are more helpless than a common man. They are sent to the disturbed area with no clear instructions and if anyone is most puzzled in situation like these then its police. It was time to unplug my ear-phones. The boy was swearing and cursing, he sworn more than he told what had transpired. I learnt that few drivers had been man handled and their vehicles damaged and as usual they had resorted to blocking the streets, burning tires etc.
There are many reasons why every issue turns violent and why people take everything in their hand. They know that government won’t do anything, there is no promise of justice and everything is solved in locked rooms while the big bugs appear shaking hands and grinning. Many people had died earlier in road accidents, riots and homicides but we never witnessed counter riots, arson and blockades. Now before one thinks that the enforcement of law must have been effective then and perpetrators were brought to books, let me tell you that was not the case. Those days people didn’t believe in law, they feared it. Those who have lost their people will bury their agonies deep within because they knew how sluggish the law was, in their quest for justice they will land in deep trouble. Compensation was something they didn’t expect because they hadn’t heard compensation being given to any victims. Thanks to media and easy reach to information, people have become aware but it does not mean they have regards for law. Law is same and the Nepali saying ‘Thula lai chain sana lai aiyan’ (Luxury for rich and powerful while law for poor and innocent) is still popular in the country. Now they take everything in their own hand, they have lost their faith in government. How can they trust the government who upon 25% rise in fuel prices endorses 35% rise in public fare? While the real trouble makers sit inside the barricades of bureaucracy the ground worker is targeted. Today many drivers were beaten and many had their heads busted open but they are not the real culprit in fact they are as innocent as a common passenger. The real culprit is the ministry of Labor and transport, the cabinet of ministers and the leaders who the people have chosen to represent them. In their closed room meeting which is more an allowance munching thing than meetings for public concern, the representatives of respective political parties agrees to every decree, legislation, polices that are hostile to a common man they voice gall and venom against the things they have done themselves when they speak before the public. If they are in the opposition they always have other fish to fry. They give false impressions of their concern of a common man but its just their attempt to cease power. People have always been betrayed and this will keep continuing till education does not promise consciousness, till law is not enforced and till the people are not promised justice and till impunity is not controlled.
I who earn more than a common Nepali citizen felt a prick in my heart when I was asked to pay five rupees more how would a common man feel. He knows the government will not listen to him, where will he pour his frustrations. An average income of a common Nepali per month is less than Rs. 1500 i.e. less than $20 (Statistics of 2002). A city dweller earns around Rs. 3000 per month and most of them have to use public transport to get to work and return. With Rs.10 , he spent Rs.20 everyday on transport thus Rs.600 a month. Now with remaining Rs.2400 how can he feed his family and send his children to school. After the students brought it to the streets earlier government promised a concession of 33% to students. Since there are no regulatory bodies in a state in anarchy, its way easy to get a student identity card. Everyone carried student identity cards though they might have never gone to school. Thus a common Nepali will pay Rs. 7 i.e Rs.14 a day in public transport, but with hike of 35% they need to pay Rs.10 for fare. Even a rise of Rs.1 shakes the budget of a common man and the impact of 35% was expected to face fierce resistance. With country which has just managed to put violence aside, people are still frustrated but they are in high hopes, they feel the good days will come when life will be lot easier. They are in position to adjust any cheats. Already they feel deceived when political parties are failing to bring any promises to life. Now people question if it was only for Republican system to take life of more than 20000 people justified. It is no deal at all, it’s a blatant cheating.
The market price is not fixed and again in the absence of regulatory bodies (if present they are useless) anyone has right to fix the price of commodity or service he wants to sell. Isn’t this anarchy? Democracy also promises transparency in state affairs, when and how government justified the rise in fuel prices and the chain reaction it has created. For a man who has been following news recently, he knew the rise was coming but can we raise the price without considering the repercussions. Today only four or five vehicles have burnt in the anguish of a common man it will be more fierce and fearsome in the days to come.
Now I get to hear that government had asked not to pay more for a fare. They have asked the citizens that no changes has been made. But is that what a democratic says? Shouldn’t they say they will strictly punish the transport people if they ask passengers to pay more? When there was insurgency even at that time they had asked people not be afraid of the militias and not to help them but what happened, the insurgency only grew stronger and stronger. A democratic government does not ask people to stay away from criminals and injustice, they create an environment where no crimes occur, at least they try. They do not expect their citizens to be forced for anything because they are strict against the perpetrators.
If the government has not given permission to hike fare, by whose authority the transporters are making people more. Why can’t government take their licenses away? The transporters know the government is capable of doing nothing. If the government tries to be strict, they have association. These associations do not fight for the right of their members but to exploit the rights of others. Associations do not abide by the law but government should abide by their rules. Isn’t it obvious anarchy? Association of petroleum dealers protects the dealers when they mix kerosene with petrol, association of employees protects the right of workers to shun work, association of media protects their right to manipulate news, association of students give them right to burn tyres and close educational institutions, association of doctors protect them when they kill patients out of negligence. Does anyone call this democracy? Sorry sir we are anarchists.
The reaction to everything is violent because the youth have fought to bring peace to country, they have fought to change the face of the country. They have been promised of education, employment and opportunity. They have feeling of being cheated. If one is to observe these agitations, it won’t be difficult to see young, juvenile faces outnumbering the adults. Police being seen as a representative of the government are pelted stones. I wish the anger that is being poured to equally innocent drivers to be diverted to the concerned ministries and authorities.
