Nepal is too important to be left to politicians alone

 Like Saturn, the revolution devours its children.

- Jacques Mallet du Pan (1749-1800)

Cronus (Saturn), according to the Greek mythology, is the youngest among the first generation of the Titans -- 12 children of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaia (Earth).

As per the mythology, Cronus, on the advice of his mother Gaia, castrated Uranus, separating the Heaven from the Earth. He then became the king of the Titans and took his sister, Rhea, as his wife, begetting Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades and Poseidon.

Who devours their own children?

Per the mythology, Cronus committed this heinous crime.

Apparently, Cronus swallowed his own children, save Zeus, because his parents had warned that he would be overthrown by his child.

But when Zeus was born, Rhea acted quite cleverly: She hid Zeus in Crete and somehow made Cronus swallow a stone!

Zeus grew up, waged a war against his father and defeated him. The youngest of the Titans also made Cronus disgorge his brothers and sisters.

So much for the Greek mythology, for now.

As for revolutions, history is testimony to the fact that they devour their own babies. Take the assassination of Leon Trotsky after Joseph Stalin's rise in Russia following the Russian revolution that exterminated Czar Nicholas and his whole family.

In fact, there is no need to travel around the world, that too in the times of a pandemic, to prove this maxim.

A grim history of our very many revolutions that happen almost every decade offers clinching evidence in support. 

All we need is a little bit of time to read/reread and contemplate on some of the vital chapters of contemporary history marked by the 1950's revolution that abolished the Ranarchy and established multiparty democracy with monarchy, the 1990's movement for multiparty democracy with constitutional monarchy, the decade-long Maoist insurgency, the roughly decade-old revolution that overthrew the monarchy and established a federal democratic republic through a popularly elected Constituent Assembly. 

Some of the larger-than-life figures behind these changes of Himalayan magnitude have lost their lives in mysterious circumstances, not to mention the rebels of different hues and colours, in the decades that have political instability as their defining feature. If the 'untimely demise' of dreams of successive generations is to be taken into account along with the wastage of decades, the losses would be simply incalculable.

If 'untimely demise' of dreams of successive generations is to be considered along with wastage of decades, the losses would be incalculable.

 All that these revolutions have done is prove that the more things change, the more they remain the same. All that they have done is made Nepali youths, the real heroes, sacrifice their lives so that a bunch of cowards may live, rule and amass fortunes for their progenies, at the expense of Nepal and the Nepalis.

The course of all these revolutions has been boringly similar all along.

Some progressive members of the middle class that are, in any way, close to the ruling establishment of the day, start their struggle for change. In course of time, hundreds of thousands of youths join the struggle as myopic rulers seek to crush the rebellion instead of striving for a negotiated settlement. With generous helping from foreign powers, the ‘revolutionaries’ come to power and start fighting for the spoils, making foreign powers stronger than ever.

With generous helping from foreign powers, the ‘revolutionaries’ come to power and start fighting for the spoils, making foreign powers stronger than ever

As rulers engage in dirty games to remain in power, they become even more corrupt than their predecessors, making way for revolutions that are more violent than ever, revolutions that end up further weakening Nepali sovereignty and strengthening further the vice-like grip of foreign powers in Nepal.

The fact that our revolutionaries of all hues and colours are at the beck and call of a neighbour clearly shows that these struggles, these revolutions are not solely for the realization of what I would like to call the Nepali dream. On the contrary, they seem to be part of a pan-Asian strategy to somehow curtail/delay the rise of Asia, with an instability-plagued Nepal acting as a launchpad.

On one hand, this neighbor strives to have a more decisive say in the affairs of Nepal. On the other, it acts on behalf of certain foreign powers against another of Nepal’s neighbor. This double-game is not helping Nepal at all.

Once again, it would be contextual to draw from the wise du Pan, who said: Revolution leads to hope, hope to frustration and frustration to fury.

For quite long, Nepal has been swinging violently between two extremes: The winter of discontent and the summer of unrest.

During the grim winter, people seek to remain indoors to protect themselves from cold instead of hitting the streets against ever-soaring market prices, malgovernance and corruption.

For quite long, Nepal has been swinging violently between two extremes: The winter of discontent and the summer of unrest.

Come summer, with their blood boiling, they hit the streets demanding all good things for all good people: Good governance, an end to corruption, rule of law and affordable education…….. The list goes on.

The lockdown and the shutdown imposed to control the coronavirus pandemic have worked well when it comes to preventing this season from turning into yet another season of unrest, unlike in previous years, though there are ample reasons for the public to seethe with rage: Unabated corruption, malgovernance, lack of rule of law and rising unemployment, resulting from the slump at home and migrant receiving countries the world over.

The lockdown and the shutdown imposed to control the coronavirus pandemic have worked well when it comes to preventing this season from turning into yet another season of unrest

Once the pandemic subsides and normalcy starts returning, this pent-up outrage is likely to fuel another round of unrest, of course with support/instigation from domestic political parties and foreign powers with diverse, conflicting agendas.

Sadly, I see no light at the end of the tunnel. I see the opposite happening unless we mend ways.

For a change, how about not leaving this country at the mercy of leaders, given that this country, or any country for that matter, is too important to be left to politicians alone? How about seeking accountability? How about making every vote count instead of swapping it with small favors like wads of cash, offer of some plum job or a much- sought-after contract? 

Is it asking for far too much?