I was in the jam for about 45 minutes, when I was almost to my destination a young boy whose look suggested he was a conductor, came running to the bus I was in and asked the driver to return. His body language and his expression were indicating he was infuriated. The police had gathered at places with their batons and shield and people had gathered to see what was happening. Presence of police, does not give one the feeling of security in places like ours where they are more helpless than a common man. They are sent to the disturbed area with no clear instructions and if anyone is most puzzled in situation like these then its police. It was time to unplug my ear-phones. The boy was swearing and cursing, he sworn more than he told what had transpired. I learnt that few drivers had been man handled and their vehicles damaged and as usual they had resorted to blocking the streets, burning tires etc.
There are many reasons why every issue turns violent and why people take everything in their hand. They know that government won’t do anything, there is no promise of justice and everything is solved in locked rooms while the big bugs appear shaking hands and grinning. Many people had died earlier in road accidents, riots and homicides but we never witnessed counter riots, arson and blockades. Now before one thinks that the enforcement of law must have been effective then and perpetrators were brought to books, let me tell you that was not the case. Those days people didn’t believe in law, they feared it. Those who have lost their people will bury their agonies deep within because they knew how sluggish the law was, in their quest for justice they will land in deep trouble. Compensation was something they didn’t expect because they hadn’t heard compensation being given to any victims. Thanks to media and easy reach to information, people have become aware but it does not mean they have regards for law. Law is same and the Nepali saying ‘Thula lai chain sana lai aiyan’ (Luxury for rich and powerful while law for poor and innocent) is still popular in the country. Now they take everything in their own hand, they have lost their faith in government. How can they trust the government who upon 25% rise in fuel prices endorses 35% rise in public fare? While the real trouble makers sit inside the barricades of bureaucracy the ground worker is targeted. Today many drivers were beaten and many had their heads busted open but they are not the real culprit in fact they are as innocent as a common passenger. The real culprit is the ministry of Labor and transport, the cabinet of ministers and the leaders who the people have chosen to represent them. In their closed room meeting which is more an allowance munching thing than meetings for public concern, the representatives of respective political parties agrees to every decree, legislation, polices that are hostile to a common man they voice gall and venom against the things they have done themselves when they speak before the public. If they are in the opposition they always have other fish to fry. They give false impressions of their concern of a common man but its just their attempt to cease power. People have always been betrayed and this will keep continuing till education does not promise consciousness, till law is not enforced and till the people are not promised justice and till impunity is not controlled.
I who earn more than a common Nepali citizen felt a prick in my heart when I was asked to pay five rupees more how would a common man feel. He knows the government will not listen to him, where will he pour his frustrations. An average income of a common Nepali per month is less than Rs. 1500 i.e. less than $20 (Statistics of 2002). A city dweller earns around Rs. 3000 per month and most of them have to use public transport to get to work and return. With Rs.10 , he spent Rs.20 everyday on transport thus Rs.600 a month. Now with remaining Rs.2400 how can he feed his family and send his children to school. After the students brought it to the streets earlier government promised a concession of 33% to students. Since there are no regulatory bodies in a state in anarchy, its way easy to get a student identity card. Everyone carried student identity cards though they might have never gone to school. Thus a common Nepali will pay Rs. 7 i.e Rs.14 a day in public transport, but with hike of 35% they need to pay Rs.10 for fare. Even a rise of Rs.1 shakes the budget of a common man and the impact of 35% was expected to face fierce resistance. With country which has just managed to put violence aside, people are still frustrated but they are in high hopes, they feel the good days will come when life will be lot easier. They are in position to adjust any cheats. Already they feel deceived when political parties are failing to bring any promises to life. Now people question if it was only for Republican system to take life of more than 20000 people justified. It is no deal at all, it’s a blatant cheating.
The market price is not fixed and again in the absence of regulatory bodies (if present they are useless) anyone has right to fix the price of commodity or service he wants to sell. Isn’t this anarchy? Democracy also promises transparency in state affairs, when and how government justified the rise in fuel prices and the chain reaction it has created. For a man who has been following news recently, he knew the rise was coming but can we raise the price without considering the repercussions. Today only four or five vehicles have burnt in the anguish of a common man it will be more fierce and fearsome in the days to come.
Now I get to hear that government had asked not to pay more for a fare. They have asked the citizens that no changes has been made. But is that what a democratic says? Shouldn’t they say they will strictly punish the transport people if they ask passengers to pay more? When there was insurgency even at that time they had asked people not be afraid of the militias and not to help them but what happened, the insurgency only grew stronger and stronger. A democratic government does not ask people to stay away from criminals and injustice, they create an environment where no crimes occur, at least they try. They do not expect their citizens to be forced for anything because they are strict against the perpetrators.
If the government has not given permission to hike fare, by whose authority the transporters are making people more. Why can’t government take their licenses away? The transporters know the government is capable of doing nothing. If the government tries to be strict, they have association. These associations do not fight for the right of their members but to exploit the rights of others. Associations do not abide by the law but government should abide by their rules. Isn’t it obvious anarchy? Association of petroleum dealers protects the dealers when they mix kerosene with petrol, association of employees protects the right of workers to shun work, association of media protects their right to manipulate news, association of students give them right to burn tyres and close educational institutions, association of doctors protect them when they kill patients out of negligence. Does anyone call this democracy? Sorry sir we are anarchists.
The reaction to everything is violent because the youth have fought to bring peace to country, they have fought to change the face of the country. They have been promised of education, employment and opportunity. They have feeling of being cheated. If one is to observe these agitations, it won’t be difficult to see young, juvenile faces outnumbering the adults. Police being seen as a representative of the government are pelted stones. I wish the anger that is being poured to equally innocent drivers to be diverted to the concerned ministries and authorities.
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